Chelsea Coach Says Poor First Half Cost Team
Chelsea coach Graham Potter said his team’s poor first half performance in their 1-0 Premier League loss to 20th-place Southampton, cost the Blues all three (3) points while acknowledging the frustration of fans who booed them off at Stamford Bridge.
Potter said he assumed responsibility for Chelsea’s poor first half when his team went behind to a brilliant free-kick by Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse before the halftime break.
“After a 1-0 defeat at home, any criticism you get is understandable,” Potter told reporters. “I think we have had a tough period and I think we have had lots of challenges in terms of integrating younger players into the Premier League.”
“That’s how it is and I am sure there will be people out there who think that I’m the problem. I don’t think that they are right but I am not arrogant enough to say that their opinion isn’t worth articulating.
“The truth is we took a step back in terms of our performance in the first half. The response in the second half was good but obviously it wasn’t good enough,” Potter added.
Chelsea have now won just two games in its last 14 in all competitions. They have scored 23 goals in the league so far this season compared with 51 for Arsenal and 60 for Manchester City. Saturday’s defeat leaves Chelsea in 10th place.
Potter said club captain Cesar Azpilicueta was in hospital but was conscious after being kicked in the head in the second half. He was taken off on a stretcher after being treated by medical staff on the pitch for around 10 minutes.
“He’s in hospital, he’s in the best place. He is conscious, he is speaking to his wife, so that’s good,” Potter said. “We were obviously very concerned when it first happened.”
