Chelsea new signing, Mudryk, recently liked an Instagram post shading teammate Cucurella. Head coach Graham Potter doesn’t read any meaning into it, insists there is no rift between the players.
Fans have been all over Marc Cucurella for his flat performance against West Ham, and have pointed out the lack of understanding between him and Mudryk on the left wing.
An Instagram post highlighting Cucurella overlooking Mudryk to pass to others during the West Ham game was liked by Mudryk, and this got fans talking more about the issue.
Murdryk was clearly frustrated with his teammate during the game, especially after making numerous runs down the left wing going in behind the defender marking him.
It would have been confusing to him how Cucurella would turn back and prefer a simple back pass, or sideways pass to Enzo Fernandez in midfield, instead of sending the ball forward to him when he made his runs to beat his marker.
Potter wades into the issue
Ahead of Chelsea’s Champions League fixture against Borussia Dortmund, Graham Potter has addressed the issue surrounding the two players, and downplays it to them taking time to understand each other’s gameplay.
In his press conference, Potter said: “There is no problem in terms of anything sinister at all. If anything, it’s just teammates understanding each other. It is quite a common problem, I would say, when to pass, at one point and at what time.
“Playing against West Ham, they make it difficult for you to access the wide man’s feet and it is an understanding of when to play into space or how to make runs.
“It is only his [Mudryk’s] third game with us, so there is no problem its more just an understanding challenge which is easy to understand when you recognise the context you are in.”
Chelsea fans cheered the replacement of Cucurella in the game against West Ham, and this might be a sign that their patience with him is wearing thin. He has been unable to replicate his attacking prowess down the left since his move from Brighton.
However, Potter does not share the same sentiments as the fans, and has thrown his support behind the player, admitting that he’s not playing at his best, but he’s also not playing too bad.
Potter said: “Supporters are entitled to their opinion of course, they just want the team to do well and as I said in the previous press conference, I don’t think Marc is in his absolute best moment.
“But at the same time, he’s been part of a team that’s kept a clean sheet at Anfield, a clean sheet against Fulham.
“In the summer, I know because I was the selling club, there was another club that were interested in Marc.
“From a point view in the Premier League they are a good club, so Marc hasn’t become a bad player at all but some players can go through bad times so we need to stick together and help him.
“Supporters are entitled to their opinion there’s nothing for me to be critical of. That’s just what we have to work with.”
