FOOTBALL: Graham Potter plays down Chelsea’s profligacy in win over RB Salzburg

Graham Potter plays down Chelsea’s profligacy in win over RB Salzburg. Graham Potter has no concerns about Chelsea’s continued profligacy in front of goal after his side – and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in particular – spurned a host of chances against RB Salzburg.

The west Londoners gave an excellent display in Austria on Tuesday night with goals from Mateo Kovacic and Kai Havertz sealing a 2-1 win and securing Chelsea’s place in the last 16 of the Champions League.

However, Chelsea could have been out of sight in the first half with Aubameyang – who had six shots in the match – wasting several gilt-edged chances, though Salzburg keeper Philipp Kohn was in inspired form.

While the Blues’ performance was largely very encouraging, it had some of the hallmarks of the profligate displays that were such a regular occurrence under Thomas Tuchel – where they struggled to finish off the chances they created, and which Aubameyang was supposed to help solve.

Graham Potter plays down Chelsea’s profligacy in win over RB Salzburg. But Potter does not feel there is any hangover from his predecessor’s reign and is confident Chelsea will find their shooting boots quickly.

Asked if he was concerned by Chelsea’s wastefulness, particularly given that it is an issue which pre-dates him, Potter replied: ‘I can’t comment on anything before I was here. All I can say is it’s good that we create chances and perform well.

‘Then you back the quality of the players that the more they get there, the more chances we create, then the quality will come through. So it’s not so much of a concern.’

Asked how satisfied he was with the performance, Potter continued: ‘Very. It’s not easy to win here as you can see from the record they have and the quality of the team.

‘We had to play well and I thought we did. We created some good chances in the first half and were unlucky not to go more than 1-0 up.

‘Then one action, with the quality at this level, and it’s 1-1. I thought out response was really good then so I am delighted to go through, delighted with the performance of the players: I thought they were fantastic tonight. To go through with a game to spare is brilliant considering where we started the competition.

‘It’s not easy to create chances against this team because defensively they are so intense and aggressive. I thought we did create some good chances from good play.

‘We’ve had a lot of games and a little bit of disruption in terms of some key players missing, but credit to the boys they’ve responded really well.

‘They’ve picked up points in the Premier League and to go through like we have in the Champions League is a fantastic effort from everybody. We will take steps, it will not be a straight road, unfortunately. But we will take steps and tonight was one I think.’

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