Chelsea manager Graham Potter said it is a ‘credit to the players’ that he was able to make seven changes to his starting XI on Saturday afternoon and still secure a 3-0 win over Wolves.
The likes of Raheem Sterling, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Reece James, Thiago Silva and Mateo Kovacic all dropped out of the side that had beaten AC Milan in midweek, offering chances to Christian Pulisic, Cesar Azpilicueta, Conor Gallagher, Trevoh Chalobah and others.
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“There’s a good group here,” Potter reflected in his post-match press conference.
“I don’t think we can succeed with just 11 players. I don’t think it’s right just to keep 11 going until they fall down and get injured or whatever and then we play the next ones, as I don’t think that’s good for the group dynamic.”
Potter admitted a potential backlash was at the back of his mind had Chelsea not prevailed against a struggling Wolves side, but was always confident he was justified in switching things up.
“At the same time I’m conscious that if we lose the game today people would have been asking me why I didn’t play Aubameyang,” he said. “That’s just how it is. But as long as the reason’s there, as long as I understand in my head why we’ve taken the decision, somebody’s got to take it.”
Looking ahead, Potter explained that he plans to take each game as it comes with regard to team selection, given that Chelsea continue to consistently play every midweek between weekends.
“You have to take every situation on its own. If you’re playing three games in a week in the Premier League, Champions League and then Premier League again, you’ve got to make a decision around fresh players, players who are determined and desperate to play,” he said.
“We’ve got a big squad with lots of competition and you need the competition, people fighting for each other, supporting each other. Wanting to play but ready to help and I think you saw that.”
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