Graham Potter takes ‘responsibility’ as Chelsea slip into bottom half after Villa loss
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Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins celebrates scoring their first goal with Ashley Young and Douglas Luiz.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LONDON – Under-pressure Chelsea manager Graham Potter said he took responsibility after a 2-0 home loss to Aston Villa on Saturday sent the Blues into the bottom half of the English Premier League table.
Ollie Watkins gave Villa an early lead before a superb strike by John McGinn, fresh from starring in Scotland’s shock Euro 2024 qualifying win over Spain, made it 2-0 in the 56th minute.
Chelsea were booed off the field by their own fans after the game.
“Everyone was flinging their bodies on the line. This league’s difficult, so to go on a run like we’ve done, and to stay so humble, to a man we were first class today,” McGinn told Sky Sports.
The result saw Villa leapfrog the hosts into ninth place, with the result leaving Chelsea, for so long used to being title-contenders, in 11th – below local rivals Fulham – and five points off any European spot.
“I don’t like to blame anybody, I have to take responsibility,” said Potter.
As for the jeers of the fans, the former Brighton & Hove Albion boss added: “We can feel the pain of the supporters...
“I understand when you lose at home, the emotion of the game is such that people are going to be disappointed and frustrated and angry.
“Where we are in the league table, no one’s happy with. Whatever criticism comes, I have to accept.”
Former Premier League Golden Boot winner Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink insists his former team should stick with Potter.
“In the first half, they looked really sharp but it is about scoring goals,” he told Sky Sports.
“It is a problem in the final third, Chelsea don’t get enough people in the box. It is not good enough; you need to flood the box.
“You have made a decision to buy young players but you have to give them time to make mistakes. They won’t be the best thing.
“Potter is the man you wanted. You have to stick with him because you are going that way.
“If you keep on losing, you know how it works, though – rightly or wrongly. It is a results business.”
Once again Chelsea paid dearly for a lack of cutting edge up front. They had 27 shots on target to Villa’s five – but the Birmingham club made two of their chances count.
“The intention of the team was there,” said Potter. “You can tell by how many times we got in their box, the shots we had. There was a positive intent but the scoreline is painful for us.”
This was Villa’s fifth away win since Unai Emery became manager in October, and they are now just one point off Liverpool in eighth, and just two points shy of a European place.
Aston Villa’s John McGinn scores their second goal past Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Watkins has been a central figure in that run, scoring 10 goals this season and looking a revitalised player since Emery replaced Steven Gerrard.
“The first thing is his commitment to practice every day, trying to improve,” said Emery. “We’re trying to help him to use his characteristics and his skill in our shape.
“He is very demanding every day to try to practise. We think he can improve.”
Watkins broke the deadlock in the 18th minute, capitalising on a slack header from Marc Cucurella before lobbing the ball over Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Emiliano Martinez, Argentina’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper, preserved Villa’s lead by diving low to his left to deny Kai Havertz.
Villa captain McGinn doubled the lead in style with a well-struck curling effort from 25 metres.
One consolation for the Blues was midfielder N’Golo Kante, a 2018 World Cup winner with France, coming off the bench in the 57th minute to make his first senior appearance for Chelsea under Potter, having been sidelined since August.
AFP, REUTERS
