As the one membership to carry a 100-per-cent report when going through Spurs on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium within the Premier League, Sunday’s journey to north London for Chelsea felt prefer it represented a pivotal second for Graham Potter.

Assist his staff preserve that spectacular report on the dwelling of their rivals and the supervisor would go a protracted option to relieving the strain upon his shoulders, to not point out successful over the followers who referred to as for his departure after the dispiriting defeat at dwelling to Southampton final weekend.

However, on the identical time, it felt like a defeat, coupled with one other efficiency missing depth, aggression and – most significantly – objectives would ratchet up the noise surrounding Potter’s place to insufferable ranges.

Sadly for the previous Brighton boss, the latter state of affairs is what performed out at Tottenham, with Spurs comfortably seeing off the feeble problem posed by Chelsea as they triumphed 2-0 to finish a run of eight matches – spanning almost 5 years – and not using a Premier League win over the Blues.

It’s exhausting to see the place Chelsea flip from right here. The message coming from Stamford Bridge after the loss to Southampton was that Potter nonetheless had the help of Todd Boehly and the remainder of Chelsea’s house owners, however that religion can be pushed to the restrict within the wake of one more massively disappointing show.

Regardless of how exhausting you look, it’s exhausting to see the place Potter has improved his staff since changing the favored Thomas Tuchel in September. Chelsea lacked a leading edge in assault throughout a lot of the second half of the German’s time in cost, however Potter’s staff have taken that profligacy to new ranges.

Remarkably, Chelsea have scored simply six objectives in all competitions since November 6 – the fewest of any aspect within the prime 4 tiers of English soccer and 40 fewer than Manchester United have produced in the identical time frame.

Potter has additionally failed to duplicate Tuchel’s capacity to supply robust performances and leads to the most important video games, with Chelsea 24 matches into the league season but nonetheless and not using a win towards any top-half aspect.

Potter’s struggles are usually not for the need of making an attempt, with Chelsea making a mean of three.9 modifications to their aspect per Premier League recreation – the joint-highest fee of any staff within the competitors’s historical past.

The suggestion could be that the 47-year-old doesn’t know his finest XI, though it’s exhausting to not empathise with Potter on this respect, given the accidents he has needed to cope with and the distinctive variety of gamers which were added to Chelsea’s squad because the new house owners arrived.

Nonetheless, these new gamers – 19 in complete, signed for a complete of greater than £600m – have been a number of the most sought-after in Europe and have been introduced in to enhance the squad, however that has didn’t occur.

In truth, because the January switch window opened, Potter has overseen one win in 11 video games in all competitions, together with his aspect scoring simply 4 objectives in that point. Regardless of the spending, Chelsea proceed to worsen.

The west Londoners are actually nearer to the relegation zone than the highest 4 and have certainly waved goodbye to their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League, with Tottenham now 14 factors forward of their Tenth-placed rivals in fourth.

Boehly and his fellow traders didn’t think about this state of affairs once they recruited Potter 5 months in the past, and nor would they’ve anticipated the energy of feeling from the supporters towards the person they employed to spearhead the membership’s new period.

Chelsea followers have by no means actually taken to Potter. Their unhappiness on the sacking of Tuchel has performed an element, as has the Englishman’s perceived lack of charisma in comparison with his predecessors at Stamford Bridge.

However after remaining apathetic in direction of Potter throughout a lot of reign, it felt as if the tide turned as soon as Southampton left west London with all three factors, with requires his exit raining down from the stands.

With one more defeat – towards Tottenham of all groups, the aspect Chelsea used to delight themselves on beating – Potter feels additional away than ever from proving he’s the suitable man for the job.

Potter: I have never completed a lot to earn religion

Potter admitted after defeat at Tottenham that he had not produced sufficient at Chelsea to deserve a limiteless quantity of help, however likened his scenario to that skilled by Mikel Arteta and Jurgen Klopp at Arsenal and Liverpool, respectively.

Requested whether or not he felt Boehly’s help would evaporate after one more loss, Potter admitted: “There’s at all times that query, completely, and you may’t cease the questions, and while the outcomes are like they’re then I settle for it – it is a part of the job.

“We have been speaking earlier than the sport about watching the Arsenal All or Nothing [documentary] and two years into Mikel’s reign he is near getting the sack and persons are wanting him out and it is a catastrophe. Clearly now issues have modified a bit bit, however that is simply the best way it’s.

“In the event you have a look at Jurgen’s scenario, they have not received the outcomes and impulsively individuals need him out.

“That is simply the character of soccer and clearly I have never completed sufficient at this membership to have an excessive amount of good religion and I additionally settle for that as effectively. My job is to not fear an excessive amount of about that.

“I perceive the query and completely perceive the place it comes from, and simply attempt to give attention to serving to the staff and supporting the gamers as a result of I actually like these gamers. They’re good lads, they need to do higher, they need to win however for the time being we’re struggling and that is my accountability.”

Hasselbaink: Gamers letting Potter down

Former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink believes under-pressure Potter will retain the board’s help regardless of the poor run of kind – however says he should ship of their subsequent recreation towards Leeds on Saturday at Stamford Bridge.

He informed Sky Sports activities: “If you end up at an enormous membership, and that’s Chelsea, once you lose two video games in a row, that’s the majority of the time already a disaster.

“These house owners have are available they usually need to go in a unique route and do that undertaking. Potter is their man, so they’re going to give him as a lot time as doable. However they may even count on one thing again. He’s beneath strain. That’s what occurs at huge golf equipment.

“It is the character of the sport. The one means he is going to have the ability to management it’s by successful his subsequent recreation towards Leeds.

“It is good to listen to that they’re collectively and that it’s a undertaking and they’re going to stick collectively. However then again, as a supervisor of Chelsea, you additionally want to offer one thing. You should purchase your self time and meaning it’s essential have some form of outcomes.

“In the intervening time, the outcomes are usually not there, so the strain on prime of it’s only going to get extra.”

Hasselbaink additionally believes the gamers are letting Potter down with their lack of dedication and feeling sorry for themselves.

“The Chelsea followers over the past 20 years have been spoiled with plenty of wins,” he added. “Numerous trophies and enjoying on a regular basis on the prime of the league.

“This yr it is totally different. Sure, they’re beginning throughout. You would see Thiago Silva, probably the most senior participant, when he comes off, it falls aside a bit bit, as a result of the staff could be very younger. When one thing goes fallacious, you possibly can see that sure people really feel a bit bit sorry for themselves. That is the sensation that I get.

“That’s the place they should step out of it, as rapidly as doable, as a result of they’ll nonetheless get sixth or seventh and get into Europe. They should realise that the dedication must be for 95 minutes, not only for 20 minutes.”