POTTER OFF TO AN OKA’ START
IT WAS a cruel introduction to life in the Champions League.
There was no dream start for Graham Potter as Chelsea let slip a lead to leave themselves in serious peril in Group E with back-to-back games against AC Milan ahead.
Potter (47) admitted he had never even been to a Champions League game before, let alone taken charge of one, but for long spells his new team looked perfectly at home.
Raheem Sterling scored the first goal of the Potter era and if co-owner Todd Boehly was watching after punting his idea for a US-style AllStar North v South game, then the Chelsea forward would surely be guaranteed a place.
But they let it slip with familiar failings of Potter-ball because they dominated, played some pretty stuff and did not put the opposition away before Noah Okafor (inset) levelled.
Instead, the Blues were held to a draw amid missed chances and defensive errors at Stamford Bridge and Potter clearly does not have a magic wand.
At the final whistle there was a smattering of frustrating boos.
It should have been a big night but ultimately it fell rather flat.
“We’re disappointed with the result,” said Potter. “I thought the boys gave everything. We scored a good goal, but lost a bit in the second half but their goalkeeper has made some good saves.
“It is what it is, we have to dust ourselves down. Personality and application was good, we will get better. We got Raheem in oneon-one situations quite often and the goal was a good result of that.
Goal
“It’s always irritating when you concede a goal.
Overall the defensive performance was quite good, it’s just the little details we will have to improve.
“It has not been easy for the boys, they have responded to us really well over the last few days and it’s a point we will have to take and get better. The attitude has been fantastic, no complaints apart from the fact we have not taken three points.”
The minute’s silence for the British Queen before kick-off was impeccably observed. It was a mark of respect matched by Potter’s smart suit and black tie and it felt like an emotionally-charged occasion.
Chelsea rose to it as well as the former Brighton boss looked on from the touchline. He would have been happy to see his players zip the ball around with the sort of speed that has been missing in recent weeks. There was no great fanfare to introduce Potter, no introduction to the crowd but it was pretty obvious that this was now his team as they lived up to his promise to deliver exciting football.
Forward
With Reece James pushing forward, it was more like a back three with the wide players just bombing on. James was the supply line but his crosses eluded Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Another low ball into the box was beyond Sterling at the back post. Typically, when Chelsea made the breakthrough it came after great work by James in the build-up as he stormed forward.
Mason Mount’s cross then carried across the face of Salzburg’s penalty box and there was Sterling on the far side to control the ball before curling a low shot into the far corner.
That made it 250 goals and assists combined for Sterling in all competitions at club level. He will be a vital player but Potter’s struggle at Brighton was not putting opponents away and back came Salzburg.
Sub Junior Adamu escaped from Thiago Silva.
In came the cross and there was Okafor, who pulled away from Cesar Azpilicueta to scuff his shot into the net via a deflection off the defender.
CHELSEA: Arrizabalaga, James, Azpilicueta (Ziyech 82), Thiago Silva, Cucurella, Kovacic (Gallagher 81), Jorginho, Mount, Havertz (Loftus-Cheek 66), Sterling (Pulisic 84), Aubameyang (Broja 66). SALZBURG: Kohn, Dedic, Ber- nardo, Pavlovic, Ulmer, Capaldo, Seiwald, Kjaergaard (Gourna-Douath 46), Sucic (Kameri 70), Sesko (Adamu 70), Okafor (Koita 85).
Ref: Ivan Kruzliak (Slovakia).