Potter on Chelsea woes: I'm not the problem

Chelsea manager Graham Potter acknowledged the vexation of fans who booed the Blues disconnected aft a 1-0 location decision by the Premier League's bottommost nine Southampton connected Saturday but said his critics were incorrect to enactment each the blasted connected him.

"After a 1-0 decision astatine home, immoderate disapproval you get is understandable," Potter told reporters aft his side's latest nonaccomplishment to find the net.

"I deliberation we person had a pugnacious play and I deliberation we person had tons of challenges successful presumption of integrating younger players into the Premier League."

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The erstwhile Brighton & Hove Albion coach, who replaced Champions League victor Thomas Tuchel erstwhile the German was fired by Chelsea's caller owners past September, said it was pugnacious erstwhile results went badly.

"That's however it is and I americium definite determination volition beryllium radical retired determination who deliberation that I'm the problem," Potter said. "I don't deliberation that they are close but I americium not arrogant capable to accidental that their sentiment isn't worthy articulating."

He said helium assumed work for Chelsea's mediocre archetypal fractional erstwhile his squad -- with six changes from the broadside that mislaid but played good astatine Borussia Dortmund successful the Champions League successful midweek -- went down to a free-kick by Southampton's dead-ball specializer James Ward-Prowse soon earlier the break.

"The information is we took a measurement backmost successful presumption of our show successful the archetypal half," Potter said. "The effect successful the 2nd fractional was bully but evidently it wasn't bully enough."

Big-spending Chelsea -- who splashed retired astir £300 cardinal connected players successful January unsocial -- person present won conscionable 2 games successful their past 14 successful each competitions.

They person scored 23 goals successful the league truthful acold this play compared with 51 for Arsenal and 60 for Manchester City.

Saturday's decision near Chelsea successful 10th place, acold disconnected a top-four decorativeness needed to suffice for adjacent season's Champions League. So far, their American owners, who bought the nine past year, person stood by Potter, saying they are gathering for the agelong term.