Following Chelsea's recent three-goal defeat to Manchester City, which saw them slip to ninth place in the Premier League, concerns are growing about the team's trajectory under Liam Rosenior's guidance. Despite initially pointing out that Chelsea were fourth in the league table since his appointment, their current standing tells a different story.
With a third consecutive Premier League loss without scoring, the pressure is mounting ahead of their upcoming match against Manchester United. The team's overall performance in recent games, including a dismal 8-2 aggregate loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, raises questions about their ability to secure a top-five finish. Rosenior's tenure began promisingly, with Chelsea winning their first four Premier League games under his leadership, but they have only managed one win in their last seven matches.
While the team has shown glimpses of impressive form, including away wins against Napoli and Aston Villa, their record against top-tier teams has been underwhelming. Sky Sports' Paul Merson noted that 'when Chelsea play the big boys, they get beaten up.' The team's average of 1.54 points per Premier League game under Rosenior is a slight improvement on their previous performance, but it still falls short of what is required to secure a Champions League spot. If Chelsea continue at this rate, they would likely finish the season with just 57 points, a mere five points above Liverpool's current total.
Rosenior has reminded fans that even experienced coaches like Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp needed time to 'sort things out' at their respective clubs, but with only six Premier League games remaining, the pressure is on to deliver improved results. The 41-year-old coach has inherited a squad lacking experience and leadership, and the team's mental fragility has been a persistent issue. Chelsea's inability to hold onto leads, coupled with their ill-discipline, has led to costly red cards and a significant number of bookings. Since Rosenior's first game in charge, Chelsea have received more cards than any other team.
While the underlying numbers suggest that Chelsea's performances have been better than their results indicate, with the team's net expected goals ranking second-highest in the Premier League, the recent trend has been in the wrong direction. As the season draws to a close, Rosenior faces a daunting task in convincing fans that he is the right person to lead the club forward.