Despite a positive beginning, under Graham Potter and topping their Champions League group, Chelsea suffered a 1-0 defeat away at Newcastle in their last outing.
It was a result that leaves them without a win in their last five Premier League matches – something which last happened for the Blues in 2012 and Chelsea are currently in eighth place and eight points off the Champions League spots going into the World Cup break.
Graham Potter speaking after yesterdays game. pic.twitter.com/fvPXb6G8Xx
— Frank Khalid OBE (@FrankKhalidUK) November 13, 2022
After the match, Graham Potter who is growing ever-increasingly under pressure, called on Chelsea to 'regroup and go again' when club football returns towards the end of December.
He said: "For different reasons, you have 13 matches in six weeks, a lot of those games away from home. It is what it is and it has been challenging. We have a break now and we need to re-energize.
The Graham Potter doubters are ridiculous. None of the signings are his, the club is in transition and he's only just getting started. The impatience is a joke. You'd think fans would learn from Klopp at Liverpool & Arteta at Arsenal and time
— Mark Goldbridge (@markgoldbridge) November 9, 2022
"For us in terms of what we've had with an incredibly intense period, it is what it is. We need to take the positives. A lot of the boys will be away but we can get away, regroup and go again when we come back."
Injuries to key players have not helped Potter of course but his team struggled to create anything of note in a fairly cautious display at St James' Park.
And some Chelsea supporters are already doubting whether the former Brighton manager can achieve the success that predecessor Thomas Tuchel enjoyed at Stamford Bridge.
Tony Cascarino: "My one reservation when Graham Potter got the #Chelsea job was that he’s a pragmatic manager but never really had centre-forwards. I know he had Neal Maupay and Danny Welbeck, but they weren’t prolific for him. No one looks like scoring regularly."
— Chels HQ (@Chels_HQ) November 13, 2022
(@talkSPORT)
We've crunched the numbers to assess how Graham Potter has done in the Premier League since taking charge at Chelsea in September 2022.
1. Newcastle United – 22 points
2. Arsenal – 19 points
3. Leicester City – 16 points
4. Newcastle United – 15 points
5. Liverpool – 13 points (GD: +2)
6. Crystal Palace – 13 points (GD: -1)
7. Tottenham – 12 points
8. Chelsea – 11 points (GD: +1)
9. Manchester United – 11 points (GD: -1)
10. West Ham United – 10 points (GD: +1)
11. Brentford – 10 points (GD: -5)
12. Nottingham Forest – 9 points
13. Bournemouth – 8 points (GD: -1)
14. Brighton – 8 points (GD: -1)
15. Fulham – 8 points (GD: -2)
16. Aston Villa – 8 points (GD: -3)
17. Leeds United – 7 points (GD: -4)
18. Everton – 7 points (GD: -5)
19. Southampton – 5 points
20. Wolves – 4 points