Late goals from Benoit Badiashile and Joao Felix earned Chelsea and Frank Lampard a hard-fought 3-1 win over Bournemouth today, May 5. Despite Conor Gallagher’s early opening goal, it was not at all easy for the Blues as Bournemouth pulled level through a spectacular Matias Vina strike. The game was evenly poised heading into the final 10 minutes until substitutes Hakim Ziyech, Raheem Sterling, and Felix made the difference to give Lampard his first win in seven games since returning to Chelsea as an interim coach following the sack of Graham Potter last month. 
Benoit Badiashile and Joao Felix scored for Chelsea in the last 10 minutes, pushing the London club to 42 points on the Premier League table. O’Neil’s Bournemouth will travel to Crystal Palace next, while Chelsea will host Nottingham Forest.
“Ultimately we conceded a poor first goal which makes everything very emotional and rightly so. We’re disappointed because we’re 1-0 down but the players responded well they kept on responding throughout. The second goal is disappointing because we started the second half well. “But if you look at the stats apart from the main one there is a lot of positives there. But at the moment into doesn’t feel too positive. “Defensively we’ve left ourselves too open but again if you look at the stats of the game we had chances ourselves, we had one-v-ones, but the most important thing, putting the ball into the net, we were second-best. “I don’t like to blame anybody, I have to take responsibility. We are a team, we have to stay together, we are together. We win or lose together.” Chelsea will be facing a crucial home game against Liverpool on Tuesday, April 4, with the Champions League quarter-final later this month potentially a make-or-break tie for Potter. 
The £89 million signing was an unused substitute during wins against Leeds United and Borussia Dortmund. Potter who has now laid out a new plan, has now pushed Raheem Sterling into filling up the wide position. 
Addressing a press conference ahead of a Premier League match against Leicester today, March 11, the Chelsea Coach stated that while Murdryk is yet to be used, he is still part of his plan. He said; “Sometimes you need training time and a breather. It’s not a straight road where everything happens in a linear way. Sometimes you need to take a step away. It’s not easy to arrive in what was a pre-season for him in a new country, new league and new club and just hit his maximum level. The fee doesn’t change that. We’re positive about his future and we just need to help him settle in.” 
Havertz converted a penalty in Tuesday night’s last-16 clash, and it was a goal that gave Chelsea the 2-1 win on aggregate. The German footballer who spoke to reporters after the match was asked what qualifying for the quarter-finals of the Champions League meant for Potter. He told beIN Sports; 
“We know the pressure is coming at him. You can see he is a big manager. In the media I cannot believe how many people talk about him. “We have 100s of coaches in England that think they know better than him. We know in the changing room he’s a big personality and big manager and helps us all a lot. Me included. We are 100 per cent behind him. “Even though the people may not see it, today everybody seen he is a big manager.” 
Though Chelsea has splashed out around £600 million ($723m) across the last two transfer windows, Potter has only gotten nine wins from 25 games. The 47-year-old who was handed the managerial reins at Stamford Bridge in September 2022, has said that he is “not stupid” and recognises that “people want something different” from the club. He told reporters; “I am not stupid or naive. My job is to keep going and keep helping and supporting the team and take that criticism. You can only be yourself and try your best while being yourself. I get it that when you are losing that there’s always something you should do or change. I have always been this way and it has gotten me to this point but, at the same time, I know people want something different.” 
Potter further listed some of the challenges he’s faced so far and which have impacted negatively on the club’s performance. He added; “There is transition and there’s factors but, at the same time, when the team is losing and we’ve had the results we’ve had then you can also understand it. We’ve invested in some young players, if you look at Enzo [Fernandez], [Noni] Madueke and [Mykhailo] Mudryk, they haven’t played that many games. They are learning to play in the Premier League. We’re managing quite an unprecedented injury list — so you have to manage that in the Premier League. All that is true but, unfortunately when you lose, it is not what people want to hear. I know my quality and I know what I have done in my career but I also understand than when results don’t go your way that you are open to criticism and that’s fair.” 
Chelsea’s inability to get a win in the match has left them languishing in 10th place, with 10 points adrift from the Premier League top four. Potter who spoke to reporters after the match, said they were forced to make changes after their 1-0 Champions League defeat to Borussia Dortmund. He said; “You have to see it for what it is. We had to make some changes because of the Champions League. “We’ve had to make some changes because of the situation we’re in and boys coming back from injury. When you make those changes, it can be difficult against a team that is well prepared.” 
Agbonlahor however accused Potter of only “complaining.” He told talkSPORT; “He should be sacked for that post-match interview. “What are you talking about? They haven’t got a manager, you’re playing a team in disarray who can’t get back-to-back wins together. “You’re complaining that you’ve had to bring Mykhailo Mudryk off the bench and start Joao Felix? Are you joking me? “Poor Graham! Poor you, Graham… Wow… I think as well… There is an English bias.” 😳 JO’H: “Graham Potter- is he winding me up?! This is Chelsea Football Club!” 👀 GA: “He should be sacked for that post-match interview!” O’Hara & Agbonlahor are left stunned after #CFC boss Graham Potter’s post-match interview with talkSPORT! 😱 pic.twitter.com/HAXiSdONIv — talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) February 18, 2023 
Chelsea currently sits at the ninth spot on the Premier League table and has recorded just one win in all competitions since the turn of the year. Speaking ahead of a match with West Ham this afternoon, Potter said; 
“My relationship has been consistent with [the owners]. We understand where we both are, where we see the team. We are working really well to keep improving. “The expectations have always remained the same, a team that ultimately wins. We know there is opportunities to make changes to the team when the window is open. I’m not stupid. If the results aren’t what this club should get, then I understand, if I’m the reason for it then that’s the job.” 
Aubameyang’s name was omitted from the list of players for Chelsea’s Champions League last-16 tie against Borussia Dortmund. Three new signings for the club were added to the new list. This has led to speculation of a rift between him and Potter. Addressing reporters after the Premier League match against Fulham which ended 0-0, Potter stated that Aubameyang did nothing wrong. The Chelsea coach said; 
“I don’t think it’s going to be difficult because Pierre is a professional. He was the one that missed out, he’s done nothing wrong at all. We wanted to give David some time today. Whichever decision there was always going to be a debate. It was my decision, a tough decision. “Nothing bad against him I understand his disappointment but I’ve got a responsibility to make these decisions and articulate them to the player. He handled it well and trained well today… Yes [he can fit in the system], everything is up for grabs and needs to train like today. Everything is up for grabs.” Aubameyang has scored just three times in the 17 appearances he has made for the Blues since his arrival from Barcelona in September. 
Chelsea’s coach, Graham Potter has reacted to loanee, Joao Felix being shown a red card on his Premier League debut against Fulham on Thursday, January 12. 
Felix lasted less than an hour before he was shown a straight red card for a high tackle on Fulham’s full-back, Kenny Tete. The match ended 2-1 in favour of the Cottagers. Speaking to reporters after the match, Potter said Joao Felix’s red card is “another hit” to his squad. The coach who appeared visibly exhausted after yet another league defeat, however, insisted that the newcomer was “really good” on his debut. 
Potter said; “It was a forwards tackle, there was no malice in it but I understand why it was a red. It is another blow, the hits keep coming at the moment. He was really good, you could see his quality in the game, so it is doubly disappointing for us. “I think we controlled the game early, won the ball back high, created some opportunities and maybe missed the last pass. We made a couple of mistakes for their goal. Second-half I think we responded well and then the red card changes the game… We’ve got to keep working, there are no other solutions.”