Is Chelsea's Form Deteriorating Under Rosenior's Leadership?

Following a dismal 3-0 defeat to Manchester City at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea plummeted five places to ninth in the Premier League standings under Liam Rosenior's guidance. This loss marked their third consecutive Premier League defeat without scoring, intensifying the pressure on the head coach. Considering their dismal 8-2 aggregate loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, Chelsea have suffered five losses in six games across all competitions, raising concerns about their ability to secure a top-five finish. Rosenior's tenure began promisingly, with four consecutive Premier League victories against Brentford, Crystal Palace, West Ham, and Wolves. However, they have only managed one win in their subsequent seven games. The team's unbeaten start to the Premier League was halted by Arsenal on March 1, and they also lost to the Gunners in both legs of the Carabao Cup semi-final. The gap between Chelsea and top-tier teams was further exposed by their defeats to PSG and Manchester City. According to Sky Sports' Paul Merson, "Rosenior started well but when Chelsea face the big teams, they get beaten up." Despite impressive away wins against Napoli and Aston Villa, Rosenior's record after three months is strikingly similar to his predecessor's. Chelsea have averaged 1.54 points per Premier League game under Rosenior, slightly higher than the 1.48 points per game prior to his appointment. However, this average is still the third-lowest for a Chelsea manager since 2004 and falls short of the required performance to secure a Champions League spot. If Chelsea maintain their current form, they would finish the season with only 57 points, just five points above Liverpool's current total. Rosenior has reminded fans that even prominent managers like Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp needed a year to "sort things out" at Manchester City and Liverpool. With only 11 Premier League games into his tenure, Rosenior is facing tough circumstances, including a squad lacking experience and leadership. Fans are entitled to expect more, but the team's mental fragility is not a new issue. Chelsea lost 15 points from winning positions under Maresca in the first half of the season, and this problem has persisted under Rosenior. The team's Premier League form has not recovered from conceding leads against Leeds and Burnley in February. Rosenior has struggled to address Chelsea's discipline issues, with the team receiving more cards than any other side since his first Premier League game in charge. With only six Premier League games remaining, Chelsea are four points behind Liverpool, and their chances of securing a Champions League finish appear bleak. Although recent results have been damaging, Chelsea's underlying performances under Rosenior have been better than their results suggest, according to expected goals. In fact, Chelsea's net expected goals since Rosenior's appointment are the second-highest in the Premier League, behind only leaders Arsenal. This indicator suggests that Chelsea have created better chances than they have conceded, outperforming Manchester City and Liverpool. However, with so much at stake, results are paramount, and Rosenior faces an uphill task to convince Chelsea fans that he is the right person to lead the club forward.