Chelsea's head coach, Liam Rosenior, had pointed to the team's fourth-place standing in the Premier League table prior to their match against Manchester City. However, after a three-goal defeat at Stamford Bridge, they dropped to ninth place, increasing the pressure ahead of their upcoming game against Manchester United. This loss marks their third consecutive Premier League defeat without scoring, adding to their woes after an 8-2 aggregate loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
The question arises: are Chelsea regressing under Rosenior's guidance? Initially, Rosenior's tenure began on a positive note, with Chelsea winning their first four Premier League games under his leadership. Nevertheless, they have secured only one win in their last seven matches. The gap between Chelsea and top-tier teams was further highlighted by their defeats to PSG and Manchester City.
Sky Sports' Paul Merson noted, 'Rosenior started well but struggles when facing top teams.' Despite impressive wins against Napoli and Aston Villa, Rosenior's record after three months is strikingly similar to that of his predecessor, Enzo Maresca. Chelsea have averaged 1.54 points per Premier League game under Rosenior, which, although slightly better than their previous average, is still the third-lowest for a Chelsea manager since 2004.
This average falls short of what is required to secure a Champions League spot. If Chelsea continue at this rate, they would finish with just 57 points, only five points above Liverpool's current total. Rosenior has reminded fans that even renowned coaches like Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp needed a year to 'sort things out' at their respective clubs. However, with Chelsea's current trajectory, fans are entitled to expect more.
The team's mental fragility, which led to a loss of 15 points from winning positions under Maresca, has persisted under Rosenior. Discipline has also been an issue, with Chelsea receiving more cards than any other team since Rosenior's first game in charge.
With only six Premier League games remaining and four points behind Liverpool, Chelsea's prospects for a Champions League finish look bleak. While recent results have been disappointing, the underlying numbers offer some encouragement. Chelsea's Premier League performances under Rosenior have been better than earlier in the campaign, according to expected goals.
In fact, their net expected goals in the three months since Rosenior's appointment are the second-highest among Premier League teams, behind only Arsenal. This suggests that Chelsea have created better chances than they have conceded, outperforming Manchester City and Liverpool in this regard. Although results are paramount, especially at this stage of the season, Rosenior faces an uphill battle to convince fans that he is the right person to lead the club forward.