Graham Potter is unbeaten in his first nine games in Charge as Chelsea’s manager. The 47-year-old has won six games and drawn three games.
Chelsea have scored 16 goals and conceded three goals under Graham Potter. The blues are top of their Champions League group and have secured their spot in the knockout stage.
The blues are also fifty in the Premier League after 11 games.
However, Chelsea icon Joe has hailed Graham Potter for the milestone but warned Potter could face the real challenge in January when they face Manchester City and Liverpool in the same month.
What is Joe Cole’s assessment of Graham Potter after nine games?
The former Chelsea attacking midfielder said on BT Sport: “He’s come into the club, he’s given everyone a fresh start.
“Players like Kepa [Arrizabalaga], he’s come into the fold. For me, the first 10 games were the danger for Potter.
“It’s a long-term appointment. That’s for sure. Chelsea traditionally goes for a big name for immediate success but these new owners, want to build the club.
“The first [nine] games, he’s had a look at every one. He’s made five changes on multiple occasions. He’s brought everyone in, it’s a happy camp at the moment.
“The challenges will come in the new year when he gets to the business end [of the season] when he starts to settle on a team.
“He’s left Mason [Mount] out tonight, the first time he has left him out. He’s looked at different systems.
“But he has done so well with managing the squad in these early stages, while still getting results. That is very difficult.”
Meanwhile, Joe Cole has insisted that some Chelsea players could lose their motivation.
He added: “It’s the honeymoon period at the moment.
“Every player who’s been out in the cold, they’ve seen Kepa come back in, and now everyone in that squad – young players, old players – they feel like they’ve got the opportunity to get back into the fold and become a big player at Chelsea.
“So everyone is motivated. That wanes after time. And he [Potter] will know that.
“After two or three months, Hakim Ziyech for instance, he might be one – I’m only using him because he hasn’t featured as much as the others.
“But his motivation might start to slip and then how do you manage that player then? All the pats on the back and everything might not be the right course of action.
“But I’m sure Graham Potter will address that when it comes.
“Everything is going so well at the moment you’re almost looking at things down the line that could possibly go wrong and how he would react.
“But he’s ticked every box so far. All the players are at it and the garden is rosy at the moment.”
