Graham Potter explains Chelsea tactical switch vs Crystal Palace

Graham Potter took charge of his first Chelsea game on Saturday afternoon, taking on Crystal Palace, a side he has not beaten in six attempts.

But when all was said and done at Selhurst Park, Potter finally got his win, earning a 2-1 victory over the Eagles.

Chelsea went 1-0 down after seven minutes, but goals from Pierre-Emrick Aubameyang and Conor Gallagher secured them all three points.

After the game, Potter was asked why he switched to a back-four:

“We lost Marc [Cucurella] and we also felt a back four would be better for us. So that was the thinking,” he said.

“You need to be careful with change because things have to be consistent. How we play is consistent but at the same time, we have 12 matches in six-and-a-bit weeks, so it will be difficult to keep consistency in terms of selection.

“We have to stay open-minded but we need some consistency in how it looks and what we are trying to do on the pitch. But at the same time, we have to pick a team we think can win.”

With Cucurella out, Ben Chilwell finally got a start, with Potter having this to say on the Englishman’s display:

“It’s not an easy place to play because they put two wingers up against you at times; players like [Wilfried] Zaha are hard to control,” Potter stated.

“It’s his first 90 minutes in the Premier League but he had 90 minutes behind closed doors before he went away for the international break. He has come back from a long injury but he has a fantastic attitude, is a great kid, and am enjoying working with him.”