Chelsea bite the bullet after two trusted sources reveal Boehly decision
Ben Jacobs has echoed the claims of David Ornstein, with both trusted journalists unanimous on whether Chelsea will sack beleaguered manager Graham Potter.
Chelsea’s battered season hit new lows on Saturday as they suffered a 1-0 home defeat by Southampton. The Saints without a manager were spearheaded by interim boss Ruben Selles for the trip to Stamford Bridge. Southampton hit their lowest point of the day in the table after losing 10 of their last 11 in the league.
Another fantastic James Ward-Prowse free-kick proved the difference in the tie, however, as the visitors breathed new life into their campaign at Chelsea’s expense.
The defeat means the Blues have won just twice in their last 14 league games. They have also left both the FA and EFL Cups under Potter’s watch and will go into the Champions League round of 16 second leg against Borussia Dortmund a goal down.
All in all, Potter’s spells so far have been nothing short of disastrous, despite boasting one of the most expensively assembled squads of all time.
In fact, Potter’s win rate slipped to a meager 36 percent after the Saints lost. For reference, former Blues boss Thomas Tuchel was fired despite registering a win ratio of exactly 60.
Potter and his team were heavily booed at Saturday’s full-time whistle. Obviously, many Chelsea fans would love to see Todd Boehly pull the trigger.
However, the athletics David Ornstein recently reported that despite the dismal results, Boehly and company have no intention of firing Potter.
His report – drawn up before the Dortmund and Saints defeats – stressed Potter was ‘under no pressure’.
What does Boehly see in Potter?
Explaining this, the journalist noted that Chelsea’s hierarchy believed Potter should be judged on the basis of years, not months.
They’ve also looked around London and see Arsenal’s success under Mikel Arteta as a template to look to.
Arteta had a rocky road in the early days as Gunners boss. However, Arsenal have shown patience and are reaping the rewards in their third full season at the helm.
Ornstein added that not qualifying for next season’s Champions League will not be fatal for Potter.
Second source confirms Ornstein despite recent defeats
After the defeats in Dortmund and Southampton, many Blues fans are hoping for a change of heart from Boehly. However, reporter Ben Jacobs has backed up Ornstein’s claim that Potter is safe.
Jacobs tweeted on Saturday night“Big test now for owner support in Graham Potter.
“The message has always been that he’s going to be judged on a long-term basis of ‘years, not games’. But it’s a terrible run. One of ten wins in 2023.”
in one second tweet, Jacobs added: “The defeats to Dortmund and Southampton are not expected to change Chelsea’s faith in Graham Potter.
“Despite the poor running form, the ownership is still invested in him for the long term.”
Rightly or wrongly, Chelsea’s board of directors appear determined to bite the bullet and show faith in the man they have chosen to succeed Tuchel.
In other words, they’re hoping it’s a case of short-term pain for long-term gain.
Graham Potter responds to Chelsea Boo Boys
The issues of Chelsea’s poor form and the negative reaction fans had towards Potter and his team were raised during his post-match media work.
“After a 1-0 home loss, any criticism is understandable,” said Potter (about Football London).
“I think we’ve had a difficult time and I think we’ve had a lot of challenges in integrating young players into the Premier League. While the results may not be what you want, it can be difficult, but that’s the way it is.
“I’m sure there will be people out there who think I’m the problem, absolutely. I don’t think they’re right, but I’m not arrogant enough to say that their opinions aren’t worth articulating.
“My job is to help the team work through a team stage, we had to make some changes today and the truth is we took a step back in our performance in the first half.
“The response in the second half was good, but not good enough.”
CONTINUE READING: Chelsea add starter to transfer list after shock defeat at Southampton, joining four stars who can’t change the club’s mind
The article Graham Potter Sack Latest: Chelsea Bite the Bullet after two trusted sources reveal Boehly’s decision first appeared on Teamtalk.com.