Graham Potter is four matches into his Chelsea career and earned his third win in a row against Wolverhampton Wanderers. The new Chelsea head coach made plenty of changes coming into the clash but, in the end, still saw out a comfortable victory thanks to goals from Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic and Armando Broja.
Chelsea sit in the top four following another three points and head into another game with AC Milan full of confidence as Potter reaches his first month in charge of the Blues. Potter was pleased with the performance, but it wasn't one he saw as perfect.
Following the game, he said: "The games are never easy in the Premier League. I thought we played well first half, but I was disappointed not to score earlier than we did. The goal was important when it came, but Wolves started the second half well. We scored again at a good time, and then for Armando to finish it off, that was brilliant for us."
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There was still a great deal to take away from the outing, however, and football.london takes a look at what we learned from the win.
Rotation
With his starting XI against Wolves, Potter made it very clear he is not afraid to rotate his biggest stars. Reece James, Ben Chilwell, Mateo Kovacic, Raheem Sterling and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were all left on the bench on Saturday afternoon, while Thiago Silva was left out of the squad altogether as Chelsea made seven changes for the visit of Wolves.
Potter explained his reasoning following the match: "Thiago has had a heavy cold but played against Milan. With two days to recover, that was short, so we didn't want to take the chance. Three games for Ben Chilwell wouldn't have been the smartest thing to do. Reece had a dead leg yesterday, but we wanted to give him a little bit more time. We were also missing Wesley. Raheem's load was massive, so we thought it would be good for him to have a breather, and it was a similar thing with Auba."
On Friday, Potter had discussed the importance of consistency even when making changes, but it felt like the team against Wolves would certainly test those boundaries. The result proved Potter correct in making his decision amidst a busy month and a swift turnaround to play Milan again on Tuesday.
It seems Chelsea will continue to be difficult to predict moving forwards. The likes of Christian Pulisic, who has had a small role this season and Kai Havertz, who seems a second choice up front behind Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, stepped up when it mattered, despite a smattering of missed chances.
Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher in the same team
When Conor Gallagher returned to Chelsea this summer, some wondered whether he could be a success with the Blues while Mason Mount was at the club. The early stages of the season saw the former Crystal Palace loanee played in deeper positions to little success, but his outing against Wolves off the back of his goal against the Eagles showed more promising signs.
Gallagher was deployed high up the pitch but in tandem with Mount on this occasion. The former was on the right of three players behind Havertz, with Mount closer to the position of a No.10. Gallagher showed all of his traditional energy and brought a pressing intensity many players can't match in a decent outing whether he did not take up the same position as his teammate.
Mount continues to have his doubters despite recording back-to-back player of the season awards with the Blues. The England international against Wolves provided an efficient performance where, despite not being outstanding in every moment, his moments of quality were produced at key moments. Mount produced classy deliveries for Havertz and Pulisic, and seeing the Cobham duo on the pitch together, even if it took the absence of Sterling and Aubameyang, shows how many options Potter truly has.
Trevoh Chalobah and Kalidou Koulibaly step up
With Wesley Fofana's injury, it was always going to see an increased role for Chalobah and Koulibaly. With Thiago Silva's absence with more recovery time needed following a goal, their importance increased to an even greater height at Stamford Bridge.
Wolves may not have provided the stiffest test the Blues will ever face, but both were strong in their tackling, challenging early and clearing the ball efficiently. Koulibaly produced as many tackles as any of his teammates (five, matched by Gallagher), while neither needed to commit a foul.
A reassuring afternoon for anyone who follows Chelsea.
The next generation
There's no shortage of competition in Chelsea's side, but Potter will not be afraid to rely on young players when they can deliver. Broja has threatened with every opportunity he's had from the bench this season, but his quality strike against Wolves proves what he can deliver for the Blues.
The Albania international will hope to start, even at 21. However, following the game, Broja acknowledged he can benefit from the competition.
He said: "Everyone knows at one of the biggest clubs in the world, there will be competition. It helps us all develop as players. We have a big squad. Everyone is needed at all times."
Potter's substitutes also saw Carney Chukwuemeka earn his first opportunity for Chelsea as the former Aston Villa youngster made his debut. The 18-year-old arrived in west London with a significant fee which would see him exist almost between the first team and development side. His introduction this weekend shows he has a first-team path, even with the absences of Fofana and Silva perhaps leaving more space in the squad. Chukwuemeka may not be on the verge of starting a game, but Potter has now indicated there will be opportunities to take advantage of.
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