It was a really difficult evening for Chelsea and Liam Rosenior, who found himself the subject of angry chants from the travelling Blues supporters at the Amex Stadium
Just 283 days ago, Chelsea were crowned champions of the world. Nine (and a bit) months ago the Blues lifted their second major trophy in the space of 46 days.
It is frankly inconceivable we are now here. During Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat to Brighton on Tuesday night – in a lowest-of-the-low-type performance – those that made the trip down to the south coast were as irate as they have perhaps ever been. The discontent was there for all to hear, mainly regarding the club’s ownership group, but they also turned on Liam Rosenior.
“We want our Chelsea back”, “f*** off Eghbali” and “we don’t care about Clearlake” were just a small selection of the chants aimed towards BlueCo, with Behdad Eghbali and a few of the club’s sporting directors sitting in the stands at the Amex Stadium. “F*** off Rosenior” was perhaps the most damning chant of the night.
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Fans have been unsure about Rosenior since he was appointed in January but most were willing to give him an opportunity to prove himself. However, five straight defeats in the Premier League – all of which Chelsea have failed to score in – has seen the supporters fully turn on the 41-year-old, who was appointed on a six-year contract less than four months ago.
Rosenior walked towards the away fans, those that hadn’t left the Amex early, shortly after the full-time whistle. He momentarily stared at them before putting his hand on his heart, signalling he is sorry for what they had just witnessed. An “unacceptable” – a word the head coach used seven times throughout his remarkable press conference – performance from his Chelsea side.
He was absolutely seething with what he saw. It is the first time he has placed the blame on the players. Rosenior shared the blame but decided to call out the players for their mental fortitude.
Some of the things Rosenior said in his press conference were extraordinary. Take your pick, but this on the disconnect between him and the players is right up there: “Judging off that performance, it looks that way [that there is a disconnect between him and his players].
“I won’t lie. That was unacceptable. I don’t feel there is a disconnect between me and the players. We work very closely with them in training, in individual meetings, team meetings. We are giving everything to the players.
“There is a lack of spirit, a lack of belief that can create that perspective that makes it look a certain way. I can’t argue with that at the moment because the run we’re on is unacceptable and that performance definitely was as well.”
He also said: “In the basics, in the pride that you should have in wearing the shirt, that was unacceptable. I’ve defended the players and I am accountable. I’ve always said that.
“After tonight, I think the players as well need to have a look in the mirror for what they put in. You can talk about tactics, tactics come after basics. Having more courage to play, winning duels, winning headers, tackles, conceding terrible goals. That was an unacceptable performance tonight.”
Rosenior will take the flak for this – and rightly so, but he is not wrong about needing more from his players. The absolute basics. The non-negotiables. The reason you play football.
He didn’t name names but there have to be a handful of Chelsea players dropped for Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Leeds United. As for Rosenior’s job, he should come under increasing pressure. Any manager/head coach that loses five on the bounce (without scoring) in the Premier League should be.
Harsh? It depends on how patient you are. Ultimately, though, in the cutthroat nature of elite football, pressure is always there. Rosenior knows that – he will feel the heavy weight on his shoulders now more than ever.
How much longer can he carry such weight?
Just over 24 hours before the shambolic display down on the south coast, Rosenior told football.london about the support the ownership group and sporting directors have been giving him despite the woeful run of form.
Asked whether he has had assurances over his role as head coach if the Blues fail to qualify for the Champions League, Rosenior replied: “I’ve had many conversations with them. It’s a very direct question, I like it. They are supporting me. They believe in me.
“There’s one thing I haven’t believed, the reality of the situation. At Chelsea Football Club, we’ve lost our last four [now five] league games. That is not good enough.
“So, regardless of what they believe I can achieve in the long term, I need to get results now with this group and with the sporting directors as well and that is the reality of the situation.”
The noise around Rosenior’s future has come at the worst possible time for Chelsea, who in a few days’ time take on Leeds in an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. Some felt it appeared as though some players had stopped playing for the head coach on Tuesday night, something Rosenior refused to be drawn on post-match: “At the moment, whether it’s playing for me, it’s not about playing for me. It’s about playing for the club, it’s about playing for the shirt, it’s about playing to win games of football.
“I can speak on what I saw tonight. You can read anything into it that you want, whether they’re playing for me or not, but that performance in itself was damning. It stood against everything that I believe in.”
BlueCo made Rosenior their fourth permanent head coach appointment back in January and backed him with a long-term contract. Getting rid of him less than 5% of the way into his six-year deal – whether you believe it is the right thing to do or not – would be awful from the ownership group’s point of view.
So, do they continue to back him? Those fans who travelled to Brighton hope not.
