- Felix sent off on Chelsea debut
- Available for selection against West Ham
- Potter insists he alone won't solve problems
WHAT HAPPENED? The 23-year-old made his Blues debut against Fulham almost a month ago and showed promise with some impressive skills and incisive link-up with forward partner Kai Havertz. Then, in a moment of madness, Felix got himself inexplicably sent off for a high challenge on full-back Kenny Tete, leaving him suspended for three matches and turning it into a debut to forget. Potter is once again able to select the forward for Saturday's fixture against West Ham and he is reportedly set to start the Portugal star, but the Chelsea boss stressed that there would be no quick fix.
WHAT THEY SAID: "The first signs were positive with him and I think he is a very gifted individual. Then it’s about how he fits in with the rest of the guys in the team," Potter told reporters ahead of Saturday's match. "Ultimately, if we’re going to be successful it’s about the team attacking better and the team defending better. It’s not necessarily about individuals, about silver bullets that can come and fix your problems. It’s not quite as simple as that, although it sounds like a nice way to fix the problem.
"Sometimes when a new player comes in and has got a freshness, they just play off instinct. For some, it’s more complicated because it’s about how they link with people but he had a nice chemistry with Kai [Havertz]. He found a nice role in the game [against Fulham]. I wouldn’t want to put pressure on him but we have him as a top player. Joao can help and show his quality – and he is hungry to get back out there, that’s for sure. You can sense that."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Despite Potter having an embarrassment of riches up front - which now includes the likes of Noni Madueke and Mykhailo Mudryk, who signed during Felix's period out suspended - Chelsea still boast one of the worst goalscoring records in the league. The Blues have scored just 22 goals from 21 matches - the lowest in the top half by some distance - and will need to find a succinct way to integrate a multitude of offensive options.
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Next Match
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Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW? Felix became the first player to be sent off for Chelsea on his Premier League debut, and the first to do so for any club since Federico Fazio for Spurs vs Manchester City in October 2014.
WHAT NEXT FOR FELIX? The Portugal international will hope to be immediately back into Potter's team to face the Hammers, as a win in Saturday's early kick-off would take them above Fulham into eighth.