The feel-good factor is back at Chelsea with Liam Rosenior instilling much more positivity, intensity, and confidence. It’s helped that Rosenior has won six of his seven games in charge.
Brilliant comeback wins against West Ham and Napoli over the last week have galvanised a fanbase that had been forced to watch a month of football without a Premier League win, before Rosenior took over.
Ahead of Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup semi-final second-leg against Arsenal at The Emirates, there is a positivity that can only have come from Rosenior’s ability to rotate and yet, keep winning matches.
John Terry is right, Chelsea haven’t gone forwards under Liam Rosenior yet😬
Thoughts?
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Still in with a chance of the Carabao Cup final, a last 16 Champions League place booked, and sit fourth in the Premier League, things look good. Yet, Rio Ferdinand thinks Rosenior is being harshly treated.
Rio Ferdinand thinks Liam Rosenior deserves more praise
Even Marc Cucurella thinks the confidence is higher at Chelsea under Rosenior, than it was with Enzo Maresca in charge. Liam Delap said Rosenior is good at working with young players and it’s working.
But there has also been criticism and even a bit of teasing at the expense of Rosenior. Some have mocked the way he speaks in press conferences. His “man-age” comments have resurfaced on social media, too.
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Speaking on his podcast, Ferdinand defended Rosenior: “I think he’s being treated harshly. I think there are things you can look at and become a meme for certain things. I get it, and I find it quite funny, right?
“If this was a young foreign manager, we’d be sitting here going, Guru, Guru, Guru. We’ll be sitting here going, he sounds so intelligent. Maybe his delivery might be a little bit different from what people like.
“But if this was a foreign coach coming in, we won’t be giving him the harsh treatment that he’s getting right now. And that’s what I think is a little bad. We can all laugh, it’s tongue in cheek here and there.
“But really? He’s a young English coach, man. Let’s give him a chance. You talk in a way I might not like or understand, but you know what, go on, have a fair crack at it,” Ferdinand summarised, on boss Rosenior.
Gary Lineker compared Liam Rosenior to David Brent
Rosenior might have made his “man-age” comments while in France and yet, they have resurfaced in a way to tarnish the new Chelsea gaffer. Gary Lineker compared Rosenior to fictional character David Brent.
What is the biggest difference you’ve noticed between Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior’s Chelsea?👀
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“I’m quite enjoying Liam Rosenior’s slightly David Brent moments. Did you see the stuff about managing, and it’s ‘man’ and ‘age’ and we are ‘ageing men’,” Lineker said, prompting Micah Richards to laugh loudly.
Yet, in press conferences, Rosenior is proving his intelligence. Before the game against Napoli, Rosenior predicted the game would be decided late on. Steven Gerrard paid tribute to him for getting it “spot on”.
He might get a bit of teasing for things he has said in the past, but Rosenior is thriving as Chelsea boss. Ask most Chelsea fans if it was the right decision to replace Maresca for Rosenior, and they’ll say yes.
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