Chelsea manager Graham Potter said he had to accept that using Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic as wing-backs in Saturday’s 4-1 defeat to Brighton made him look “a bit of a fool”.
It is not the first time Potter used the two wingers in these positions, he did quite successfully just a few days ago in Salzburg.
This time, however, the decision might have been too optimistic.
Chelsea likely hoped to pin Brighton’s wide players back in their defensive half using Sterling and Pulisic, but instead, Chelsea had a hard time getting out of their own half.
After the game, Potter held his hands up and admitted that his plan did not work.
“The responsibility of those two wasn’t to defend against their wing-backs,” the Chelsea manager said about Sterling and Pulisic in his post-match press conference (via Football London).
“But I understand that whenever you do something, and it doesn’t work you look a bit of a fool. That is how it is.
“I have to accept that, deal with that, do better, and I’ll learn. That’s the process.”
Getting it wrong is one thing, but it was quite a surprise that Potter waited until half-time before making any tactical change.
As Chelsea icon Pat Nevin pointed out on BBC Radio 5 Live, Chelsea looked “more comfortable” after switching to a back four.
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