Despite Liam Rosenior's initial optimism, pointing out that Chelsea were fourth in the Premier League table after his appointment, their recent performance has raised concerns. Following a three-goal defeat to Manchester City, they slipped to ninth place in their 11 games under Rosenior, with a third consecutive Premier League loss without scoring. This, combined with their 8-2 aggregate loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, has led to five losses in six games across all competitions, putting pressure on the team ahead of their match against Manchester United.
Rosenior's tenure began positively, with four consecutive Premier League wins, but they have only secured one victory in their last seven games. The significant gap between Chelsea and top-tier teams was highlighted by their losses to Arsenal, PSG, and Manchester City. While Rosenior has achieved impressive wins against Napoli and Aston Villa, the team's overall record under his leadership is similar to that of his predecessor, Enzo Maresca.
Chelsea have averaged 1.54 points per Premier League game under Rosenior, a slight increase from the previous season but still the third-lowest average for a Chelsea manager since 2004. This rate would result in a total of 57 points if maintained, which is only five points higher than Liverpool's current total, highlighting the need for improved results to secure a Champions League spot.
Rosenior has reminded fans that even top coaches like Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp needed time to establish themselves, but supporters are entitled to expect more from the team. Chelsea's mental fragility, which was evident under Maresca, has persisted under Rosenior, with the team struggling to maintain leads and discipline.
Since Rosenior's first game in January, Chelsea have received more cards than any other team. The head coach is not responsible for the recruitment issues that have left the squad lacking experience and leadership, nor the fatigue from the Club World Cup, but he must address the team's ill-discipline and find a way to improve results. With only six Premier League games remaining, Chelsea's chances of securing a Champions League finish look bleak, and missing out on this prize could have significant consequences for Rosenior.
However, there is some encouragement in the underlying numbers, as Chelsea's Premier League performances under Rosenior have been better than their results suggest, 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, indicating that they have created better chances than they have conceded. This suggests that Rosenior's impact has been positive, but the numbers have trended downward since the loss to Newcastle. Ultimately, results matter most, especially at this point in the season, and Rosenior must convince Chelsea fans that he is the right person to lead the team forward.