Martin Keown has hailed ’s tactical versatility, but says whatever system the new manager plays, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Thiago Silva will be key to his plans.
Potter has made an encouraging start to life in charge of the Blues, drawing his first match as boss against RB Salzburg, but then beating and thrashing AC Milan to start building some momentum.
Keown was impressed with how Potter used different systems during his time as Brighton manager, and he continues to show off his tactical skills in west .
He has already fielded 3-4-2-1, 4-2-2-2 and 4-3-3 formations in his three games in charge of Chelsea and Keown thinks it is hugely difficult for opponents to deal with as they don’t know what to expect.
However, he does think they can expect to take on Aubameyang and Silva at either end of the pitch, who he thinks are crucial for Potter in whatever system he plays.
‘Potter is one of football’s most flexible coaches and I’ve always found his teams a fascinating watch,’ Keown wrote in the .
‘Brighton last season used 13 systems across 38 Premier League matches, the most of any team by some margin. Yet the starting formation is not where it ends with Potter.
‘His team is like a chameleon, always changing and disguising itself from its prey. It leaves opposition coaches scrambling to work out what formation they’re facing.
‘That’s three games and three different systems, each one top and tailed by a specialist goalscorer in Aubameyang at one end and a defensive expert in Silva at the other.
‘They are key to Potter’s continued success at Chelsea and all these adaptations demonstrate this coach’s ability to change his team shape in order to beat whatever opponent is in front of him.’
Chelsea are in action at 3pm on Saturday at home against Wolves as they hope to return to the top four in the table with a win, as three points would see Potter leapfrog his former club Brighton into the Champions League places.
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