Style, central midfield and strikers: Potter’s key Chelsea issues to tackle

Graham Potter has forged his reputation as a manager by creating teams with a clear playing style. Chelsea have the players to implement his passing philosophy but the question is how long it will take for the former Birmingham and Stoke midfielder to transmit his ideas. Tuchel famously hit the ground running after he took over from Frank Lampard at the start of last year and although Potter is up against it to match the German’s achievement in winning the Champions League, he will be under no illusions at to expectations of his new employers.

Tuchel’s success in his first few months at Stamford Bridge was based on their watertight three-man defence but the departures of Antonio Rüdiger and – to a lesser extent – Andreas Christensen created a massive issue. The signings of Kalidou Koulibaly and Wesley Fofana for a combined £103m should resolve those issues once both have properly found their feet but, for now, it is likely that the new manager will have to lean heavily on the 37-year-old Thiago Silva. Keeping both costly left-backs, Ben Chilwell (£45m) and the former Brighton defender Marc Cucurella (£55m), happy will also be a challenge, although you can bet Potter has a plan.

Brighton’s players have been adept at morphing between systems under Potter and he will have noted the confusion created by some of Tuchel’s tactics against Dinamo Zagreb in what turned out to be the German’s last match at the helm. Expect Chelsea to adopt a more rigid approach in the opening weeks – perhaps sticking with the 3-4-3 that was Tuchel’s go-to formation – as Potter works his magic in training, although the 47-year-old will know that he must create a side who are exciting to watch as well. Getting the best out of his wing-backs,