Graham Potter announces first Chelsea XI as he axes two summer transfers and tweaks formation against Red Bull Salzburg
GRAHAM POTTER has made three changes for his first game in charge of Chelsea.
The Blues are taking on Red Bull Salzburg in their second group stage match, following the defeat to Dinamo Zagreb last time out which cost Thomas Tuchel his job.
After a dismal display in the 1-0 defeat Potter has decided to switch the formation from 3-4-3 to 4-3-3.
And although he has kept the same front three in Raheem Sterling, Kai Havertz and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, there are significant changes elsewhere.
Thiago Silva returns to the side along with Jorginho and Marc Cucurella, who played under Potter at Brighton.
That trio take the place of Wesley Fofana, Kalidou Koulibaly and Ben Chilwell as Chelsea look to get their first Champions League win of the season.
READ MORE ON CHELSEA
Ahead of his first game in charge Potter spoke about the need to take risks, and has arguably done so by dropping two summer signings from his first Chelsea line-up – Fofana and Koulibaly.
He said: “Life is about taking risks and doing something which is a bit outside of what you are comfortable with.
“It allows you to grow and develop. I had a young family and they gave up a lot to come over to Sweden. It wasn’t exactly Barcelona or Monte Carlo.
“When I took over at Brighton the team had just finished fourth from bottom.
Most read in Football
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
“The remit was to bring the age of the squad down, change the playing style and to align the recruitment with winning matches in the Premier League.
“I will be forever thankful and grateful for those experiences I had. It made me a better person and better coach. It is part of what made me who I am today.
“You learn a lot about what you can deal with, about the ups and downs, about how you have to take responsibility, especially when things aren’t going well.
“We can use those experiences in a really good way.”