"Stressing me already, same old sh**" "Bring Tuchel back" - Chelsea fans lose their minds as Graham Potter names first XI as new manager
Chelsea fans are unhappy with Graham Potter's first starting XI as the Blues manager for the UEFA Champions League clash against Red Bull Salzburg today (September 14).
Potter is taking charge of his first game at the club following the sacking of Thomas Tuchel following Chelsea's loss to Dinamo Zagreb last week.
Potter's first lineup will see the Blues play with a four-man defense, rather than the three-man backline that they mostly used under Tuchel. The Englishman has notably favored to play three centre-backs during his Brighton & Hove Albion era. However, he has opted to make a switch for tonight's clash at Stamford Bridge, which Chelsea fans do not like.
Taking to Twitter to react to the starting XI, a number of Blues supporters compared the formation to Sarri-ball, which the club played under Maurizio Sarri. Some of the Stamford Bridge faithful questioned Tuchel's sacking, with concerns that Potter might not be up to the task.
Here is a selection of tweets from unhappy fans:
Might be potter out tonight make we see 🤨
Is there a Chelsea agenda this evening or is Graham Potter being given Grace period? 😂
Graham potter ,I no understand you with this your information at all ,you bench fofana kouli ,,am sure tomorrow morning ,you are going back to Brighton ,,
People were coming up with crazy formations that Potter would use in his first game, but instead, we got the return of Sarriball twitter.com/ChelseaFC/stat…
Potter stressing me already. Same old shit. twitter.com/chelseafc/stat…
WAIT AZPI CB IN A BACK FOUR??? I take that back, Potter what are you doing ?
Back four with Azplicueta at CB? Mount and Havertz starting? I might've been wrong about Potter, bring back Tuchel pls. twitter.com/chelseafc/stat…
@ChelseaFC @ParimatchGlobal Who the fnck is this Potter guy? What is this squad?
Azpi CB in back 4. Graham Potter thank you for the memories it’s been a pleasure 💙
While fans clearly have their reservations about Potter, the Boehly-Clearlake consortium that runs the club have decided he is the man for the job.
The English manager will hope that his tactics can secure an important three points in the continental competition.
Chelsea have endured a sub-par run of form this season
Losing to Dinamo Zagreb was perhaps the nail in the coffin for Tuchel's era in the Stamford Bridge dugout. The German tactician managed his 100th game for the club against the Croatian outfit last week. However, he slumped to defeat following yet another sub-par performance from the Blues.
Except for a win against West Ham United early in September, the Blues have struggled to find any serious form, while also dealing with disciplinary issues. All of August saw the west London side win just two games out of five, along with picking up two red cards in a row.
The concerning run of results in the Premier League has seen the side sit in sixth place, five points off leaders Arsenal.
It also did not help that the Blues could not start off their Champions League campaign with a win, but Potter will be looking to improve the situation.