After another damaging loss, questions about the future of Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior are gathering pace. The Blues fell 5-2 in France and followed it up with a 3-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge. This equaled their biggest aggregate defeat in the Champions League and marked the first time they have lost four consecutive games in the UEFA Champions League knockout round.
Adding to the pressure on Rosenior, Chelsea have suffered four defeats in their last six matches in all competitions and are on a three game losing streak.
But should Liam Rosenior’s job be at risk?
Rosenior joined Chelsea back in January. He replaced Enzo Maresca, winner of the Club World Cup in June, soundly defeating the same Paris Saint-Germain in the final. While Maresca started the 2025/26 season with seven wins in his first nine games across all competitions, it didn’t take long before everything started crumbling and he was dismissed on New Year’s Day.
Rosenior’s Tactics & Philosophy
Upon arrival, the new skipper emphasized a gradual, phased approach to implementing his tactical ideas rather than overhauling everything immediately. This aligns with his philosophy of adapting to the players’ current state, fitness levels, and the demands of a congested schedule.
In late February 2026, he discussed balancing tactical evolution with physical realities, stating that while he has a clear vision for how he wants the team to play, changes must be tailored to the squad’s experiences and the stage of the season to avoid fatigue or injury risks. He noted that fully embedding his ideas would develop “over a period of months and hopefully years.” He further acknowledged having to balance short-term priorities like winning games in the moment, while building toward his long-term goals.
One example of his tactical change is in pressing. After a January 2026 Champions League match against Napoli, Rosenior explained: “I’m asking them to press in a completely different way that they’ve never done before and hardly had any practice at.” He was optimistic that more time over the coming weeks would help improvement, but that results were still needed immediately.
No Time to Teach
One challenge for Rosenior is the limited time for tactical work in training due to fixture congestion.
For example, in a February 2026 comment after a game, he mentioned that the team had only recently gotten proper sessions to discuss and train in his preferred style. Previously, they had relied on quick walk-throughs and scenarios.
All the same, there are signs that he’s starting to introduce more tactical elements of his football philosophy. Over the past three matches, there was clear instruction to play a high line. Of course, Chelsea lost those three fixtures, and in all cases the defense was left exposed. Chelsea’s squad isn’t equipped with players who are intense out of possession, and to play a high line at the highest level there must be pressure on the ball at all times.
Heed the Warning, Liam!
The best approach right now would be to return to the tactics that the players are used to. Let’s remember, those worked in Rosenior’s first 10 games. It’s obvious that a lot of players are struggling with his changes. Rosenior would be wise to stick with the familiar until the summer break, and then introduce the philosophical and tactical adjustments to the squad. This will also afford him time to drill his tactics into the players ahead of the new season unless less pressure.
Give Him Time
In my opinion, Liam Rosenior should be allowed to finish the season irrespective of where Chelsea finishes the season. He’s a manager that doesn’t compromise his philosophy and will insist on doing it his way. This is not entirely a bad thing to do but it demands time. We know that time at Chelsea is a precious commodity. But it’s important to understand that it’s more about the future than it’s about today.
There is no guarantee that a change of manager at this point of the season will make any serious impact. Allow Rosenior to finish the season, have a pre-season, and then judge him.
