Mount the main beneficiary from Potter's Chelsea appointment
Graham Potter has had a transformative impact on Chelsea.
The Blues have conceded just one goal in his three Premier League matches in charge, keeping clean sheets in their last two outings. Under his predecessor Thomas Tuchel, Chelsea had conceded nine in six and the last time they managed to stop the opposition from scoring was on the opening day against goal-shy Everton.
They are now firmly in control of their Champions League group despite having suffered a shock loss to Dinamo Zagreb under Tuchel. The former Brighton boss has guided them to seven points from three matches, including back-to-back wins over Italian champions AC Milan.
Potter has improved them as a collective unit by raising the game of a number of individuals.
Perhaps the most noticeable one is Mason Mount.
The England international finished last season with a rare double-double - 11 goals and 10 assists - and was one of the most productive midfielders in the Premier League. He found himself without a goal involvement in his seven appearances under Tuchel this season. Yet he has five in his last three games for Potter, including two assists in the 2-0 win over Wolves and then two goals in the 2-0 win over Aston Villa.
He has made the WhoScored Premier League team of the week in two of his three appearances under the one-time Swansea City manager and looks back to his devastating best.
His double at Villa Park really emphasised how much of an all-rounder he is. The first goal was one a poacher would’ve been proud of as he pounced on a wayward Tyrone Mings header to poke the ball beyond Emiliano Martinez. His second was an outrageous free-kick. Mount continues to prove his worth in open play and via set pieces.
Potter singled out the match-winner for praise in his post-match interview with Sky Sports, saying: "We believe in Mason Mount a lot. We love him as a player and he is a great guy. You can see the influence he has on the team and he works really hard for us."
It is easy to understand why Potter is fond of the 23-year-old. Mount is the definition of versatile. He played on the right of a midfield three against Salzburg, as a left-sided forward against Crystal Palace, as a right-winger against Milan and then as an attacking midfielder against Wolves. In the win over Villa, he was one of the two No10s behind Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the other being Kai Havertz. Players like Mount make a manager’s job much easier. He is a plug-and-play type of individual, able to be used practically anywhere across midfield or attack.
The Chelsea No. 19 is certainly thriving amidst Potter-ball.
His numbers have spiked following the appointment of the former Brighton tactician. The sample size is not the largest and you shouldn’t read into these metrics too much, but Mount is averaging 3.2 shots per 90 now, up from 2.0 under Tuchel. He is also responsible for more key passes (2.6 up from 1.8), and more dribbles (1.5 having averaged 0.9 pre-Potter). These numbers are even more impressive when you realise he is now averaging fewer touches (57 down from 67) and attempting fewer passes (39 from 43).
Mount is seeing less of the ball, but doing more with it. He is something of an exclamation point for Potter, a final third player. His WhoScored average under Tuchel was 6.75, it is 7.86 under his new manager.
What we’re witnessing from Mount now is what sort of player he can be in a fluid, attacking system. In previous campaigns, he had been deployed in more of a rigid, counter-attacking style. He can no doubt do both, but it is intriguing to see what he can do in more of an aggressive structure over a sustained period. So far, the signs are positive. He could well hit double digits in goals and assists for a second successive season.
