As the pendulum swings and the footballing world makes a snap judgement on Graham Potter's time at Chelsea so far his position is under extreme scrutiny. Despite a raft of injuries, the manager is sat in 10th with the bulk of a squad that won the Champions League less than 18 months ago.
It isn't that simple though. Chelsea's form throughout 2022 was on a downward trajectory and Potter hasn't been able to stem the bleeding. Major surgery is needed and even a summer splurge of cash to support Thomas Tuchel hasn't reversed the rapid decline. Todd Boehly's muddled thinking has only hindered things in the short term but the stance of support for the man in charge hasn't changed.
Potter is seen as the man to take things forward at Stamford Bridge even if the bookies see things differently. After the 4-0 embarrassment in the FA Cup third-round loss to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium Potter has been moved to second favourite for the sacked by SkyBet.
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Only Frank Lampard's relegation-threatened Everton are considered more likely to change their manager in the Premier League right now. Nathan Jones has been in his job at Southampton for even less time than Potter but he's not far behind either.
When managers are linked with being moved on though there is always the case of who would come in. For Chelsea this is Mauricio Pochettino. The former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain boss has been out of work since the summer and was linked with the Stamford Bridge hot seat in September after Thomas Tuchel was sacked. He is also the favourite to be the next Chelsea manager.
The Argentine has always been in and around the reckoning for new Premier League jobs after his success at Spurs and his ability to build a squad and a project. That is just what Chelsea are after. Potter does still have the support of those that count at SW6 though and him being on the move again shortly don't appear likely.
However, should the job come up in the not-too-distant future, Pochettino has already explained where his loyalties lay. "I am so clear. I am never going to be manager of Barcelona or Arsenal because I am so identified with Tottenham and Espanyol," he said in 2018.
He went on to lead Spurs to the Champions League final one year later before being sacked after a poor start to the 2018/19 season. How he looks at jobs no matter the circumstances does pose for interesting reading for Chelsea fans clamouring for him to take over though.
"It’s not down to me. Always I work like I want to be here for the rest of my life. That is my responsibility, how I take my job," he said.
"The way I work is like thinking I’m going to stay forever in the same club. It’s the best way to commit to your job. But I am realistic and today you look in England from the beginning of the season and today in six, seven months, there are many changes on the Premier League benches.
"Then it’s not only you. It’s about the results, the ideas, it’s the chairman, he can change, the chairman and say 'come on, out'."
That approach mirrors Boehly's treatment of Tuchel over the summer with relationship struggles and opinion differences between the manager and new owners.
"I grew up at Newell’s Old Boys and will never manage Rosario Central," Pochettino continued. "That is my decision because I prefer to work on my farm in Argentina than in some places. But my commitment is massive in this club. I am working like I am going to be here forever.
"But in the end, it is like the players, you never know what is going to happen in football. It is a lot of rumours about this, about that. Tomorrow Daniel could have a bad night and say, ‘Oh I am going to sack Mauricio.’ And then I look stupid saying I am not going to work in one place or another or another."
The choice isn't down to Pochettino here either but Chelsea aren't on his managerial blacklist which, in theory at least, does keep this door open.
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