Liam Rosenior’s inaugural match at Chelsea marks the first managerial debut victory since Antonio Conte in 2016.
New Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior revealed a hands-off approach, emphasizing “nothing tactical, nothing technical” before the Charlton fixture, signaling his leadership style.
While not diminishing his innovative capabilities, Rosenior’s alignment with predecessor Enzo Maresca suggests an emphasis on continuity rather than radical change.
In a post-match interview with BBC Sport following Chelsea’s 5-1 FA Cup third-round win, Rosenior explained his minimal tactical intervention, stating, “This is a team that won the Club World Cup. That was five months ago. This is a team that won the Conference League last year. We’re a good team.”
“We are a good team. They’ve been well coached. I’ve made no secret of that.”
Rosenior’s appointment aims to build upon Maresca’s foundation, leveraging his familiarity with Chelsea’s playstyle gained through the club’s multi-club model with Strasbourg.
The strategic alignment between the two clubs allows for seamless transitions of players and coaching staff. On Saturday, Chelsea maintained Maresca’s 4-2-3-1 formation but incorporated Rosenior’s 3-2-2-3 build-up system previously utilized at Strasbourg.
Despite these continuities, Rosenior is addressing key areas for improvement. Chelsea’s vulnerability in retaining leads, highlighted by 15 points dropped from winning positions and a single victory in their last nine league games, is a focal point.
“No, I think the biggest thing I challenged the players on was our reactions to setbacks, our intensity. I was very happy with the togetherness and the spirit of the group today,” Rosenior added.
“I was very happy with the intensity that they ran at – winning duels, winning headers, all of the basics. And that’s where you get your joy from.”
Sources indicate that Rosenior’s initial sessions prioritized intensity, a principle echoed in his media address, aiming to address Chelsea’s struggles with lackluster possession.
Defensive vulnerabilities at set-pieces were also evident, with Miles Leaburn’s goal narrowing the score to 2-1 before Chelsea secured a comfortable victory.
“We need to improve in that aspect as well – long throws, wide free-kicks, corners going into our box. They are the basics that I talk about in football,” Rosenior explained.
Given the congested schedule and limited preparation time, Rosenior appears to prioritize fundamental improvements over systemic overhauls.
While Chelsea’s 5-1 victory was emphatic, it benefited from impactful substitutions by Liam Delap, Pedro Neto, Enzo Fernandez, and Estevao Willian, proving decisive against a tiring Charlton side.
Rosenior’s debut win is the first for a Chelsea manager since Antonio Conte in August 2016, and the largest margin of victory since Luiz Felipe Scolari in August 2008.
“I have to say I was delighted with the starting XI,” Rosenior said. “I was delighted with the front three. I felt Ale [Garnacho] kept going in his one-v-ones.
“Marc Guiu was magnificent, deserved his goal. Jamie [Gittens] looked like he was going at the defenders. He looked like he could create in a lot of moments. So a lot of real positives and a good start.”
Defender Jorrel Hato stood out with the opening goal, filling a role previously occupied by Marc Cucurella.
Hato, 19, made inverted runs into attacking midfield positions when Chelsea were on the front foot, found himself in dangerous areas and ultimately capitalised.
The £37m summer signing from Ajax has previously struggled at Stamford Bridge, but since Maresca left the club, he has produced arguably his three best performances, playing significant minutes against Manchester City and Fulham in recent league matches.
“I saw him play at Fulham,” Rosenior said. “I was so impressed with him then. He’s taken that form on to another level today. Not just in terms of his goal – I felt his defensive attributes were top.”
Concerns arose when Rosenior cited knocks sustained in the defeat at Fulham as the reason for Cole Palmer, Reece James, and Malo Gusto’s absence, particularly with upcoming challenges.
Arsenal are next in the Carabao Cup semi-final on Wednesday, while Chelsea welcome Brentford to Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
“He is going to be judged on how he does against decent teams in the Champions League, against Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa – those are the teams he will be judged against, so we will have to see,” former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin told 5 Live.
“He has got a great month with a lot of games where he can see a lot of players. Four home league games, two away league games – and one of them is Wolves, who haven’t had a great season so far.
“There’s no easy route, but this is as friendly as it could be. He will have learned which of his players are fringe players. There are quite a few he will be pleased with.”
Amidst the victory, Chelsea supporters continued their protests against the ownership, chanting “attack, attack, attack” even as the team neared half-time without a goal.
Fan sentiment remains uneasy, potentially posing a challenge for Rosenior, who, as a transfer from Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital’s Strasbourg, risks being perceived as a figurehead.
Addressing the chants, Rosenior stated, “All I’m going to focus on at the moment is working as hard as I possibly can to help this team achieve the potential – the unlimited potential – that it has. And if you concentrate and focus on your work, hopefully people will see that we’re onto a good thing.”
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