Chelsea is paying for a summer of impulsive indulgence, and Graham Potter is in difficulty.

Despite making significant squad improvements throughout the course of last summer, Chelsea's decline from global champions has been concerning.
They still have six more weeks to rule. Up until February 11th, Chelsea can declare themselves world champions, although it would probably be best if they didn't. When they are listed behind Fulham on goal differential, the table shows they are not even the best team in west London, highlighting the gap between the past and present, between assumed status and dismal reality. 2022 began with a crowning achievement that occurred before the tragic fall of Roman Abramovich's empire, but 2023 began with more proof that Todd Boehly's rule is an error.
The style and setting of Chelsea's draw with Nottingham Forest were more important than the actual result. Graham Potter claimed, "It was below par for us," but Thomas Tuchel's team's par used to be astonishingly high and now feels much lower. Potter continued, "It's a performance we are not pleased with. There haven't been any that should really gratify him since defeating AC Milan in San Siro.
Against the team with the second-worst defensive record in the league at the City Ground, Chelsea could only generate one off-target effort in the second half and seven shots overall from a possession percentage of 72%. Seven games in a row have resulted in only one victory, and with Manchester City and Liverpool making up two of the remaining three league opponents for Chelsea this year, things may get worse from here. In the meantime, January looms large, promising haphazard bidding and extravagant spending much like the summer did before it.
Even though Chelsea won the Champions League in 2021, their total spending under the new system would shortly exceed £300 million, making it doubtful that they will be participating in it in the fall of 2023. A club has rarely paid so much to decline. Only in part because they continue to overpay. The manager is not the only offender, since the first of those signings to occur under Potter's supervision, the £12 million striker David Datro Fofana, was in the audience at the City Ground and had yet to make his debut following his transfer from Molde. But in a roundabout sense, it is astonishing that their spending on center backs, or in the instance of Marc Cucurella, those who are occasionally used in that capacity, is on track to approach £200 million in six months as Benoit Badiashile is set to become the second January acquisition. However, the 38-year-old Thiago Silva, who they signed on a free transfer, continues to be their best center back. They still need Antonio Rudiger, and Badiashile might end up competing with Kalidou Koulibaly and Cucurella, two other recent signings, for a slot on the left of a three. Serge Aurier's equalizer served as a reminder that they continue to allow too many goals from set pieces and that they appear to be particularly vulnerable to pace.
A further indication of Chelsea's pricey development from Club World Cup champions to the world's largest spenders is the interest shown in Alexis MacAllister and Enzo Fernandez, whose release clause is an eye-watering £105 million. Premature decisions may be made, but they are required given that their owners appear to be willing to adopt the flavor of the month. They haven't had much luck with their summer acquisitions so far: Wesley Fofana is almost always injured, Cucurella is frequently taken off early, has been a major disappointment, and was much better for Potter at Brighton, and Koulibaly has a long contract but has shown signs of decline amid an erratic play. Raheem Sterling scored at Forest, marking his first league goal since the month of August. A marginal figure, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
There are contributing factors in each situation. The seeming absence of strategy hinders each of them. Potter lacks knowledge of his best formation or strongest side, and his play is flat, making it difficult to discern a clear style of play. It's also difficult to identify potential pairings that would work. Chelsea's attackers appear to be both underperformers and incompatible because they rank in the bottom half for goals, predicted goals, and shots. The fact that Potter hasn't yet outperformed any of them is a damning indictment of him. For Chelsea, only 12 goals have been scored in his 10 league outings.
The credentials that are gaining ground somewhere on the side are those of the hurt. With each game they miss, Ben Chilwell, Reece James, and N'Golo Kante may appear to be more crucial. Chelsea struggles to make up for the loss of the players they already have while investing more money in the transfer market. A squad made up of more and more pieces is no better than the sum of its parts, just like a team.
The size of Chelsea's investment and the length of the contracts they offer new players are meant to position them for the future, and Potter may have a long-term mindset. However, it is a short-termist club with a new management that has made snap judgments, endangering their immediate prospects and probably Potter's as well. Despite being the defending club world champions, they haven't defeated a team in the top half of the standings yet this year. And if it presents a challenge for them coming into their two games with Manchester City, Potter will face difficulties because Tuchel was the best big-game manager for the majority of 2021.