Graham Potter rates Armando Broja’s ‘okay’ first Chelsea start

Armando Broja played 62 minutes before being subbed off in a 0-0 draw (Picture: Getty)

Graham Potter has described Armando Broja’s first start for Chelsea this season as ‘okay’.

Broja played 62 minutes before being subbed off in a disappointing 0-0 draw at Brentford on Wednesday and was replaced by Raheem Sterling.

The 21-year-old Albania international forward had made 10 appearances for the Blues this term before last night’s match, all from the bench.

Broja impressed last season on loan at Southampton in the Premier League – scoring six goals across 32 games – and registered his first Chelsea goal in the 3-0 victory over Wolves earlier this month.

Blues boss Potter was quizzed about Broja’s performance following the goalless stalemate at the Brentford Community Stadium and said: ‘We saw two or three actions in the first half of what he’s about.

‘Brentford press high and Armando… we thought we could use him. I thought he did okay for his first game.

‘Because it was his first game we thought 60 minutes was enough.’

Broja has been at Stamford Bridge since 2009, spending more than a decade in the club’s academy before breaking into the first-team squad in 2020.

He recently revealed the incredible story which saw him leave rivals Tottenham to join the Blues.

Broja told The Players’ Tribune: ‘In my head when I was at Tottenham, I supported them [Chelsea], but I always wanted to beat them because I wanted to show the Chelsea staff and everyone there that I want to join Chelsea.

‘I was on the bench and then I was begging my manager to come on, ‘please let me, we’re losing 2-0’.

‘As soon as I came on, I got an assist and then I got a goal after that so we drew 2-2.

‘And then we moved over to the other side of the pitch and played the other team.

‘We won 12-0 I think, and I scored nine. Straight after that, the two Chelsea guys came over and said ‘wow, we want you’.

‘When they said that I didn’t think of anything else, I just wanted to join Chelsea.

‘So eventually that obviously did happen and joined Chelsea end of U9s, start of U10s so I’ve been there since then.’

MORE : ‘We are not happy!’ – Chelsea star disappointed after goalless draw at Brentford

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‘We thought 60 minutes was enough…’