Chelsea fans, brace yourselves! The winds of change are blowing, but maybe not as fiercely as you'd expect. New head coach Liam Rosenior just secured a dominant 5-1 victory against Charlton in his debut match, but here's the kicker: he claims he made virtually no tactical adjustments beforehand. Is this a sign of genius, or simply a manager riding the wave of his predecessor? Let's dive in.
Rosenior, at 41, isn't necessarily shying away from innovation. However, his approach seems to be more about building upon the foundation laid by Enzo Maresca, rather than tearing everything down and starting from scratch. He told BBC Sport that he didn't feel the need to make any major changes before the FA Cup third-round victory, stating emphatically, "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. They've been well coached. I've made no secret of that."
Rosenior's appointment was, in part, designed to ensure continuity. He was brought in knowing Chelsea's style of play, thanks to his involvement in their multi-club model at French club Strasbourg. The idea is that both clubs operate with similar tactical frameworks, facilitating the seamless movement of players and, now, a head coach between them. On Saturday, Chelsea lined up in a familiar 4-2-3-1 formation, mirroring Maresca's approach, but with a build-up in a 3-2-2-3 system similar to the one Rosenior used at Strasbourg. Think of it as tweaking the engine, not rebuilding the entire car.
But here's where it gets controversial... Is Rosenior playing it too safe? Some might argue that Chelsea's recent struggles demand a more radical overhaul. After all, the team has been plagued by inconsistency, particularly in holding onto leads. They've dropped a staggering 15 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season and had won only one of their previous nine league matches. That's a statistic that screams for intervention.
Rosenior acknowledges these issues, but his initial focus is on something more fundamental: mentality. "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," he explained. He prioritized instilling a greater sense of urgency and resilience, emphasizing the importance of winning duels, headers, and mastering the basic fundamentals of the game. These are the things, he believes, that ultimately lead to joy and success on the pitch.
Insiders report that intensity was a key theme in Rosenior's first training sessions, a principle he stressed in his introductory press conference. This suggests a direct response to Chelsea's tendency towards slow, ponderous possession, which has often left them vulnerable. He also recognizes the need to shore up their defense at set-pieces, an area where they have consistently struggled. Even in the victory against Charlton, they conceded from a set-piece when Miles Leaburn scored to make it 2-1.
"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 stated, highlighting his holistic approach.
With a packed schedule and limited preparation time, Rosenior appears to be prioritizing the essentials. The system and style of play seem to be further down his to-do list, at least for now. While the 5-1 scoreline may have flattered Chelsea somewhat, the impact of substitutes like Liam Delap, Pedro Neto, Enzo Fernandez, and Estevao Willian proved too much for a tiring Charlton side to handle. This suggests that Rosenior is also keen to assess and utilize the full depth of his squad.
In fact, Rosenior achieved something quite rare: he's the first Chelsea manager to win his opening game since Antonio Conte back in August 2016, and his winning margin was the largest since Luiz Felipe Scolari in August 2008. However, he's not getting carried away. He praised the performances of his starting XI, particularly the front three of Ale Garnacho, Marc Guiu, and Jamie Gittens, emphasizing their individual contributions and attacking intent.
One standout performer was defender Jorrel Hato, who not only scored the opening goal but also impressed with his inverted runs into attacking midfield positions. The £37 million summer signing from Ajax, who had previously struggled to find his footing at Stamford Bridge, has seemingly thrived since Maresca's departure, delivering arguably his three best performances in recent league matches against Manchester City and Fulham. Rosenior himself acknowledged Hato's impressive form, stating, "I saw him play at Fulham. 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."
There's also concern about injuries, as Rosenior revealed that Cole Palmer, Reece James, and Malo Gusto were sidelined due to knocks sustained in the defeat against Fulham. This raises questions about Chelsea's squad depth and their ability to cope with the demands of a busy schedule, especially with tougher tests on the horizon.
Looking ahead, Chelsea face Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final on Wednesday, followed by a Premier League clash against Brentford on Saturday. These matches will provide a more accurate gauge of Rosenior's impact and the team's progress.
Former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin rightly pointed out, "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." Nevin also noted the relatively favorable run of fixtures ahead, offering Rosenior an opportunity to assess his squad and identify key players.
But it's not all sunshine and roses at Stamford Bridge. The fan base remains deeply divided, with protests against the ownership continuing throughout the match. Chants of "attack, attack, attack" even broke out as the team struggled to break the deadlock in the first half. This distrust of the ownership is a potential minefield for Rosenior, particularly given his connection to Strasbourg, another club under the same ownership group. He risks being perceived as a puppet, a "yes-man" to Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.
Rosenior, however, is determined to focus on the task at hand. "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."
So, what do you think? Is Rosenior's conservative approach the right way forward for Chelsea? Can he build on Maresca's foundation and address the team's underlying issues? Or does Chelsea need a more radical shake-up to truly compete at the highest level? And can he win over a skeptical fanbase? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
