Gary Neville says Chelsea looked ‘basic’ in Fulham draw while Jamie Carragher thinks spending puts pressure on Graham Potter | Football News

Gary Neville described Chelsea’s performance in their goalless draw with Fulham as “basic” after the club’s “jaw-dropping” investment in the January transfer window saw them spend more than £600m.

Graham Potter’s side had a disappointing night at Stamford Bridge as their west London rivals took a deserved point despite an impressive full debut from £106.8m signing Enzo Fernandez.

The Blues went closest when Kai Havertz hit the post shortly before half-time and David Datro Fofana, another Premier League debutant, had an effort cleared by Tim Ream.

Sky Sports pundit Neville was left unimpressed by the performance but felt that it was necessary that Potter’s side would take time to gel after the arrival of eight other new players in January.

“Everything is really basic from Chelsea,” said Neville after the game. I think it is because Graham Potter has not had time to work with them, he has not had time to develop.

“He’s going to need some time here. The front line needs to improve, the midfield needs to improve, so even though they’ve spent £600m, I look at every department, I think they need to improve.

“I’m not very impressed. It will take a lot of time for the players to settle in.

“You can’t escape the money. It’s jaw-dropping, staggering. £600m has been spent.

“They have to be patient because no one has done it before.”

Carra: Big squads are a problem for Potter

Jamie Carragher, meanwhile, says Chelsea’s spending spree has increased pressure on Potter and the new-look squad size could cause problems.

Talk to Sky Sports before the match, he said: “I think the reason you bring in Graham Potter is because he built a club that has a history in management and that’s why he has been brought in. But it feels like what has been done in the transfer. The market is the opposite of that.

“There is no right or wrong way, we have seen Chelsea in the past [Roman] Abramovich brought lots of players in, changing managers all the time, but I don’t think that bodes well for Potter in the future in terms of the amount of money they have sent and the players they brought in. Because that’s forcing.

“I’m not going to say he should be in the top four because there’s a big gap now, but he should be very close. I’m not saying he’s going to lose his job if he doesn’t. There’s got to be an improvement.

“They made a good start under Potter, but it’s not a good fit, the club is very ruthless, and yes it’s new owners, but they changed the manager quickly and spent £600m, so nothing has changed.

“It could be different, but they have to sit there thinking what they are going to do with 30 odd players.

“Don’t forget the two best managers we’ve had in this league in the last five years are Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola and they keep talking about having small squads. People are wrong when they talk about City and say ‘that squad.’ ‘quality yes, but in terms of numbers you are talking about 20-21 players.

“He chose to have this because everyone believed he could play. The big problem Chelsea have is there are players who know they won’t play and how they train and how they affect the team. That’s a big problem. for Graham Potter.”