Silver linings
An extremely dark mood has enveloped much of the Chelsea fanbase over the past two months – and there is little indication of it dissipating any time soon. Many supporters are angry. Some are simply frustrated. Others feel confused as to what direction the club is headed in the post-Roman Abramovich era.
Change is rarely easy and there will be no simple fix. Only in time – at least one hopes – will these strong emotions be replaced with hope, belief, and perhaps even joy. But that will require time and a little patience, something Chelsea head coach Graham Potter has made no secret of throughout his short tenure.
That messaging, however, hasn't won over the vast majority of supporters. Every draw or defeat leads to wide-ranging debate about Potter's suitability for the role of head coach, about the players' ability to deliver success, and about what owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital want to achieve at Stamford Bridge.
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Such is the gloom that positives – no matter the size – are being overlooked or brushed aside. Not by Potter admittedly, something that was once again highlighted by his post-match reaction to Chelsea's Carabao Cup defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium last night.
Chelsea ultimately exited the competition at the third-round stage; not an outcome anyone associated with the club will be pleased with. Yet the Blues created numerous chances across the 90 minutes and deserved more than the two-goal defeat they suffered at the Etihad.
“I thought there were quite a few positives," said Potter. "Obviously, we’re disappointed with the result but in terms of how we played, we created some good chances, there was a better structure and performance level.
"The team looked closer to what we want it to look like [compared to Arsenal]. The boys had great courage and they tried against a top team. Their goalkeeper got man of the match and I think that tells a little bit of the story. But overall, I think it was a step forward for us.”
Again, countless Chelsea fans will disagree with that assessment given the current strength of feeling. There may even be tiresome discussions on social media about 'standards' and other intangibles that are fundamentally impossible to quantify. Yet there is some light amid the dark for those willing to look a little harder. Speaking of which...
Hall steps up
The number of central defenders and wing-backs available to Potter has diminished week by week. Wesley Fofana was the first to be sidelined and Reece James followed a week later. Kalidou Koulibaly then spent a fortnight out with a hamstring issue before Ben Chilwell sustained a hamstring injury of his own against Dinamo Zagreb.
It's resulted in Potter pushing players to the limit. Trevoh Chalobah has been an ever-present in defence over the past month while Thiago Silva has played more football this season than is probably wise for a 38-year-old. Marc Cucurella has also been forced to consistently feature as a centre-back rather than out on the left.
But Potter opted for a fresh face against Man City: Lewis Hall. The 18-year-old was included in the travelling squad and was then named in the starting XI as a left wing-back. He didn't disappoint. It was not only Hall's quality that shone through but his temperament was as impressive.
At the Etihad against the Premier League champions, there appeared few nerves as Hall slalomed through challenges, played passes under pressure, and even threatened the opposition goal. He will undoubtedly rue not taking the first-half opportunity that fell his way after being fed the ball in the penalty area by Christian Pulisic.
"It's disappointing to lose and be knocked out of the competition so early but personally, it’s what you dream of as a kid playing in the biggest games," Hall told Chelsea's in-house media after the game. Playing against a top team like City at the Etihad is something that you dream of, so really happy.
"The way they moved the ball around – they are one of the best teams in the world to do it – so it’s very tough and physically demanding against a team like City. We still had chances where we could’ve potentially got ourselves back into the game or got ourselves ahead. We can take positives from the game."
Hall is expected to remain with the Chelsea first-team squad for the rest of this week as they prepare for their final Premier League match before the World Cup away at Newcastle United. And with Chilwell, who was signed for £50million from Leicester City, sidelined, Hall will be hoping to earn another chance to impress.
Koulibaly concern
Signed from Napoli in the summer in a deal worth around £34m, it was hoped Kalidou Koulibaly would fill the Antonio Rudiger-shaped hole in the Chelsea defence. Yet the 31-year-old admitted in his introductory press conference that he would require a period of adaptation.
"I will need time for sure because I can't be the player everyone wants from the first game," the Senegal international said in August. "I will take my time, and in two or three months, I will be the one everyone is waiting for."
That timeframe may have to be revised by Koulibaly, who has struggled to reproduce the form he displayed over many years at Napoli. In his early outings for Chelsea, the centre-back has appeared uncertain and rash, something highlighted by the five yellow cards and one red card he has received in 15 matches.
Three of those bookings have come in the previous four games: Koulibaly was shown his latest at the Etihad last night as he sythed down Jack Grealish on the edge of the penalty area. Unfortunately for Chelsea, that wasn't his most decisive action of the evening.
In the second period, Man City earned a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area and it was taken by Riyad Mahrez. The winger's effort was a good one but had Koulibaly opted to jump in the wall rather than stay stationary, the defender would have almost certainly blocked the ball and not left Edouard Mendy stranded.
It proved a pivotal moment and soon after – having misplaced a pass out to Ruben Loftus-Cheek – Koulibaly appeared visibly angry with himself as Chelsea searched, ultimately in vain, for a way back into the match.
Handed a four-year contract, there is little chance Potter or Chelsea give up on Koulibaly. He has struggled thus far but he is undoubtedly a fine defender. It's just a case of finding the right set up for him to flourish.
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