EXCL: Pressure Eased, Mount Squad Omission, Chilwell Future, Midfield Updates (One Set to Join), Lavia, Osimhen, Neymar, De Jong & More!
The Ben Jacobs Column
Chelsea have turned a corner with three straight wins, including the 3-1 victory at Leicester. I have been reminded of the score all weekend! Let’s hope Leicester can stay up… to gain revenge next season! :)
Three wins on the bounce is precisely what Chelsea needed. They haven’t been perfect: Leeds was a little laboured, Dortmund had a bit of fortune (Sterling's first mistimed-swing for his in the end well-taken opener reminded me of my golf game!) and Leicester really should have made it 2-2 considering Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall missed a sitter. But the positives far outweigh all of that. Chelsea have shown real progress and there’s no reason why the unbeaten run won’t continue against Everton and beyond.
The switch to a back three has made a big difference. Wesley Fofana’s return has been important, too. And it was promising to see Marc Cucurella return to the squad against Dortmund and put in such an outstanding performance.
Cucurella can play alongside Ben Chilwell, whereas perhaps before this run and formation switch it was one or the other. Chilwell is so important to Chelsea, and he showed that against his former club Leicester with his goal, and a series of menacing crosses. Once he and Reece James get motoring everyone further forward will benefit dramatically
Graham Potter handled the pressure really well. It was clear the games against Leeds and Dortmund were important and he just found a way to win. Then against Leicester, Chelsea took their chances.
Kai Havertz will take a lot of confidence from his goal, and Mykhailo Mudryk stretching for the header that led to Mateo Kovacic’s stunner (he only scores bangers) feels important as well. It might just get him going.
Pressure is never fully off at a club like Chelsea when outside the top four or not winning trophies, but the daily soap opera around Graham Potter’s future has ended for now. You could see after Dortmund what that win meant to Todd Boehly. As captured with exclusive CBS footage, Boehly came straight into the tunnel with a beer to embrace Potter – a further sign the owners weren’t actively planning replacements. They have always wanted Potter to work because he fits their vision.
The mood in the camp has lifted, although Potter never lost the dressing room. In the build up to Leeds and Dortmund, he held a series of one-on-one meetings and, from what I am told, listened as much as he coached. And in group chats, the need for unity and leadership was stressed.
We still haven’t seen the best of Chelsea, or a near-perfect 90 minutes this season (even dating back to Thomas Tuchel), but scoring three at Leicester just might open the floodgates.
And now Chelsea have three home league games in a row. Everton and Aston Villa are very winnable, and if Chelsea can take maximum points they then have a massive fixture against Liverpool on April 4. I expect a similar atmosphere to Dortmund for that one.
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