Prior to taking over as Chelsea manager, Graham Potter acknowledged that he had never attended a Champions League match, but after Wednesday's draw with RB Salzburg, there is a chance that his time in the league may be fleeting.
Losing drops Chelsea to the bottom of Group E, and AC Milan will play next. It would be a huge letdown for a team that won the competition in the 2020–21 season under Thomas Tuchel to not advance to the knockout rounds. However, the accusations can wait.
In Potter's first game in charge, the club responded to their 1-0 loss to Dinamo Zagreb with a better effort and a change in tactics, which might potentially address their Achilles heel: converting their opportunities. For now, Chelsea fans will be happy with this.
Some Chelsea fans are still perplexed by the club's new owners' choice to replace their Champions League-winning coach with a man whose biggest European achievement was helping Ostersunds of Sweden through to the round of 32 in the Europa League.
Matty, a Chelsea supporter, told BBC Sport: "Graham Potter is a good manager, but Tuchel was a manager of the highest caliber. With large shoes to fill, Potter has a lot to prove."
Fans praised Tuchel and sang his name in the 21st minute to congratulate him for the 2021 Champions League victory in Porto, where they defeated Manchester City, as if to emphasize the point.
However, Potter claimed he was proud of his team for fast adjusting to a new manager and his unconventional approaches.
We're disappointed that we only earned one point, but the players' effort, in my opinion, was great, the coach stated. "They gave it their all, and I was really proud of them today,"
"Even for them, it hasn't been simple. You know, a new coach and everything that goes with that, but they have responded well. They have acted very professionally, honestly, and responsibly. Therefore, it was definitely 100% there in terms of effort.
Potter clarifies Sterling's function.
Raheem Sterling's position at Chelsea was well-defined, and it was successful.
Chelsea still lacks confidence in taking opportunities, which may take some time to improve. In the closing minutes, as Chelsea looked for a winner, substitutes Hakim Ziyech and Armando Broja both wasted opportunities, and Raheem Sterling had a chance to score in the first half.
Although he was caught up field for Salzburg's equalizer, Potter's choice to deploy the England international in an advanced left wing-back position paid off when he buried the opening goal following the interval for his fourth goal of the year.
As his club attempted to kick off their Champions League campaign against the Austrian champions, who drew with Milan in their Group E opener, it demonstrated that the former Brighton manager was willing to take chances.
When asked whether it was dangerous to use Sterling as a wing back, Potter responded, "There is that possibility, but obviously you have to organize around that, and you don't really want Raheem defending his box too often, and I don't believe he did.
"There are always positives and negatives to everything you do. We wanted to start strong because we were at home. Raheem was excellent at attacking the back lines, and we wanted to acquire some offensive ideas in those wide spots.
"He scored a wonderful goal, and I felt he played really well. The right wing-back Reece James slightly evens things out so that we can still defend in a four if necessary. That was our perspective.
Potter supports athletes to recover in Europe
Chelsea's supporters Connor and Matty (right) aren't sure why Thomas Tuchel was fired, but they're hoping Graham Potter can keep the team together.
After Roman Abramovich's hire-and-fire policy, Potter's strategies might yet give the team fresh life and provide the lasting impression the new owners desire.
After six months that have seen sanctions, a takeover, a record transfer spend, and then the manager being replaced, several fans told BBC Sport they are also hoping that Potter can establish a tranquil period.
Matty said, "I've learned to accept a large turnover of managers, but I envy long-term managers at other clubs. "We always support new management, but when new ownership arrived, you questioned whether they would remain the same.
I believe Potter will succeed; all he needs is time.
Potter's next match is not until October 1 when Chelsea travel to face London rivals Crystal Palace. This is because Saturday's Premier League game against Liverpool was postponed and because the international break is approaching.
Results, particularly in Europe's Premier League, must come swiftly for the team after a dismal start to the season in which they have only won three of eight games across all competitions.
Potter remarked: "We can't lie because it puts us in an uncomfortable situation. Although the group will be challenging, the team and squad have the talent to adapt, so we must look forward to those matches."
Over the following two weeks, spending time on the practice field could be quite beneficial.
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