Relieved? Just a bit!
Potter delighted to end horror run
WHATEVER else is said about the patience of those who follow Chelsea, a sense of humour is at least surviving through these tricky times. And so they had themselves a little sing-song when it finally went right for a change, which is to say Kai Havertz got a header on target and with it that rarest of things — a win under Graham Potter.
‘We are staying up,’ was the message, and perhaps that was an overstatement of their difficulties, but it has just been that kind of season. That kind of tenure. That kind of period where if you don’t laugh, you might run a good manager out of town.
Of course, with Chelsea and the two-headed beast of their injuries and form, it is premature to say with any certainty if this will be a belated start of the new chapter, or a solitary sheet of paper for their many cracks.
That they won for only the second time in nine games in all competitions ought to be kept in the context of Crystal Palace’s own limitations of late, not to mention a recognition that it was only possible because Kepa Arrizabalaga made excellent saves from rocketed volleys in each half.
But a victory is a victory and the only known way of stopping the sort of grumbles that have spread with growing volume of late. As Potter put it: ‘I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t relieved.’
With a forthcoming fixture against the fading force of Liverpool followed by Fulham and West Ham, the necessity now is that this becomes part of a sustained move and not an outlier against recent trends, though a raised mood will only help with such missions.
That was assisted in part by the unveiling at half-time of Mykhaylo Mudryk on a bafflingly long contract of eight and a half years. The reception he received as he entered the pitch felt like a celebration for the arrival of the cavalry, though it will also be noted Chelsea have never lacked for new signings. Indeed, Mudryk is their 13th in one and a half windows, which is arguably part of the problem for Potter.
The question, as ever, is if the new blood will assimilate and justify the cost, which in Mudryk’s case was in excess of £62million — plus add-ons. The need for an early impact from the forward is quite urgent, as highlighted by a match in which Chelsea had the vast majority of possession but managed only five efforts on goal, one being Havertz’s winner midway through the second half.
On other days such ineffectiveness might have tipped the fans over the edge, but it is possible any antipathy here was quelled by the solemn nature of how the afternoon began — with touching tributes to Gianluca Vialli, led in the centre circle by a variety of his former team-mates including John Terry and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. There were also colourful banners in the stands, which offset the grey nature of what initially unfolded on the pitch.
For this one, Potter had opted to make five changes, which in light of the squad’s ailments — 11 in the treatment room at last count — would indicate just how far he is from a settled plan.
Of those alterations, there was most notably a debut for defender Benoit Badiashile.
The upshot of such dramatic surgery was a number of defensive holes that allowed Palace some early success in getting in behind, though their chances across a dull first half were predominantly contained to one sweet volley from Michael Olise and a Jeffrey Schlupp header. Both were well saved by Kepa — Potter’s best player on the day.
In credit to Chelsea, they increased their tempo between scares and created a good headed chance for Havertz, which he wasted, and another when the same man was a fraction short of reaching a pull-back by Conor Gallagher. Lewis Hall then came close to lashing in the loose ball, before Vicente Guaita made an exceptional save in nudging over a drive from Hakim Ziyech.
The pressure on Patrick Vieira’s side increased through the second half, before Chelsea teed up
Palace’s fourth defeat in five league games via a corner routine. The move started with an exchange of passes between Gallagher and Ziyech before the latter whipped the ball to Havertz.
The forward was helped by Schlupp and Cheick Doucoure impeding one another, but the header was excellent.
His next attempt from a Mason Mount cross was not nearly so good, given it was misdirected in front of a largely open goal, and the cost was almost underlined moments later when Doucoure thundered a volley on a course for the top corner. Kepa somehow kept it out and Potter managed a smile. CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): KEPA 8; Chalobah 6, Silva 7, Badiashile 6, Hall 7 (Koulibaly 78min); Gallagher 7, Jorginho 6.5; Ziyech 7.5 (Kovacic 89), Chukwuemeka 5.5 (Aubameyang 63, 5.5), Mount 6.5; Havertz 7 (Azpilicueta 89). Scorer: Havertz 64. Booked: Jorginho, Gallagher. Manager: Graham Potter 7. CRYSTAL PALACE (4-2-3-1): Guaita 7; Clyne 6.5, Guehi 6, Andersen 6 (Tomkins 37, 6.5), Mitchell 6.5; Schlupp 6 (Hughes 69, 6), Doucoure 6.5; Olise 6.5, Eze 5.5 (Edouard 69, 6), Zaha 6; Ayew 6 (Mateta 69, 6). Booked: Clyne, Doucoure, Eze, Guehi, Hughes. Manager: Patrick Vieira 6. Referee: Peter Bankes 7. Att: 40,075.