Chelsea's campaign has not gone to plan so far, leading to an early and unexpected change in the dugout as the axe fell on Thomas Tuchel
Not even the most ardent supporter would have backed Chelsea to mount a serious title challenge in 2022-23 following a tempestuous few months at the back end of last season and an unhappy pre-season.
Equally, few would have expected fan-favourite head coach Thomas Tuchel to be sacked just one month and seven games into the new campaign, with the club toiling in seventh place in the Premier League following consecutive away defeats to Leeds and Southampton. A humiliating loss to Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League proved to be the final straw.
If life comes at you fast, then football comes at you faster.
Graham Potter has now been installed at the helm, an appointment that is exciting and unsettling in equal measure – especially given the club could swiftly slip into crisis mode if they do not find some form, with recent history dictating that Chelsea are prone to capitulating every few seasons.
But if the new ownership are to be believed, Potter will be given the necessary time to imprint his philosophy on the squad and turn their fortunes around.
Despite his burgeoning reputation, Potter has his work cut out, with his first game in charge – a 1-1 draw with Red Bull Salzburg at Stamford Bridge – offering few insights into what is to come and providing little reassurance that things will change.
The postponement of Chelsea's two most recent league matches should, however, have provided Potter time to implement some of his ideas and get a good look at his squad.
So, how do you assess the tumultuous opening weeks of the campaign? Who have the (few) standout performers been, who does Potter need to whip into shape and what does the short-term future hold for the Blues?
GOAL takes a look below…
GettyBest player
Amid the occasional chaos around him, Reece James has been a picture of consistency.
The full-back's marauding runs down the right-hand side have become one of Chelsea's key attacking outlets, with his crossing and shooting ability second to very few.
James has already provided a goal and an assist in five Premier League games, netting his side's second goal in the pulsating 2-2 derby draw against Tottenham in August.
And while all the talk ahead of the World Cup revolves around Trent Alexander-Arnold, James could not have done much more to earn himself a place in Gareth Southgate's line up for Qatar.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesBest performance
The options here are scant, with Chelsea having toiled even in victory so far this season.
Ironically, the 2-2 draw with Tottenham represents their best overall performance, and they would have been bitterly disappointed to only take a point from the game.
The Blues utterly dominated the first period, but only had Kalidou Koulibaly's fine volley to show for it at half-time. Spurs improved after the break, but the hosts seemed destined for victory after Reece James had cancelled out Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's equaliser, only for Harry Kane to score a stoppage-time header amid some very sloppy defending.
It's a low bar, but at times in that game, Chelsea played the kind of possession-based football that supporters perhaps would have expected on a regular basis thereafter.
Instead, things started going badly wrong.
Getty ImagesBest goal
Chelsea really did save their best for that Tottenham game, huh?
An honourable mention to Raheem Sterling's fine finish against Salzburg in the Champions League, but it's difficult to look past Kalidou Koulibaly's volley for this accolade.
The centre-back met Marc Cucurella's corner and sent it crashing into the back of the net with the technique of a seasoned striker, opening the scoring and his account for the club on his home debut. It doesn't get much better than that.
GettyBest new signing
While Marc Cucurella and Kalidou Koulibaly have quietly gone about their business and settled in well – barring the latter's red card at Leeds – Raheem Sterling's impact at the other end of the pitch since joining from Man City is difficult to ignore.
Although he has frustrated at times and spurned some decent openings, the 27-year-old's five goal involvements in just eight matches reflect that he is probably the only Chelsea forward who is pulling his weight at present.
The England international produced a clutch brace against Leicester as the Blues' 10 men snatched three points, and his finish against Salzburg was straight out of the top drawer.
The distraction an out-and-out striker like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will provide could make Sterling an even more potent threat, too.