The International Break came at the right moment for Chelsea, after a turbulent time both on and off the pitch. Graham Potter took charge of his first Chelsea at home against RB Salzburg following the departure of Thomas Tuchel a few weeks ago. The Blues could only muster up a 1-1 draw, in a game that saw improvement from Chelsea, but further highlighted that there is still a lot to be done.
What to expect for Chelsea in October?
The Blues have an extremely busy October coming up, with 9 games to play in less than 4 weeks. Home comfort is something that Chelsea won’t be experiencing too often, playing only 3 out of their 9 games at home.
Chelsea’s first game back after the International Break is away to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. It is Graham Potter’s first Premier League game in charge of Chelsea since he took over on the 8th of September. Chelsea were probably one of the only teams who most likely benefited from the International Break, giving their new Head Coach extra time to find his bearings and evaluate his options ahead of football’s busy winter period.
Chelsea then play their next Premier League game exactly a week later, hosting Wolves at home, as former Blues striker Diego Costa makes a return to the Premier League coming up against his former club. Chelsea then faces Aston Villa, and Brentford, away from home in their next two league fixtures respectively.
A Premier League classic fixture comes up next in the League for the Blues, as Chelsea host Manchester United at home towards the end of October. Both teams are in a transitional period, with new managers and new players embedding into their squad. The game looks to be an interesting one, as many fans don’t know what to expect. It looks to be one to watch in late October.
Chelsea’s final Premier League game of October is a trip to the AMEX Stadium to face Brighton and Hove Albion. This game will be Graham Potter’s first time coming up against his old team since leaving the South Coast for West London. The tactical battle against him and his former players, should make for an entertaining match.
Chelsea have 3 Champions League games to play this month, facing AC Milan twice both home and away, along with a trip to Austria to face RB Salzburg in their final group game. The games come in midweek, sandwiched in between their packed Premier League schedule. The pressure is on Potter and his men as they enter the latter stages of the group in October, as they are yet to win in the competition. The Blues sit bottom of Group E after 2 games, therefore the pressure is on for Chelsea, as their European games are looking more and more like must wins.
Chelsea have a tough month coming up, rammed full of fixtures and trips away from home. Graham Potter’s extended time at Cobham should have helped him in his new venture, but there is a lot of work to be done on the field for Chelsea fans to see improvement from their team, who have been below par since the season kicked off.