Cucurella backs Potter to deliver Chelsea turnaround after mixed start

Marc Cucurella says Chelsea’s players will work to implement Graham Potter’s ideas when the season restarts, backing the former Brighton and Hove Albion boss to succeed at Stamford Bridge.

The pair arrived at the club a month apart, with the Spaniard sold to the Blues before his coach followed him from the Amex Stadium following Thomas Tuchel’s dismissal.

With only seven wins from his first 14 games, Potter is yet to deliver the turnaround in fortunes new owner Todd Boehly was likely hoping for, with the club eight points off the top four.

But Cucurella is confident they will make strides under the Englishman, tipping them to improve over the remainder of the campaign.

“We need to work and understand his ideas and the results will arrive,” he told The Sun. “It is difficult because it is a new coach with different ideas.

“It is difficult to change without the time to train. This part of the season we have time, we meet more and know the ideas of the coach. This second part of the season, I am excited for.”

Up and running in Abu Dhabi! @trivago | #AbuDhabiBlues pic.twitter.com/maGZZWY0Gs

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Though several members of Chelsea’s squad have been away on World Cup duty since mid-November, the Blues have continued to train, including a warm-weather camp in Abu Dhabi.

Cucurella, one of those who has remained with the club, says he has valued the chance to reconnect with Potter, and that the team are viewing the restart as a fresh campaign.

“This is maybe another season,” he added. “It is good for us. The last games before the break, we didn’t play too good or get results, but this is a new season.

“These weeks gave us time for training to prepare for the second half of the season. It is good training together because you understand the players.

“All the changes are difficult. We have a lot of players to come with a new manager, [and] not a lot of training time because we play a lot of games.

“We need to know his ideas and then play together. These weeks have been very good for us.”

Chelsea’s first game back will see them welcome Bournemouth on December 27.