Post-match reaction from the new boss
In many respects, Chelsea should’ve lost last night’s game by more than just one goal. The gulf in class, for a lack of a better term, between a team that’s averaged less than a point in our last nine league games, and a team threatening to run away with the Premier League title, was often far too palpable. Men versus boys at times, and literally, too, with Arsenal playing their full full-strength side, and Chelsea having three of our absolute best sidelined (Cole Palmer, Reece James were not fit; Moisés Caicedo was suspended) and others dealing with illness. That we’re still in the tie, with the second leg to come in three weeks, is a minor miracle.
And yet, two of the three goals that we did concede were a direct result of rare, schoolboy errors. Robert Sánchez may have many faults, but dealing with crosses is one of his greatest strengths. He’s unlikely to ever have another game in his career where he gifts two tap-ins, first by completely flapping at a corner, then by letting a simple low cross squirm through his hands. He made up for one of those errors with a ridiculous save to prevent the match from getting out of hand, but it’s hard to overcome disastrous mistakes like that against quality opposition.
Of course, Liam Rosenior was not really interested in making excuses or pointing fingers afterwards. The blame is collective, the accountability is first and foremost his own, and the focus, as ever, is on the positives.
“The first goal was disappointing. It’s a team goal. It’s not just on Rob.
“I’m asking Rob to do things that he hasn’t done before. I said to him before the game, and I made this really clear, when my players make mistakes, I’m accountable. That’s on me. He made a save in the second-half that was absolutely world-class. That could have put us out of the tie. He will improve in terms of his understanding. He’s had a very good season. There were very, very good moments with him. I’ll stay positive with him, as I will with all the group. My job is to help them, not to blame them [and] there are a lot of positives in Rob’s performance today.
“What you’ll know with me is I protect my players. I’m asking him to do things. If he makes a mistake, doing what I’m asking him to do, that’s on me. I have a lot of faith that in the long term we’ll improve as a team with the messages that we’re giving him in all the plays.”
I’d argue that dealing with crosses has nothing to do with any individual instructions, but then again, I don’t practice the sort of toxic positivity that Rosenior champions. I would be a very terrible, very old school head coach, probably.
That said, we’ve certainly seen a few things to be happy about in his brief time here, and if he can imprint his persona and his attitude on the squad, we just might manifest something good in the end.
“I’m never happy to lose a game of football, of course, but I saw an energy of determination and intensity.
“[…] I want us to be known as a team that never gives up, that will run, that will fight, that will press. I thought our press in the first-half was very good, but we unfortunately conceded from a set play. That’s something that we need to improve on.
“[…] I was proud of the bravery of the players to try to execute certain aspects of what I asked. In six days, we’ve had two games. I’m not asking for time because I think the group are good enough to win now. But I need to put my stamp on the team as well. Otherwise, there’s no point in me being here. So it’s a fine balance and hopefully the fans will see the progression in the team. But we need to win at the same time.
“[…] The players have been magnificent with me and the messages they’ve taken on. There are small, minor tweaks that I am making. My style is very similar to the previous coach. But you always have to have your own way of playing and your own idea. They’re trying to put that into practise. The biggest problem for us is that we had a lot of illness, injury and we’re playing against a very, very good team.
“[…] I want us to be high-tempo. I want us to be front foot. I want us to control and dominate games. We create chances from transition, but we also create chances from build and possession moments today, which is really pleasing. We’re against a very good team defensively. I’m very encouraged by a lot of things I saw today. I’m not happy to lose any game, but in terms of a building block for Saturday, there’s a lot of things I can show the players that they can keep improving on.”
-Liam Rosenoir; source: Football.London
First Premier League game on Saturday then, against an in-form Brentford side. Things aren’t going to get much easier, so it’s up to us to get better.
Category: General Sports
