Chelsea Star’s Secret Talks with Graham Potter: Inside the Snubs from Leeds and Dortmund and the Mystery of His Benching in Crucial Matches
Mykhailo Mudryk, who was signed by Chelsea for £88.5 million in January, has not lived up to the high expectations set by his price tag. In his first six appearances for Graham Potter’s team, he did not score any goals and was substituted before the 90-minute mark.
During this period, the team’s form was poor, with three draws and three losses, and only one goal scored in the 1-1 draw against West Ham. As a result, Mudryk was not selected for Chelsea’s next game against Leeds United, which they won 1-0 at Stamford Bridge. He was also left on the bench for the following match against Borussia Dortmund, which the team won, marking their first back-to-back wins since mid-October. Journalist Simon Phillips reports that Potter has had private conversations with Mudryk to explain why he has been benched recently.
The ability of the head coach to handle his players and their expectations will be a critical aspect of his time at Chelsea, given the team’s large squad, which will inevitably lead to disappointment for some players. Mykhailo Mudryk’s rapid ascent to success may make it difficult for him to accept being left out of the starting lineup or not receiving any playing time, so Potter has taken steps to ensure that this recent development does not negatively impact him.
To help Mudryk adapt to his new environment, the former Brighton manager has decided to take him out of the spotlight. As a result, the attacking trio of Joao Felix, Raheem Sterling, and Kai Havertz led the team’s attack in both games, with the latter two scoring during Tuesday’s match.
The competition for positions in this area of the pitch remains intense, as players like Christian Pulisic, Mason Mount, and Hakim Ziyech are all vying for similar roles.
Nonetheless, there is reason to believe that Mudryk may make a triumphant return to the team when the time is right. In Tuesday’s crucial Champions League victory over Dortmund, Marc Cucurella, who has faced significant criticism since his high-priced transfer in the summer, was reinstated into the starting lineup and delivered an outstanding performance, according to Potter. This performance poses a real challenge for the manager going forward, as Cucurella’s confidence-boosting display following a similar period of lack of playing time that Mudryk is currently experiencing, may offer hope for other players who are currently out of favour.
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