Graham Potter has been encouraged by the impressive adaptation to life at Chelsea made by Benoit Badiashile, a key component in our run of three straight clean sheets.
The French defender was arguably one of our less heralded signings in January, but he has wasted no time in making his mark in west London. He looked assured and strong on debut against Crystal Palace, and only got better and better as we kept out Liverpool and Fulham. He could even have found the net at Anfield, forcing a fine save from Alisson.
Ahead of today’s game against West Ham United, in which we will be hunting another shut-out, Potter discussed the 21-year-old’s impact.
‘He brings a calmness, he’s good with the ball, he’s left footed so he gives us balance on that side,’ explained the head coach.
‘Attacking and defending, he’s had a solid start for us. Young player, you never know when they come into the country in a different situation, a different league, but so far he’s managed it really well.
‘He’s a nice person, a calm, humble guy who wants to work and wants to improve. The signs are good.
‘He’s had a nice relationship with Thiago,’ added Potter.
‘But the team have defended well, it’s not just those two guys. The team have done well.’
Another new face at Cobham recently is Gilbert Enoka, the New Zealand rugby team’s leadership manager, who has joined on a short-term consultancy basis.
He has worked with the All Blacks in various roles for over two decades, during which they won two World Cups, and also spent time with New Zealand’s cricket and netball teams, focusing on leadership and mental skills. Potter provided the background behind his appointment and revealed Enoka has already made a major impression.
‘Gilbert has been working with us, with Chelsea Women, and with the Academy,’ Potter said.
‘It’s across the club. It’s a short-term visit really, a couple of weeks, but it’s fascinating.
‘We have had really enjoyable conversations with him, sharing of ideas and perspectives from different sports, albeit still high-performance environments clearly with the All Blacks. It’s nice to have that interaction.
‘I’m confident in my observation of our environment here, and of the players and how they work, they’re good people, they want to do well and get results, they want to improve, so it’s a fascinating conversation between two different environments.’