It is natural for young people to feel they have all the time in the world. For Liam Rosenior, though, part of the challenge with Chelsea’s tyros is making them knuckle down. They have to realise the competition is about to heat up. The sun was shining at training this week and the warmer weather brings a greater sense of urgency. The yellow footballs have gone into storage, signalling that the business end of the season is approaching.
“Today it’s the first time we trained with the white balls,” Rosenior said. “That’s normally a sign we’re into that period. When those white balls come out, we can’t make those mistakes that we’re making. You’re running out of time – and that’s the message myself and my staff have given the players this morning.”
There were obvious points to discuss during the debrief. Discipline has been the main focus since Pedro Neto’s dismissal during the 2-1 defeat at Arsenal on Sunday. Rosenior, alarmed by his side’s ninth red card this season, wants a culture of accountability. The 41-year-old’s predecessor, Enzo Maresca, often tried to downplay suggestions of indiscipline but Rosenior has no interest in diversion tactics. He knows it is costing Chelsea in their hunt for Champions League qualification – they have dropped out of the top five before Wednesday night’s trip to Aston Villa – and has warned that he will drop players who cannot stay out of trouble.
Time to get serious. Rosenior talked of a “deep-lying” issue after the Arsenal game, when Chelsea played well but lost to the league leaders because of two lapses at corners. It cannot be dismissed as a blip. This is why Chelsea continue to face accusations that investing so heavily in youth has left them short of experience and leadership. The narrative is inescapable when the statistics show a team with 12 yellow cards for dissent this season.
There is a petulance to Chelsea when momentum swings against them. The red mist descends. Enzo Fernández, the vice-captain, is a repeat offender. He was booked against Arsenal after throwing the ball to the ground when a decision went against him. “I’ll be very honest,” Rosenior said. “We spoke today as a group about how we can improve and what needs to happen.”
Chelsea visit Wrexham in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Saturday and face Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 of the Champions League. They can salvage their situation. The accountants will hope they do. Chelsea played in the Conference League last season and made a pre-tax loss of £342m.
Rosenior said a successful campaign rested on qualifying for the Champions League. He has to fix the mentality. It is surely not a coincidence that Arsenal and Manchester City have not had anyone sent off in the league. But with Chelsea, the repeated folly is not a result of Rosenior’s appointment in January. This goes back to the 2023-24 season, when a team coached by Mauricio Pochettino set a Premier League record by picking up 105 bookings, and it remained a problem during Maresca’s time in charge.
It is, as Rosenior says, unacceptable. He fumed when a red card for Wesley Fofana led to Chelsea squandering a 1-0 lead during last month’s draw with Burnley. Would the lesson be taken on board? Not quite. Neto, one of the squad’s elder statesmen at 25, earned his first booking against Arsenal for dissent. His second, four minutes later, came when he halted a run from Gabriel Martinelli with a brainless lunge.
It was all so needless. The frustration is that Chelsea had dominated the second half before going 2-1 down. Again they were the architects of their own demise. It is alarming that they have conceded seven goals from corners in Rosenior’s 13 games, a record that represents a significant defensive deterioration since Maresca’s departure on New Year’s Day. Dropping 19 points from winning positions this season is further evidence of complacency. Chelsea have not beaten any of the promoted teams at home this season. A spend of more than £1bn under the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital ownership brings focus on the recruitment led by five sporting directors.
Rosenior, who craves more intensity in the smaller games, is looking hard at character. With Jamie Gittens and Estêvão Willian injured and Neto suspended, there could be a rare chance for Alejandro Garnacho on the wing. The Argentinian has barely featured in the six games since his half-time substitution against West Ham in January. Restricted to a solitary start against Hull in the FA Cup fourth round, he has been an unused substitute in two games and had cameos in three others.
The sense is that Rosenior does not trust the former Manchester United attacker. Garnacho needs to step up against Villa. Rosenior has spoken warmly about him. He is happy with how the 21-year-old has reacted in training. Has he been testing Garnacho? Seeing if his head drops? “I do it for everyone,” Rosenior said. “I want to find out about people’s character, not just when times are good but when times are difficult as well.”
The mind went back to Pochettino agreeing with a suggestion that Chelsea’s youngsters had to realise that careers at the highest level can easily slip away. Many of these players were signed on long contracts. Pochettino urging them not to fall into a comfort zone is similar to Rosenior’s calls for more focus. So much can still be achieved. Chelsea are only six points below Villa, whose form has waned, but with 10 games to go and the white balls out it is time they realise the clock is ticking.
