The Chelsea team is continuing to take shape under Graham Potter, as he gels several new signings into his squad and manages others’ return to the side following injury.

He had previously discussed the need for the Blues to increase the number of chances we are creating and there has been clear progress on that front, although those chances haven’t yet resulted in an increasing number of goals in the way he would like, as seen in our narrow loss at Borussia Dortmund last time out.

• Watch Potter's pre-match press conference in full

• The latest injury update from our head coach

• Chelsea vs Southampton - the preview

However, speaking ahead of our next match, when we host Southampton at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League tomorrow, our head coach wasn’t convinced by suggestions that is the result of a lack of confidence by the Chelsea players in front of goal.

‘I’m not sure I completely agree with that,’ responded Potter. ‘I suppose you could make that argument against Dortmund. Joao hit the bar, it was unlucky, and he had a good chance before then that you think with his quality he would score, but I think sometimes that happens in football.

‘The hardest thing to do is put the ball in the net. We created chances. Whatever you think about expected goals, it was quite high in terms of an away team in the Champions League, but previously I’d like it to be a bit more.

‘I’d like us to create more chances, then you just back the quality of the player at the top end of the pitch, but I think the final third is an area where we can improve and we need to do better.’

Similarly, Potter wasn’t keen on the idea of it being a case of waiting for Chelsea’s luck to change, despite the number of times we have been denied goals by the woodwork and narrow offside calls in recent matches.

‘I don’t like to use luck as something to wait for because it’s something you can’t control. Clearly you need that in a game but it’s not for us to think about.

‘The Dortmund game, in terms of chances created, was a positive for us and we’ll try to maintain that. That’s the challenge for us, and then with the quality of player that I think we have in the final positions we can score.’

However, Potter prefers to focus on the positive progress made in creating those chances, which he feels is a big step forward in the team’s performance, if it can be maintained over time in the Premier League.

‘The criticism for us, and I would say a fair criticism and something that we’ve been looking to improve over a period, is that we haven’t attacked as well as I’d like us to. Attacking well means creating chances, sustaining chances, good chances.

‘It was closer to how we want it to look against Dortmund. It was good in the first part of the game against West Ham, but the challenge is always to do it over the 90 minutes. It’s not as simple as that of course because it’s the Premier League and there’s an opponent there, but that’s what we need to do.

‘We feel there’s progress but we can always do more and do better. But at the same time you always have to look at the situation for what it is and put it in the context that it’s in. In terms of how the group is working, that’s positive.

‘I thought the Dortmund performance away from home, given the context of the competition, the opponent, the environment, was another step forward. But we have a different challenge again at the weekend because we’re at home against a Premier League side, so we have to make sure we’re ready for that.’

Potter also discussed the uncertainty surrounding how our opponents will approach tomorrow’s match, given that Southampton recently parted company with manager Nathan Jones and interim coach Ruben Selles will be in the dugout at Stamford Bridge, which brings its own unique difficulties.

‘You’re not sure at all how they’re going to go,’ he added. ‘Anything can come at you, pretty much, because you’ve got a caretaker manager and they’ve had a week to prepare and prepare some ideas. What’s happened before is no reference really, so that’s the challenge for us.

‘We have to focus on ourselves and focus on what we’re doing and what we’re doing well, then prepare and make sure we’re ready for the challenge, because I think there’s a big challenge coming our way.’