On Twelfth Night at Stamford Bridge, the Christmas decorations were still shimmering.
And although head coach Graham Potter's bauble hasn't burst yet, he knows Chelsea managers live or die by results, not pretty window-dressing or hard-luck stories. By the time Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang became a new mascot for their wretched form – just six points from a possible 24 either side of Christmas – the sparkle had long evaporated from Chelsea's first-half promise.
When owner Todd Boehly binned Champions League winner Thomas Tuchel four months ago, at first it looked as if he had hired Harry Potter's twin brother from Hogwarts as replacement. But Blues fans who watched them stumble at Brentford or humiliated by Brighton have been increasingly concerned that Boehly headhunted Brian Potter from Phoenix Nights.
