It has been some begin to life as a Premier League supervisor for Liam Rosenior.
Saturday’s thrilling comeback win in opposition to West Ham was Chelsea’s third league win in a row for the reason that 41-year-old changed Enzo Maresca firstly of January.
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And, in his largest take a look at to this point, it was his drastic half-time substitutions that led to the Blues recovering from 2-0 right down to win 3-2 and moved them into the highest 4.
After making seven modifications from their midweek , a limp first-half show allowed relegation-threatened West Ham to deservedly take management.
However, making three half-time modifications, Rosenior impressed a comeback during which substitutes Marc Cucurella and Joao Pedro hauled Chelsea degree with a purpose apiece – earlier than Enzo Fernandez’s dramatic stoppage-time winner.
Criticism could be levelled at Chelsea for a poor first half during which they had been booed off, totally deserved to be two targets down, and raised additional questions concerning the high quality of their squad.
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After the match, Rosenior performed down the significance of his substitutions, as an alternative crediting the mentality of the gamers since his arrival.
“My largest studying is there is a spirit and a struggle and a resilience on this group that I actually, actually like,” he stated. “I’ve demanded that from the primary day of stepping in.
“We have not had many coaching periods, however we have spoken about reacting positively to setbacks.
“We have spoken about reactions to shedding the ball, urgent, power, depth. All of that was there within the second half, which wasn’t there within the first half. I do not put that simply right down to the modifications I made.”
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General, Rosenior’s early reign, now 4 weeks previous, has been characterised by grinding out outcomes and impactful in‑sport changes.
His predecessor Maresca ended his tenure after a breakdown in relations with the possession and having dropped a league‑excessive 15 factors from profitable positions – prompting frequent criticism of his mid-match selections.
Former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin instructed BBC Radio 5 Reside: “Liam Rosenior went again to not precisely Chelsea’s finest group, however what Chelsea knew and the system they really feel snug in. It now appears like tactical genius as a result of they’ve received.”
Rosenior subs make an impression
There will probably be questions on whether or not Rosenior received his beginning XI mistaken, having made wholesale modifications from the 3-2 win at Napoli.
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Chelsea’s whole left aspect – Alejandro Garnacho, Jorrel Hato and Benoit Badiashile – may arguably be blamed for Jarrod Bowen’s opening purpose and Crysencio Summerville’s second for West Ham.
All three had been taken off at half-time, regardless of an enforced earlier change when Jamie Gittens was changed by Pedro Neto halfway by the primary half.
Rosenior stated: “The people got here off after which individuals will have a look at them. That wasn’t on them. There was a collective poor efficiency within the first half.
“These gamers know with me, I make early modifications. It does not imply that unexpectedly they’re out of my ideas in any respect.”
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Early modifications have turn out to be one of many defining traits of Rosenior’s administration at Chelsea, as was additionally the case at sister membership Strasbourg, which is likewise owned by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.
In opposition to Brentford, early substitutions helped Chelsea shield a slim lead earlier than a late purpose secured a 2-0 victory in his first league match.
Regardless of a poor efficiency on Saturday, Garnacho has credit score within the financial institution after scoring two targets from the bench in opposition to Arsenal within the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final, whereas Cole Palmer arrange Joao Pedro twice in its place in Naples.
Joao Pedro highlighted in his Sky Sports activities interview that Chelsea have a “sturdy squad”, whereas ex-Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp added after Saturday’s win: “In case you ask each single Chelsea fan, it was the simplest set of substitutions you will ever must make.”
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There’s depth when it comes to numbers, however modifications comparable to Cucurella, Joao Pedro, Wesley Fofana, Neto and finally Reece James – all amongst Chelsea’s strongest performers – had been at all times more likely to affect the match when launched from the bench.
Nonetheless, it has confirmed difficult to maintain Chelsea aggressive when resting gamers.
It was a criticism Maresca made from the squad after a 3-1 defeat by Leeds when, like Rosenior in opposition to West Ham, he rotated closely. He stated that gamers comparable to Andrey Santos and Tosin Adarabioyo weren’t on the “degree” of his first-choice starters.
Enzo Fernandez scored his eleventh purpose of the season to finish Chelsea’s comeback win in opposition to West Ham [Getty Images]
Former Chelsea goalkeeper Rob Inexperienced echoed that view on BBC Radio 5 Reside, saying: “Rosenior righted the wrongs within the second half, however he is received the identical issues now as Enzo Maresca.
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“The gamers who are usually not within the beginning XI are up to now off the beginning XI. So he’ll be delighted, but in addition behind his thoughts, he is received an issue.”
Rosenior is simply the fourth English supervisor to win his first three Premier League video games.
He has received six of his first seven matches in all competitions and has overseen Chelsea’s first comeback from two targets right down to win a Premier League match.
These outcomes have propelled the Blues to fourth place whereas competing on 4 fronts domestically and in Europe.
They’ll want one other comeback win at Arsenal on Tuesday within the second leg of their League Cup semi‑remaining (20:00 GMT), having misplaced the primary leg 3-2 at Stamford Bridge.