Rosenior suffering same problems as Maresca at Chelsea

Liam Rosenior called his players into the Cobham training centre, sat them down in the conference room and delivered a speech which reminded many of them that ex-manager Enzo Maresca had said the same thing a few months ago. Rosenior isn’t as loud and animated as Maresca, but the players were in no doubt that […]

Liam Rosenior called his players into the Cobham training centre, sat them down in the conference room and delivered a speech which reminded many of them that ex-manager Enzo Maresca had said the same thing a few months ago.

Rosenior isn’t as loud and animated as Maresca, but the players were in no doubt that their new coach was angry and upset with some of his team who gave away a probable home win by drawing with second-to-bottom club Burnley after leading 1-0 for most of the match.

He said clearly and visibly that player discipline is not nearly good enough.

Chelsea have already equalled their highest number of red cards in a single season, and there are still 11 games to play. Manchester United, Brighton and Fulham beat Chelsea earlier this season because, it can be argued, the Blues were far less effective after being reduced to only ten men.

Rosenior waved his arm around the room and spoke loudly and accusingly when he pointed out that Chelsea are bottom of the fair play table with referees issuing 60 yellow cards. Last season, they were second-to-bottom and also the year before.

One astonishing fact is that Chelsea could almost field an entire team consisting of players who have been sent off this season. Wesley Fofana, Robert Sanchez, Malo Gusto, Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Cucurella, Joao Pedro and Liam Delap.

 

Eze worth every penny of his transfer fee

Last season, Arsenal lacked the final finishing touches which would have taken the Premier League title. This year, there is a true belief that it is their turn to lift that elusive trophy.

Manchester City had beaten Newcastle on Saturday to move closer to the Gunners, who hit back in style to destroy Tottenham. Eberechi Eze has truly arrived at the Emirates, and Mikel Arteta says he is delighted with the ex-Crystal Palace attacking midfielder, who has made a huge contribution. Gyrokeres bagged a couple of goals, and Arteta said that despite the disappointing result at Wolves, it was a joy to spend a week with his player,s who were in great spirits and determined to win at the home of Tottenham and bag north London bragging rights for the next few months. Ironically, Eze almost signed for Spurs last summer and how their fans wished he had come to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium because he ran this match with confidence, skill, style and determination.

 

Nico O’Reilly is a superb talent

I have seen Manchester City youngster Nico O’Reilly five times this season and, in every match, he has greatly impressed me. City have the big stars names known around the world and Nico is fast joining them. He has become a big cog in Pep Guardiola’s ever-evolving team, moving from full back to midfielder and even operating alongside Erling Haaland as a second striker. He earned his first two England full international caps as a left back and it could be argued that he might suffer from being moved around the City team when Thomas Tuchel comes to selecting his England World Cup team and Nico is not settled into one position, the national side has plenty of top level midfielders and Harry Kane will always lead the line as striker therefore full back is a more likely position for Nico.

 

Igor Tudor admits his task at Spurs is enormous

Igor Tudor said after the Arsenal thrashing that his Tottenham team is full of problems. He added that it would take time to fix everything. Therein lies the problem. He doesn’t have time and he was appointed by the Tottenham board because he had previously delivered wins in every one of his last five clubs after taking over. Spurs are perilously close to the relegation zone and only four points above West Ham. Tudor admitted he was shocked at what he saw at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday evening.

After a day’s rest on Monday, the team assembled at the Hotspur Way training centre, and Tudor walked into the analysis room, almost unable to comment or explain what he had witnessed barely 48 hours earlier. He was still in shock after realising what an enormous task he had taken on to save Spurs. During the game, he gave up on Conor Gallagher, so often Tottenham’s man of the match, but on Sunday, he looked slow and beaten.

 

Zidane ruled out of United job

Michael Carrick received some encouraging news this week, although, to be honest, at the moment it is a rumour. Zinedine Zidane has been linked with the Manchester United manager’s job several times in the past few years. He has been out of work since leaving Real Madrid in 2021. Many thought he might arrive at Old Trafford this summer as manager instead of Michael Carrick who is currently excelling in his interim role.

Now I hear that Zidane will take over the French national team after this year’s World Cup and has reached a “verbal agreement.” The current manager Didier Deschamps is leading the team in the USA, Mexico and Canada and then plans to leave his position.

 

Arsenal vs Chelsea

Gunners fans are beginning to believe this season could at last be their turn to lift the Premier League trophy.

After demolishing Tottenham last Sunday, Mikel Arteta will again line up with his formation which seems to be a permanent fixture every week. David Raya in goal is in great form, Justin Timber, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Piero Hincapie will line up in their usual back four with the now firmly established Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice across the middle and Bukayo Saka, Victor Gyrokeres and Leandro Trossard making up the forward line. Arteta does have club captain Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli available should he wish to rest one or two players due to an intensely crowded schedule.

Liam Rosenior is not in such a good place with his Chelsea team. A 1-1 draw at home to lowly Burnley with William Fofana not available for this match because of his red card leaves the coach with a few selection headaches. Chelsea are still hunting a Champions League place but will possibly have to accept a Europa League place or even the Conference League.

It is difficult to predict the Chelsea line-up and the Cobham training ground has been under heavy security this week. I live only two miles from the training facility and go there regularly to report for this column but this week instructions to all press and media was to keep out. Having said that, Rosenior knows that the only way to keep his job in the summer is to produce results. He does have Reece James back but Cole Palmer has yet to fully recover his form and much of Chelsea’s hopes rest on Joao Pedro producing goals because his back up Liam Delap has so far been a failure since joining in the summer from Ipswich.

In goal Robert Sanchez is one of the best in the Premier League but in front of him Rosenior has thin pickings from which to choose and Fofana’s job will likely go to Jorrel Hato or Joshua Acheampong. Chelsea’s excellent Marc Cucurella is still not ready to return to full training.