Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior has inherited many of the problems that afflicted Enzo Maresca’s side before him.
After Burnley‘s 93rd‑minute equaliser in their 1-1 draw, Chelsea became the Premier League leaders for dropping points at home – 17 this season.
They also now have a league‑high six red cards this term, following Wesley Fofana’s dismissal in the 72nd minute.
That red card ultimately led to Chelsea‘s subsequent collapse after Joao Pedro opened the scoring, with Rosenior lamenting that his side have “set fire to four points” after drawing 2-2 at home to Leeds in their previous league match.
“There’s an inquest after every game whether we win or lose,” Rosenior added.
However, this is the first result to prompt such an angry reaction from the manager, who was appointed after Maresca left the club on New Year’s Day following a falling-out with the hierarchy.
Rosenior continued: “I’m learning about the players. I’m learning about the people you can lean on when things aren’t going your way and you need to see a game out. That’s something we need to address very quickly.”
There was further frustration over goalscorer Zian Flemming being given a free header in the centre of Chelsea‘s box, with Burnley substitute Jacob Bruun Larsen missing a similar chance minutes later.
“A marking assignment was missed,” Rosenior said. “I’m not here to throw players under the bus – I will always protect my players, and I’ll deal with it during the week.
“But there was a player assigned that duty who marked the wrong man.”
Worst discipline in Premier League
Chelsea have equalled their highest number of red cards in a single Premier League season, matching the 2007‑08 campaign – but with 11 games still to play.
Only away at Nottingham Forest have Chelsea claimed all three points after going down to 10 men, holding on following an 87th‑minute dismissal.
Defeats against Manchester United, Brighton and Fulham can largely be attributed to red cards earlier in those matches, while Chelsea rallied well after Moises Caicedo was sent off in the home draw with Arsenal in November.
The pattern is clear – Chelsea are suffering because of their lack of discipline. They are also a team accustomed to collecting yellow cards.
They sit bottom of the Fair Play table with 86 points, having received 60 yellow cards this season. They were second-bottom last season and bottom the season before.
It is hard not to link the disciplinary record to the age profile of the squad. Chelsea have not fielded a player over the age of 28 all season and have the youngest squad in the Premier League – a profile deliberately built by the club’s hierarchy.
However, Rosenior does not subscribe to youth being the main problem.
“I think youth is one thing, accountability is another,” he said. “I’m accountable. I’m the head coach, I’m the manager of the team. I’m responsible for every result and every performance we have. We need players you can rely on in the moment to do their job.
“I know what we need to get there. It’s not down to youth, it’s down to assessing the players and identifying the ones you can rely on in difficult moments.”
Rosenior also refused to single out Fofana and pointed out that the majority of red cards this season came before his appointment. Maresca himself was sent off for celebrating a last‑minute winner against Liverpool.
“Our discipline since I’ve come in – which is what I can speak about – has been very good,” added Rosenior.
Chelsea keep dropping points at home
Chelsea have dropped a league‑high 17 points from winning positions at home and 19 in total – the second‑worst record in the Premier League behind West Ham on 20.
It is another area affected not only by red cards but also by an inability to finish teams off and defensive lapses, particularly from set-pieces.
Chelsea have conceded a league‑high 13.54 expected goals from set-pieces this season, resulting in 11 goals against.
It is unsurprising, therefore, that the combination of dead‑ball specialist Ward‑Prowse and an aerial presence such as Flemming contributed to the equaliser.
“Set plays are massive in the Premier League, they’re so important. Our record this season, defending set plays, is not at the level required for us to achieve what we want to achieve, and that’s something I need to address,” Rosenior said.
There may also be a broader mentality issue, which again could be linked to the youthfulness of the squad – particularly within Chelsea‘s leadership group.
Asked whether Chelsea have enough leaders, Rosenior simply replied “Yes”, before adding: “I think there are certain values you need to have in your team.
“The best teams, the teams that win titles – which is where we want to get to – win games 1-0 when they probably haven’t played at their best.
“That should have been at least a 1-0 today. Even with 10 men for 25 minutes, that should have been a 1-0 at the least. I know what we need to get there. It’s not down to youth, it’s about assessing the players and identifying the ones you can rely on in difficult moments.”
Chelsea were booed off at full‑time, and Rosenior’s reaction may signal the end of a brief period of calm around Stamford Bridge.
It remains a promising start for the Englishman in his 11 games in charge, but he walked into a club already experiencing a febrile atmosphere, with anti‑ownership chants growing louder and fringe protests beginning to move into the mainstream.
It promises to be an interesting few weeks for Chelsea, with Arsenal, Aston Villa and Newcastle to come in a tougher run of Premier League fixtures.
Source: BBC
