Chelsea’s performance against Borussia Dortmund was seen as crucial to Graham Potter’s future at the club.
Many believed that Graham Potter’s job security at Chelsea depended on their performance versus Borussia Dortmund; the West Londoners had their work cut out for them against the German titans.
Chelsea salvaged their season and maybe Graham Potter’s job after defeating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 to go to the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
Dortmund’s fans may have obscured everyone’s eyesight with yellow smoke canisters, but Graham Potter’s reign may have emerged from the haze – at least temporarily. Chelsea required nothing less than a victory to force extra time against the current Bundesliga leaders, who entered the game riding an eleven-game winning streak.
Raheem Sterling’s initial attempt from Ben Chilwell’s original cut-back was scuffed, but he persevered and blasted the ball into the top of the net when it got loose.
It was the least they deserved after Kai Havertz hit the post, had a fantastic effort disallowed for offside, and then Kalidou Koulibaly missed an open goal when the ball hit his heel instead of the ball.
All of Potter’s bad luck vanished when Chilwell smacked the ball against the hand of Marius Wolf, and referee Danny Makkelie signaled a goal after consulting the VAR monitor on the pitch.
Kai Havertz’s penalty kick hit the post, but it was ordered to be retaken after numerous Dortmund players were detected entering the penalty area. The German showed great bravery by stepping up to take the penalty kick, which he buried in the bottom corner on the second attempt.
Even though Jude Bellingham missed the goal from seven yards out, Potter won the match 2-1 on the aggregate. It was certainly his day. Daily Star Sport considers his accomplishments.
Fire with Fire
You cannot accuse Harry Potter of lacking courage. With their quickness in the back and poise in the middle, Dortmund thrives in frenetic, end-to-end contests.
The majority of managers, particularly those who are clinging to their jobs, would close off this space by lowering the backline deep. In response, Potter challenged his men to push the Germans and pin them within their own half.
Sterling, Havertz, and Felix led the attack, while Reece James and Ben Chilwell pressured Dortmund fullbacks from behind. Chelsea counterpressed during transitions and turnovers with irresistible energy.
Seldom would a manager attempt to out-Gegenpress a German squad, but Potter asked that his team do precisely that.
Havertz as new specialist in penalty area
Considering that Jorginho was formerly Chelsea’s leading scorer from penalties alone, selecting the next penalty taker must have been difficult. Nonetheless, despite his recent poor play, Havertz was given the nod to continue where the Italian left off.
The German’s naturally relaxed demeanor does not usually inspire confidence, but he proved he has the audacity and the courage to take penalty kicks for Chelsea. He may have received a second chance, but penalty takers who are afforded a retake so frequently flub their lines the second time around.
The fact that he stuck with his hazardous stutter technique and calmly tucked the ball into the corner demonstrates that he is an accomplished player.
Bringing the Bridge to life
Potter has been charged with a number of offenses. Not displaying sufficient emotion, failing to connect with the fans, and not seeming or speaking like a Chelsea manager.But, the somewhat tense, anxious, and wooden figure of the previous weeks abruptly loosened up and demonstrated the excitement that many admirers had been lacking.
After Felix witnessed a missed opportunity, Potter flung his arms in the air to encourage the Chelsea faithful to make more noise. They answered with a loud cheer, which they did well to maintain for the duration of the competition. There is still more work to be done in order to earn their trust and admiration.
But this appeared to be a really beneficial development for the stressed-out manager.
Marc Cucurella
Ben Chilwell’s comeback has demoted Marc Cucurella to second-choice wing-back and eliminated him from the team. The £60m-priced Spaniard has failed to adjust to life at Stamford Bridge.
Cucurella played in the back three alongside Kalidou Koulibaly and Wesley Fofana in the Champions League without Benoit Badiashile. Potter was daring to use his former Brighton and Hove Albion in such a dangerous situation. Cucurella’s gutsy, steady, and aggressive left-back performance repaid his manager’s faith.
Cucurella had nowhere to hide with Chilwell and James pushing high up the pitch. He didn’t conceal. He may have gotten Potter’s attention again.
