Potter plots a revival of Chelsea’s fortunes

Graham Potter’s dream start as Chelsea head coach has recently taken a turn for the worse. Leading his non-World Cup players to the warm climes of Abu Dhabi, during the spectacle of Qatar 2022, could be just the tonic for the Blues.

They will undertake a training camp, which includes a friendly match, during the domestic season break. This will include pivotal defender Reece James, who was perceived as too much of a gamble following a knee injury to take to the winter tournament by England chief Gareth Southgate, and striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Games have been thrown towards Potter fast and furiously ever since he took over the hot seat at Chelsea. The enforced club break will offer the 47-year-old time to undertake any tweaks he desires, albeit without numerous stars who are competing in the FIFA World Cup finals.

Chelsea tackled nine matches in swift succession during last year’s football festive period, which derailed their title ambitions because of dropped points and relentless injuries.

This year is easier. When the season resumes in December then Potter should be able to call on some influential players, returning from injury. All being well then shotstopper Kepa Arrizabalaga, defensive trio Ben Chilwell, Wesley Fofana and James plus central midfielder N’Golo Kante are key figures who will be raring to go.

The Blues’ troops should be ready to battle it out with new impetus against AFC Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest and Manchester City post-Qatar 2022.

Yet Potter’s constant tinkering and persistence to start players who aren’t match fit has seen the knives out, with questions already asked as to whether he will survive the season.

If Chelsea are not in the Champions League next term, then it could be curtains for Potter. His rotation tactics have yet to see the emergence of younger squad players, meaning that feisty midfielders Carney Chukwuemeka and Omari Hutchinson could be given a shot in 2023 if they can do enough to impress during training camp.

It appears that all that is forgotten about Chelsea’s turbulent start to the season under head coach Thomas Tuchel. The German was given the boot following a breakdown in his relationship with the club’s new hierarchy, and Potter started to make inroads to turn things around.

But recent wobbles means that Chelsea are a generously priced 60/1 shot to clinch the Premier League with LeoVegas, although priced at 14/1 to win the Champions League. The Blues will have home advantage in the second leg of their last 16 Champions League contest with German giants Borussia Dortmund. LeoVegas is not just a sportsbook, the Swedish Mobile Gaming Group also offers popular slot games like Book of Dead, Bonzana and Starburst that feature on the best online slot list.

This upcoming break offers Potter some invaluable time to evaluate how to secure a spot in next season’s Champions League.

He also needs to urgently rethink how to accommodate some of his underachieving stars, such as new signings Marc Cucurella and Raheem Sterling. There have been erratic performances from Spanish defender Cucurella, following his £60 million transfer from Brighton & Hove Albion. And the £47.5m signing of Sterling from Manchester City has seen him largely ineffective, with the experimental gamble of deploying him as a left wing back.

With so many Chelsea stars competing in Qatar, Potter would surely be most grateful if any players joined their club mates in Abu Dhabi once they exited the World Cup.

Chelsea are set to Abu Dhabi, where they were based at the start of this year when they claimed the FIFA Club World Cup, so know the hotel and training facilities. But for Potter this is new territory and it remains to be seen whether this role is a step too far for him at one of the world’s elite clubs.