Chelsea's stars have started joining up with their national teams as the international break gets underway and Cobham will be just a little bit quieter until the squad returns in time to face Aston Villa in just under two weeks. For a few there will be time for a short break, and others time to recover from injury but there will be no shortageg of work underway either.
Potter's first plan is to take advantage of some time off. "I will [have a break]," he said at the weekend. "I think that’s sensible because there is an intense period coming up; April and May will be heavy for us. So it’s important for me as the leader to gain some freshness and recharge, and to use the time well."
Potter added: "I’m probably going to close my eyes and sleep for a few hours – or try to! I’ll spend some time with the family and then we’ll see [what there is to do]."
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The Blues have nine matches in April, so there will be plenty for the Blues boss to try and get ahead of with Premier League and Champions League commitments to come and a hefty squad to manage. football.london takes a look at what will be on Potter's to-do list over the next fortnight.
Look after N'Golo Kante
Potter has not been able to call upon N'Golo Kante at all during his time in chare of Chelsea, and while the Frenchman made the bench against Everton, it is in April that the midfielders season could truly get back underway.
Even with the array of midfielders that the former Brighton coach has to call upon, the addition of Kante will come as a huge boost to Potter. The out of contract star had an influential role in Chelsea's last successful Champions League campaign, and has been carefully managed in his rehabilitation thus far. Ensuring he can play a role in the most important games will be crucial, and the Blues are already carefully planning his schedule.
"N'Golo's due to carry on training Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday with potentially a game to give him some minutes," Potter explained.
He added: "We need to control it as much as we can and then I think we've got about four players [not on international duty], so it is what it is. We have to hope players come back injury free and that we use the break to refresh and prepare for a really hectic April."
While match fitness may be lacking come April, Chelsea can ensure he is in the perfect place to build to those games against Real Madrid.
Squad management
Much has been said about the complexion of Chelsea's squad following both the summer and January transfer windows. Of course, the size and make-up offers little excuse for Chelsea's form but has offered Potter a testing situation to manage.
The 47-year-old believes things are beginning to progress in the right direction. He said: "Across the last two transfer windows, you are probably looking at a 20-plus player turnaround. So in terms of just stability, togetherness, and the spirit in the group, I think that’s been a real positive over this really tough period of weeks and months.
"It’s a unique season, and before the World Cup was crazy with the intensity of the games and the number of injuries. Then the transfer window has added more noise for us, but we’ve got a young group that’s coming together and forming together well. The performance [against Everton] was positive; Dortmund was positive. But there is still lots to do.”
Potter's latter point could quickly come to the forefront of his mind. The international break could offer the opportunity for a number of players to return from injury and possibly leave Armando Broja and Thiago Silva as the only players out of action for the return fixture against Aston Villa if recoveries go well.
While obviously good news in Potter being able to get his best team out, even more players will have to miss out on Premier League matchday squads. With a minimum of 13 matches now left of the season, Potter may be able to begin to come up with a tangible plan for how he sees the squad, and decide upon the futures of some players with the summer fast approaching. Any negatives from leaving players out will soon be short lived.
Real Madrid plans
The Blues boss is always quick to point out that he is only focused on the next match when making his preparations but it is no understatement that the success of Chelsea's season is predicated on the Champions League. The west London side may be underdogs but supporters and players alike will be aiming to get one over familiar European foes Real Madrid.
While it may have simply been a comment to get a crowd on side, Potter has acknowledged winning the competition is on his mind and with the quality of Real Madrid, the Blues cannot afford to turn up underprepared. Whether that is managing his squad to target that game or putting work in during the break to ensure sufficient scouting is completed in time for the trip to Spain, as much groundwork as possible must be laid, even without players at Cobham.
Chelsea have three matches in one week before the first leg, and time will be tight come the beginning of April. This period must be taken advantage of.
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