Mason Mount has revealed Graham Potter made a tactical change at half-time to gain more control of the game against Aston Villa on Sunday.
Mount scored his first and second goals of the season at Villa Park, with the 23-year-old proving to be the difference between the two sides in the 2-0 win for the visitors. He opened the scoring just six minutes into the match, volleying home a mistimed header from Tyrone Mings. Mount doubled Chelsea's lead with a fantastically struck free-kick in the second period to wrap up the match for the Blues.
It didn't all go Chelsea's way, however, and at times they struggled to keep control of the match. If it wasn't for a masterclass from goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, things would have looked very different for the Blues.
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When speaking to reporters in the mixed zone after the full-time whistle, Mount detailed how Potter changed things slightly at half-time to try and swing the match in Chelsea's favour. They managed to do that, but not completely. The fact that Chelsea won while not playing anywhere near their best is a sign of a really strong team.
"We knew we needed to change something," Mount said. "It didn't feel right in the game. But the most important thing was to be 1-0 up at half-time, then we could take a breather, speak and make a few changes.
"The second half was not as frantic. We had a bit more control. They are always going to have chances, they are at home, throwing everything at us to get a goal, and they are fighting for every ball.
"Listen, these games away from home are never easy. When you come away from them 2-0 with a clean sheet, then it is exactly what you need."
Mount was also asked about his versatility and the significance of adapting to other positions. In the first half, the England international changed to a slightly deeper role in the centre of midfield to try and cope with Villa's threats.
He added: "You've got to be versatile in this day and age. For me, I've played many different positions over my four years.
"So, in the game, if you need to change and play on the left side, right side, false nine, or drop into midfield or be as a 10, then I need to do that. That's the whole team, not just me.
"You can see in the first-half I changed positions into a two as a six just to cope with what they are bringing, so you have to be versatile in this game. That's a big strength of our team that players can do that."
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