Chelsea’s Potter says he is not the problem after latest loss

LONDON, February 18 (Reuters) – Chelsea manager Graham Potter acknowledged the frustration of fans who booed the Blues after a 1-0 home loss to bottom Premier League side Southampton on Saturday, but said his critics would have wrongly put all the blame on him.

“Any criticism is understandable after a 1-0 home loss,” Potter told reporters after his side recently failed to find the net.

“I think we’ve had a difficult time and I think we’ve had a lot of challenges in integrating younger players into the Premier League.”

The former Brighton & Hove Albion manager, who replaced Champions League winner Thomas Tuchel when the German was fired by Chelsea’s new owners last September, said it was difficult when results were poor.

“It is, and I’m sure there will be people out there who think I’m the problem,” Potter said. “I don’t think they’re right, but I’m not arrogant enough to say their opinions aren’t worth articulating.”

He said he took responsibility for Chelsea’s poor first half as his team – made six substitutions to the side who lost at Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League midweek but played well – after a free-kick from Southampton’s dead- Ball specialist James Ward-Prowse fell behind just before the break.

“The truth is we took a step back in terms of our first-half performance,” Potter said. “The response in the second half was good, but obviously not good enough.”

Big-spending Chelsea, who have spent around £300m ($361.05m) on players in January alone, have won just two games in the last 14 in all competitions.

They have scored 23 league goals so far this season, compared to 51 for Arsenal and 60 for Manchester City.

Saturday’s defeat left Chelsea in 10th place, far from a top-four finish needed to qualify for next season’s Champions League. So far, its American owners, who bought the club last year, have stood by Potter and said they are building for the long term.

Potter said club captain Cesar Azpilicueta was in hospital but conscious after being kicked in the head in the second half. He was placed on a stretcher after being treated by medical staff on the field for about 10 minutes.

“He’s in the hospital, he’s at his best. He’s conscious, he’s talking to his wife, so that’s good,” Potter said. “We were obviously very concerned when it first happened.”

($1 = 0.8309 pounds)

Reporting by William Schomberg; Editing by Clare Fallon

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