The national media on the whole praised new Chelsea manager Graham Potter for his first experiment away from Thomas Tuchel's principles, despite the Blues dropping more points in this season's UEFA Champions League at the hands of Red Bull Salzburg.
Raheem Sterling opened the scoring just after half-time, picking his spot after Mason Mount's cross bypassed everybody. However, despite the warnings being there, Noah Okafor punished slack defending from Cesar Azpilicueta to level proceedings.
Chelsea huffed and puffed but just couldn't find the goal for the second time on the night as they were forced to accept a share of the spoils. Potter was rather positive after the game on his players' efforts to try and implement what they learned in their first week under his management.
READ MORE: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang makes Thomas Tuchel admission and outlines his Chelsea priority
"They gave everything. We've only got a point, and we're disappointed with that, but I was very proud of how they acted today," Potter said in his post-match press conference. "It's not been easy for them either with the change of coach and everything that comes with that, but their response has been brilliant. They've acted really, really well: professional, honest, responsible.
"So from an effort perspective, it was 100% there. Quality to get their often was good against a good opponent. We have to credit them for how they defended and how they create chances to attack us. But we managed it quite well for the period of the game, and as I said, their goalkeeper has made some good saves, and we just lacked that little bit to get the second goal."
With all being said, football.london rounds up all the national media reaction to Potter's first outing as head coach since he took over from Thomas Tuchel after the disaster in Zagreb.
"If ever there was an occasion for a manager to play it safe it was perhaps this one. Graham Potter's first game in charge of Chelsea, first game at Stamford Bridge and first game in the Champions League, in any capacity.
"But if there is one thing that is abundantly clear about Potter it is that safe and the easy option are not really what he does. The move which kick-started his coaching career from non-league Leeds Carnegie to Ostersund in Sweden was anything but, summing up the risk-taker element of Potter that so appealed to Chelsea's owners.
"There was certainly nothing predictable about his first Chelsea team selection. It contained just one out-and-out centre-back and three natural full-backs, sparking a guessing game about how they would line up.
"Just as intriguingly, Kalidou Koulibaly and Wesley Fofana, summer signings who have just cost Potter's new employers more than a combined £100million, were on the bench. Based on one of the many things he is remembered for at Brighton, the tactical unpredictability of his sides, it might be worth getting used to all this."
"Welcome, then, Mr blue sky. As grand entrances go, in the long storied history of seizing the stage … well, this wasn’t really either of those. Instead Graham Potter’s first appearance as Chelsea manager was very much a reflection of the Graham Potter persona, the Graham Potter energy, the Graham Potter process.
"Chelsea took a point at home to RB Salzburg and were solid, room temperature, mildly encouraging in their energy levels. But really of course, this was about an entrance. Did we get one? Kind of. Stamford Bridge was a clammy place at kick-off, soothed by a power-ballad playlist that staked out a middle ground between “stadium” and respectful.
"There were union flags and a chorus of God Save The Queen (nice: old school) from both ends. And finally Potter came out, shaking hands, being nice, stooping a little. No waves, no performative stuff, nothing that really said: “I am actually new here you know.” As grand entrances go this was the managerial equivalent of taking your lunch tray and going to sit at the empty seat down from the teachers.
"Instead, Potter just stood there, comfortably, in his rectangle, dressed in a black suit and skinny black tie, looking a little bit wedding-guest-the-morning-after. He gestured a bit. He clapped. He shouted at Mateo Kovacic. But basically this looked like Graham Potter unexpectedly watching a football match . If nobody really cheered or sang his name, then Chelsea fans are loyal to their managers, but also choosy in how they bestow their favours. What will they make of Graham? How will this thing play?
"Not least as Potter is very clearly intended as an expression of the new club culture, whatever that may be. Todd Boehly’s billionaire-bro schtick will be fascinating to watch and it is always wrong to judge too early. Although, sometimes you do wonder. It seemed significant Boehly namechecked the Red Bull syndicate in his speak-your-brains session in New York this week. It seems he wants to create something of the multi-club model for Chelsea. Either that or he’s just looked at who they play next, done some Googling and had an idea. Who knows, perhaps next week he’ll be enthusing wildly about the Crystal Palace Model."
"Todd Boehly, the new Chelsea owner, might be keen on bringing the American All-Star concept to English football but, on this evidence, precious few of his squad will be getting into any fantasy Premier League team. A group that has been furnished with a £261million investment since Boehly arrived at Chelsea has now won only two of its past seven games, with Graham Potter unable to inspire an instant turnaround in his first game as manager following the shock sacking of Thomas Tuchel.
"A murmuring of boos could even be heard around Stamford Bridge on the final whistle after Chelsea squandered the lead that Raheem Sterling had earlier provided and were held at home by the Austrian team FC Salzburg. It was a stark reminder of the expectations that Potter must face, with Chelsea bottom of Champions League Group E and already facing a hazardous path to the knockout phase.
"The building frustration among Chelsea fans was unlikely to have been eased by Boehly's pre-match interview - notably his open-minded response to a question about the European Super League - but Potter did at least provide a strikingly more upbeat assessment of the players and their current capabilities than his predecessor."
"It has been a strange introduction for Potter, tempted away from Brighton on the day The Queen died, and with this his only fixture in his first three-and-half weeks as Chelsea manager. With most of his squad away on international duty for the next fortnight, there will be precious little time to put things right.
"Chelsea dominated for long spells but there were age-old problems for Potter to get to grips with - especially the curse of the No.9 shirt which already seems to be consuming its latest inhabitant Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. It was a night for commemoration - two Chelsea Pensioners laid wreaths for the late Queen, the Bridge sang ‘God Save The King’ despite UEFA refusing an official rendition and, unlike at Anfield, they managed a full minute’s silence.
"The Champions League anthem was not played as, like the beeps on the self-service check-outs at Morrisons, it was deemed a disrespectful noise."
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