Chelsea’s poor form under Graham Potter continued on Sunday, as they succumbed to a 2-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur.
This latest loss means they have only won once in their last nine Premier League matches and remain 10th in the table, closer to 18th-placed Everton than to Spurs in fourth.
‘I haven’t done enough’
Potter acknowledges he is under pressure and the Chelsea head coach recognises that results need to improve quickly.
“That's just the nature of football and obviously I haven't done enough at this club to have too much good faith and I also accept that as well,” he said. “My job is to not worry too much about that.
“I understand the question and totally understand where it comes from, and just try to focus on helping the team and supporting the players because I really like these players.
“They're good lads, they want to do better, they want to win but at the moment we're suffering and that's my responsibility."
Potter compared his current situation to that of Mikel Arteta, who also endured difficult periods during the early stages of his managerial career at Arsenal.
"We were talking before the game about watching the ‘Arsenal All or Nothing’ [documentary] and two years into Mikel's reign he's close to getting the sack and people are wanting him out and it's a disaster.
“Obviously now things have changed a little bit, but that's just the way it is.”
Struggles in front of goal
One of the key issues for Potter has been his side’s inability to find the back of the net.
Chelsea have scored only six goals in all competitions since 6 November - the fewest of any side in the top four tiers of English football and 40 fewer than Manchester United have produced in the same period of time.
Despite bolstering their attacking options in the January transfer window, their struggles in front of goal are actually getting worse – Joao Felix’s strike in the 1-1 draw at West Ham United was their only goal in six matches across all competitions.
Stick with a settled side
While Potter earned praise for his tactical flexibility and rotation policy during his time with Brighton & Hove Albion, the constant changing since taking over at Chelsea has been seen by some as contributing to a lack of cohesion.
Chelsea are averaging 3.9 changes to their side per Premier League match - the joint-highest rate of any team in the competition’s history.
Former Chelsea manager Glenn Hoddle believes that, injuries permitting, Potter has to decide upon his best XI and stick with it.
“Pick a side that you feel is the right team, in the right system, to get the results,” Hoddle said. “Get a settled team that can get some confidence.”
In Potter’s defence, injuries have also played a significant part.
Key players such as N’Golo Kante, Reece James and Ben Chilwell have faced extended spells on the sidelines, while Thiago Silva limped off early at Spurs on Sunday.
Now or never
Incredibly, Chelsea are still without a win against any top-half side from their 24 Premier League matches this season.
But the good news for Potter is that Chelsea’s next four fixtures pit them against teams sitting in the bottom half.
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They won three of the four reverse fixtures, only failing to beat Leeds United.
The Blues also host Borussia Dortmund in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie on 7 March, hoping to overcome a 1-0 deficit from the first leg.
