Liam Rosenior has been heavily scrutinised for his management, on and off the pitch, since taking the reins at Stamford Bridge.
Liam Rosenior has addressed a couple of disciplinary issues ahead of Chelsea’s clash against Brighton. The Blues boss has had his work cut out recently, juggling off-field matters while trying to deliver results.
At the start of the month, Enzo Fernandez was hit with an in-house suspension. During the March international break, the Chelsea midfielder cast doubt over his future at Stamford Bridge, leaving the door open to a move to Real Madrid in the summer.
His comments didn’t go down well during an already difficult period for the west Londoners, so he was sidelined for two games. In the absence of Fernandez, Cole Palmer and Moises Caicedo captained the Blues, donning the armband against Port Vale and Manchester City, respectively.
Upon the Argentine’s return to the starting lineup at the weekend, when Chelsea faced Manchester United, he was seemingly relieved of his vice-captain duties. Instead, his midfielder partner retained the armband.
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Speaking to reporters at Cobham on Monday afternoon, Rosenior explained why Caicedo has inherited the armband. The Blues boss said: “Moi leads by example. I’m delighted that he’s committed his long-term future to the club.
“He’s somebody who leads by example in his bravery, the way he takes the ball, the way that he presses and tackles and runs and fights for the team. They’re all the values that I believe get you success.”
Just as Rosenior thought he had taken the spotlight off his dressing room, tensions boiled over during the defeat to Manchester United on Saturday night. Upon leaving the field in the final minutes, having been substituted for Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana lashed out.
In a video captured by a fan in the stands which went viral on social media, the Chelsea defender headed down the tunnel without acknowledging his head coach. When a member of the Blues coaching staff went to approach Fofana, he batted away his out-stretched arm.
Rosenior was quizzed on the incident ahead of Chelsea’s trip down south. The Blues boss said: “I’ve got sent two videos. One of Enzo walking past me and then it was cut before he turned around and hugged me and shook my hand. I know how these things work.
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“Wes is a very emotional character in a good way. I love him. As a guy, he’s not afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve. I’ve spoken to him about it and he’s just disappointed that we’re losing the game.
“I don’t think he could have shown that emotion in a better way and that’s something that I’ve spoken about but the optics on that is not the reality. The reality is I’ve got a really good group.
“We’re working really, really hard for me and for the staff and for the club. At the moment, the results aren’t going that way and then people start reading more into it than what it actually is.
“Wes apologised for his reaction but these are young players who are going to make mistakes in the moment.”
