Liam Rosenior: Chelsea part company with head coach after five straight Premier League defeats without scoring

Chelsea have parted company with Liam Rosenior – just 107 days after he took charge.

Calum McFarlane will lead the team into Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final with Leeds at Wembley and remain as interim head coach until the end of the season. McFarlane took on the same role earlier this season for two games when Enzo Maresca left, a 1-1 draw against Manchester City and a 2-1 defeat at Fulham.

Chelsea have not spoken to any candidates for the permanent position yet and no shortlist has been drawn up. A club statement said they would “undertake a process of self-reflection to make the right long-term appointment”.

Rosenior had been appointed as a surprise replacement for Maresca in January, but seven defeats in the last eight matches has led to his reign being cut short after less than four months.

Rosenior had signed a six-year contract with Chelsea when he made the move from Strasbourg, who are owned by Chelsea’s parent company BlueCo. But there were chants from Chelsea fans for him to be dismissed during and after the 3-0 loss at Brighton on Tuesday night.

It was a fifth Premier League defeat in a row and makes qualification for next season’s Champions League unlikely. Chelsea failed to score in each of those five league defeats – their worst goalless losing league run since 1912.

Rosenior leaves Chelsea seventh in the Premier League, seven points off fifth-placed Liverpool, who have a game in hand. Maresca left Chelsea in fifth but they had slipped to eighth by the time Rosenior took over from interim boss McFarlane.

Sky Sports News understands reports that Chelsea will have to pay Rosenior a large compensation fee are not accurate. It is understood a break clause was included in Rosenior’s contract.

The 41-year-old apologised to the travelling fans at Brighton at full-time but then hit out at his players, calling their performance “indefensible”, “unacceptable” and “unprofessional”.

During his time in charge, Rosenior also oversaw Carabao Cup semi-final defeats to Arsenal and an 8-2 aggregate thrashing in the Champions League last-16 by Paris St-Germain.

However, he did secure FA Cup wins over Championship sides Charlton, Hull City and Wrexham (on penalties) before a 7-0 drubbing of League One bottom club Port Vale set up Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final with Leeds.

A Chelsea statement read: “Chelsea Football Club has today parted company with head coach Liam Rosenior.

“On behalf of everyone at Chelsea FC, we would like to place on record our gratitude to Liam and his staff for all their efforts during their time with the club.

“Liam has always conducted himself with the highest integrity and professionalism following his appointment mid-way through the season.

“This has not been a decision the club has taken lightly, however recent results and performances have fallen below the necessary standards with still so much more to play for this season. Everyone at Chelsea FC wishes Liam every success in the future.

“Calum McFarlane will take charge of the team as interim head coach until the end of the season with support from existing club backroom staff, as we strive to achieve European qualification and progress in the FA Cup.

“As the club works to bring stability to the head coach position, we will undertake a process of self-reflection to make the right long-term appointment.”

Who will be next Chelsea boss?

Sky Sports News’ chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol:

Chelsea are planning to take their time to make the right appointment. They have not spoken to any candidates yet and no shortlist has been drawn up.

However, the likes of Andoni Iraola, Oliver Glasner and Xabi Alonso will all be available.

Other names in the frame could be Marco Silva, if he leaves Fulham, and Cesc Fabregas.

Chelsea have previously held talks with Luis Enrique, Julian Nagelsmann, Roberto De Zerbi and Hansi Flick when the top job has become available.

It remains to be seen whether elite-level managers are willing to work in the structure currently in place at the club.

Even though Rosenior had a contract until 2032, Chelsea will not have to pay him up in full. As is common in contracts, there is a break clause. The settlement will be fair for him and fair for the club.

Rosenior fumes at performance in Brighton defeat

Liam Rosenior speaking to Sky Sports after Chelsea lost 3-0 at Brighton on Tuesday:

“That was unacceptable in every aspect of the game. I keep coming out and defending the players, that was indefensible, that performance tonight. The manner of the goals we conceded, the duels that we lost. Something has to change drastically right here, right now.

“We need to look in the mirror. I need to look in the mirror. But I can’t keep coming out here and defending some of the things that we’re seeing. Manchester United, genuinely result wasn’t there but I felt we turned a corner.

“But the general attitude, spirit was lacking – determination from three or four of the starting eleven. That’s nowhere near enough for this club. I can’t come out and lie. I tell the truth. That was an unacceptable performance at every level.”

Merson: Rosenior lost the fans and the players

Sky Sports’ Paul Merson:

“When you get the sack as a manager, you get it for two reasons: either the fans are on your back, or the players aren’t running for you.

“This is double bubble. And he knows that because of his interview after the game. He’s taken the blame and backed the players. Tuesday was a sign to me that he knows he’s in major trouble and needs to look after himself.

“Fair play, he told the truth. The players threw him under the bus, and he did the same back.

“There is no way he’ll be on a contract where he gets paid up for the remainder of it. I’d be shocked. That would be more worrying to me than anything, if they think a manager who has never managed at the top level can come in and be a massive success immediately. It ain’t happening.”

Read more from Paul Merson as he slams the Chelsea players for their performance at Brighton

Analysis: Chelsea leadership got Rosenior appointment wrong

Sky Sports News’ chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol:

“They would hold up their hands and say we got it wrong, and definitely in this instance. There’s no sugar coating it, this has been a terrible season for Chelsea. This should have been a season where they kicked on, built on winning two trophies last season and getting back into the Champions League.

“They’ve gone backwards. The reason they’ve gone backwards is because Enzo Maresca has left. He wasn’t sacked, he didn’t want to be there any more. He felt like his relationship with the people he worked for had broken down beyond repair, for a variety of reasons.

“The big mistake they then made was to bring in Liam Rosenior, because they’ve set up this multi-club model and thought he could seamlessly move across. But you saw the evidence last night; he’s not experienced enough to be the manager of a club as big as Chelsea.

“I will give the owners some credit here, they’ve realised that and made the decision quickly. I don’t think anything was going to change if Liam Rosenior had stayed. You could see from the performance yesterday and the comments he made afterwards, it could not continue.”

The damning stats behind Brighton defeat

By Sky Sports’ Sam Blitz…

The lack of fight by the Blues was seen in the duels.

Chelsea’s players took 32 minutes to complete their first tackle of the game. By half-time, 10 out of their 11 starters hadn’t managed a single one.

It was no surprise that Chelsea were so limp off the ball because Chelsea have been out-run by every single one of their Premier League opponents – 34 matches out of 34.

But it’s in attack where the headlines lie. To go four Premier League games without scoring a goal is bad enough but to not even register a shot on target in the fifth?

The underlying data is even worse than just ‘no shots on target’. Their first half Expected Goals (xG) tally of 0.04 was lower than they had in any of Enzo Maresca’s 114 halves of Premier League football as Chelsea boss – a sign of how far backwards they are going.

Read more here…

Chelsea’s next five fixtures

April 26 Leeds (N) – FA Cup
May 4: Nottingham Forest (H) – live on Sky Sports
May 9: Liverpool (A) – Premier League
May 17: Tottenham (H) – Premier League
April 25: Sunderland (A) – Premier League

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