Afternoon, Graham. What the is latest team news ahead of the game, any significant developments?
“I would say no. Ruben [Loftus-Cheek] was on the bench in the last match – but only to be on the bench essentially. He is a lot closer now so can play some minutes. The boys are progressing well. Reece [James] has joined team training but won’t be involved at the weekend. Same for Ben Chilwell. Everybody else is pretty much where we were.”
What can you tell us about Noni Madueke?
“Nothing really. I know there is a lot of noise around that but the club hasn’t announced anything and I’m not in the position to speak anymore. Until he is a Chelsea player then I’ve nothing further to say.”
READ MORE Why Graham Potter faces a big Champions League dilemma as Chelsea continue January spending
Do you know the qualities he might bring to you side?
“Yes…”
Can you share those?
“No…”
Can you explain to us what sort of player he is?
“I will if he is a Chelsea player, but I don’t like to talk about players that aren’t Chelsea players.
Mykhaylo Mudryk is a Chelsea player, how has he settled in?
“Really well. He’s a young player, an exciting player, fantastic speed and excellent in one-vs-one situations. He can attack the backline and now we’ve just got to help him adapt to the Premier League and adapt to us. He’s come from a mid-season break so hasn’t played so much football recently. But he’s been training well. So we’ll assess him and see how much he can play at the weekend.”
How likely is he to make his debut?
“There’s a chance. It’s about how much he can do. 90 minutes? No, but there is probably a role for him at some stage of the game.”
He’s young but there’s a lot of expectation on his shoulders, how do you make sure that doesn’t impact him?
“We’ve just got to help him and help everybody understand that he’s come from a different country and a different league. So he has to adapt to us and to the competition. He is a young player that has a lot of potential, a lot of upside. He’s also had some really good experiences already so he’s an exciting player.”
He made his fondness of Arsenal clear before signing. Is his heart blue now?
“He’s come in and trained very, very well. He’s happy to be here. All the other stuff I have no comment on. He’s looking forward to his career here and is excited to get started.”
How many more transfers are likely in this window?
“I don’t think they’ll be too many to be honest.”
Are you happy with that?
“Absolutely. I’ve not complaints about the squad. I’ve said before that the January window is very complex. You might want A, B, and C but maybe they are not available in terms of positional need. But at the same time, you’re always looking to strengthen the team. We’ve done that and it’s exciting the players we have. When players are back [from injury] there is a good and exciting squad of players.”
Do you need to move some players on, either in January or the summer?
“You’ve got to constantly analyse the squad, where it is at, and how you can strengthen it. Sometimes it’s adding, sometimes for the good of everybody it is moving out. But that is on a case-by-case basis. We’ll look at it as and when.”
What would constitute a successful season for you, given your position now?
“Beating Liverpool is my focus. I don’t worry about what is going to happen in five months’ time. We have to keep improving. We’ve been through a really tough time but are still together as a team and club. So that is very positive.
" There is a lot of things to look forward to in terms of the players that are available for us after injury, the players that we’ve signed, they understanding we have as a group has grown because of the time we’ve had. I don’t think, at this point, it’s worth worrying about when the season finishes and what it looks like. We just have to focus on the next game.”
Are you surprised by Liverpool’s struggles this season?
“No matter who you are – and we’re talking about one of the best teams the Premier League has seen, and one of the best managers the Premier League has seen – if you have injuries you have problems.
"It amazes me that people say the Premier League is the best league in the world and then I’m asked if it’s a surprise someone is struggling. That’s what it is. Jurgen [Klopp] is a fantastic guy and manager. They’ll fix it and come through their struggles. Then we all know their quality.”
Marc Cucurella came in for the summer for a big price but has slipped down the pecking order, is he in your plans for the weekend?
“Some players have dips in form, there are different solutions for a game, that is sometimes the case. Lewis Hall has done well and we have to manage his games and role because he’s a young player starting out. Marc has had a lot to deal with and sometimes these things happen in how you settle into a team and club, a new group.”
Do you think he’s found that harder than maybe expected?
“I think it’s been a challenge for him. He’s had some things off the pitch as well, family-wise there have been some things that have been difficult for hm. So there are many factors. Sometimes people just see the guy on the pitch and they have a verdict for him. But there are all sorts of things going on in his life. I know Marc well and I know Marc at his best. He is a top player.”
Was the victory over Crystal Palace enough to transform the mood, is it as simple as that?
“No, but we had a period of suffering and it’s nice to win. During that period, we were together, there weren’t flames here. It was a group that understood the position we were in but at the same time, focused and determined to turn things around.
"There was a maturity and intelligence to understand the situation without disrespecting the criticism and noise that comes your way when you don’t get the results you should at Chelsea. The win has been important but it’s just a win. We have to back it up, go to Liverpool, and try to get the three points.”
You know what it takes to win at Anfield, are you confident you can get the result?
“I’m confident but I result Liverpool and Anfield. It’s a tough place to go at any point, a fantastic football club. Jurgen is a top manager and they are top team. I like the team at the moment for us, I like we’ve come through a tough spell. There is a good feeling. Players are coming back, new players are arriving, there is a buzz around the training ground that is nice.”
Is a big challenge for you to ensure all the new players gel
“Yes, it is. You can speak about culture and environment, it’s essentially about people and trying to create a team, a group. That is ultimately my challenge as we go. We’ve had different challenges as I reflect back on my time here and the one going forward is to integrate new players into the group and create a feeling of togetherness. We’ve got a lot of exciting things coming up so we need to be ready.”
After Liverpool you’ve got the best part of two weeks to work with your squad, how important is that going to be for you as a coach?
“It’s two weeks and it’s an important period for us. When you consider we’ve got new faces and players coming back from injury, it is going to be important and one we’re looking forward to. We have to focus on the game first, get that out of the way and recover. But we’ll use the time as best we can.”
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