Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior has addressed several key talking points after a week to forget for his side, including Enzo Fernandez’s future, team news leaks and the note he passed to Alejandro Garnacho against Paris Saint-Germain.
The Blues crashed out of the Champions League following an emphatic 8-2 loss on aggregate to current holders PSG, with a 1-0 defeat to Newcastle in the Premier League making it three defeats from three in seven days.
Here is every word Rosenior said in his press conference ahead of their game against Everton, live on Saturday Night Football, this weekend…
Is Trevoh Chalobah’s injury picked up against PSG as bad as first feared?
“It wasn’t until later after the game that I saw the image. Then everyone saw it and then you’re really worried for the next day.
“It’s never good to hear that Trevoh is out for any period of time but fortunately, it’s nowhere near as serious as first feared.
“It’s still a serious injury but we’re looking at a period of six weeks, which is disappointing. But from where we were a couple of days ago, we’re in a better place than what we thought.”
Trevoh Chalobah was stretchered off against PSG
Levi Colwill has been pictured in training – is he close to a return?
“With an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament injury), he is hitting all of the benchmarks he needs to but we need to keep making sure he goes past certain levels.
“It is just brilliant to have his presence back on the training pitch. We want to see him back as soon as possible but within the right timeframe.
“He is looking at a good while yet.”
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Will Colwill return this season?
“Hopefully, yeah, that would be a massive boost.”
Any other team news?
“Yeah, Filip [Jorgensen] had his scan and needed a minor operation. Nothing too serious, that is a matter of weeks.
“Reece James, we’re going to be after the international break. It’s not serious but there’s something in his hamstring. That’s something we monitor after the international week.”
Reece James will be sidelined until after the international break
Has this been your most challenging period as a manager and how damaging could it be?
“When you lose games, there is always damage attached to it. There is also me, I’m learning about the team, myself, my staff and the club.
“I learnt a lot this week. There is a resilience and determination to put things right from the team and me. We will see in the coming weeks what happens, which I am very confident about.
“Different challenges, every manager goes through moments like this, difficult weeks. I have had challenging periods before. At Strasbourg, we lost games. But I have always found ways to come through that. We are at that point again. As a group, we need to find a way to fight and come through a difficult period.”
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Gary Cotterill rounds up all the big talking points from a disappointing night at Stamford Bridge that saw Chelsea well beaten by the holders PSG.
You were alerted to Enzo Fernandez’s comments about his future. Have you spoken to him?
“I had a great conversation with Enzo at length this morning before training, not just about his comments but how he is feeling.
“How we as a team can improve. He is one of the captains at the club and what I will say is that he made it really clear how happy he is here at this club, how much he wants to win and how passionate he is for us to be successful.
“He also said that in translation and in emotions, things get misconstrued. For me, he is fully committed to this group and to win here at this football club.”
How much does what you want to do at this club depend on Champions League if superstars want to play in Europe?
“You want to be in the Champions League. It makes your recruitment, planning and everything clearer, not just from a financial point of view.
“This club deserves to be in the Champions League. That’s the aim, the target, that’s what we want to focus on coming out of that competition. The rest of it is just about winning the next game to stay on track for what we want to achieve.”
How damaging has the last week been on morale for your players?
“Yeah, but I think most clubs and most teams go through these moments in a season.
“What have I seen not just today, yesterday, after the game and during the game when we were down to 10, I didn’t see a lack of effort.
“I have a resilient group and we know we need to put things right. You can’t quantify damage until you are at the end of the season.
“We have eight huge games left in the Premier League plus a cup competition we want to win. We are still in a place where we can affect things in a positive way.”
Liam Rosenior and Chelsea winger Pedro Neto
Your team news has been leaked in the last few games, is that a concern for you?
“We know. It’s not come from any place of malicious intent to me or to the team. We know where it’s come from, and we’ve dealt with the situation.”
There was criticism after you passed a note to Alejandro Garnacho late in the loss to PSG, what have you made of that?
“I will always do my best in whatever circumstance for the team to perform at their best level, regardless of the result. Whether we are five goals down or five goals up.
“We had just gone down to 10 men and we needed to change the system. We needed Caicedo to go to right-back. Rather than me scream and shout above a lot of people in the stadium, the best thing to do is to show him and get the note across to him.
Liam Rosenior passes a note to Alejandro Garnacho late on when Chelsea are down to 10-men against PSG
“I am aware, If I don’t win at this football club as the manager and we don’t win as a team, I am very aware now that anything goes.
“It doesn’t affect me. I am aware of it, of course, it is my job to be aware of what is being said of the football club and my team. Am I surprised? No, the level maybe.
“The reality is, I need to help this club and my players perform. If I don’t, maybe if I breathe wrong or sneeze wrong, it will be spoken about.”
Do you feel that your tactics are getting through to your players?
“Are you talking about the fact that I’m giving a note?
“We’re five goals down, the guys are disappointed. There will always be a narrative when the team does not get the result they want.
“The team have been together for 10 weeks, and they have shown they have a clear understanding of what they want to do. At times, which is normal in this period, that’s not going to go as clearly to plan.
Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior
“Tuesday night did not go the way we wanted to. Me handing out a note is not a reflection of my message not getting through to the players.
“If you look at the game and the reality of the situation, I would love to have a pre-season with this group but it’s not possible. It doesn’t mean we can’t be successful, I am so happy I joined in the moment I did.
“If you look at the games where we have not achieved what we want to, it’s not come from tactics, it’s come off moments. We are 2-2 in the first game and it comes off a mistake, an individual error, it happens in football.
“The first goal, which took all the energy out of the stadium, had nothing to do with pressing but then PSG, the European champions, are four goals up. There are emotional factors to it.
“Me handing out a note does not tell a story. I want the team to always play at their best no matter what the situation.”
How is Mamadou Sarr after his mistake and then being taken off at half-time so early in his Chelsea career?
“It’s a lot and it’s a lot for all of us at this club. We are expected to achieve in the now.
“Mamadou, I’ve worked with him for nearly two years. I’m so excited for his career. That’s why he’s here. You have to go through negative experiences to improve. He’ll come back. He trained today.
“He’s a massive part of our plans going forward, this, the pain he’s going through, will make him an even better player.
“If he learns from his mistakes, I’m so excited about what he can be as a player.”
Watch Everton vs Chelsea live on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event from 5pm on Saturday. Kick-off 5.30pm.
