The message earlier had been that the Chelsea owners see Liam Rosenior as the long-term option. But that stance seems to have softened over the last week or so. Behdad Egbahli did not completely put all his weight behind the manager, pointing out how football is a results business. Fabrizio Romano, in a recent update, repeatedly pointed out how things needed to change.
It would not come off as a major surprise if long-term plans with Rosenior have changed behind the scenes. How could they not? Just look at the results.
Chelsea have lost five on the trot in the Premier League without scoring a single goal. Over that same space of time, they have conceded 11 times. Against all top division teams, they have lost seven in a row while being scoreless in the previous six meetings. A 7-0 win over League One relegation contenders Port Vale is sandwiched somewhere in between those results.
After the loss to Brighton, there are clear signs that Rosenior has lost the dressing room. He openly spoke about the lack of desire from some of his players and told them to take a look in the mirror. On the other hand, Trevoh Chalobah did not agree that the team had not given it their all in his post-match comments.
John Obi Mikel points out why Liam Rosenior can’t connect with Chelsea players
At this point, there seems to be a clear disconnect between the players and Rosenior. No matter what the briefings tell you. This team is not nearly bad enough to be producing these results.
John Obi Mikel seems to have an idea why. He said on the Obi One Podcast:
“He looks like he’s faking everything. But that’s what I said from the very first minute when I listened to him in press conference. I said it. There is something about the guy that I do not like. There is something about him. Now take away his coaching ability or anything. The only way somebody can be successful, the only way you can get the right message across, the only way you can get things sent across for your players to believe your message, your philosophy, the way you want things to be done, is by being authentic, is by being who you are. Is by sending the right message and not sugar coating things. And not trying to be so intellectual. Just say it how it is. Just be natural. Just relax and be yourself. Just speak normally, speak calmly, express yourself in the right, authentic way, in the right manner. Don’t try to be so, it just doesn’t work.
“And that’s what I see when I say week in, week out. There is something about him that doesn’t connect with the football club. I still don’t see the connection between him and the football club. With Chelsea football, there is that thing. It doesn’t. It doesn’t sit well with me. It doesn’t sit well with a lot of people.”
Is there a way back for Liam Rosenior?
Personally, I do not feel that there is any way back for Rosenior after last night’s defeat to Brighton. There simply is not. Even BlueCo must realise that by now. They will only be prolonging the inevitable by not sacking him.
Bringing in an interim manager for the rest of the season before going for a top one in the summer feels like the best route to take from this point onwards. Of course, you can never predict what the BlueCo ownership will do.
That being said, Rosenior seems to have lost the dressing room already and did not make things any better with his post-match comments. We have seen this story quite a few times before. And it always ends the same way. With the manager getting sacked.
