Rosenior accuses Arsenal of a lack of ‘respect’ for pre-match warm-up

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport Chelsea reporter

Liam Rosenior flexed his tactical muscles for the first time since his appointment as Chelsea manager four weeks ago during the defeat against Arsenal.

For the first time since March 2024, under Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea lined up with three centre-backs. The system is likely to appeal to supporters, with Thomas Tuchel having used it during the club’s 2021 Champions League triumph and Antonio Conte adopting it in the 2017 Premier League title win.

Rosenior also took an additional gamble by leaving three players high up the pitch to counter-attack when Arsenal took corners. The approach gave Arsenal the opportunity to outnumber Chelsea in the box, but committing the same number of players forward would have left them exposed to breaks.

Arsenal adapted by bringing more men back to cover, allowing goalkeeper Robert Sanchez the space to claim crosses – one of his key strengths.

It was in stark contrast to how Chelsea coped in the first leg, conceding from a corner early on and letting in three goals from set-pieces.

For 45 minutes, Arsenal’s front four barely touched the ball and Rosenior’s adjustments paid off. Enzo Fernandez forced a save just before half-time in a cagey opening period.

It felt harsh for the Blues to lose on the night, but even in defeat, Rosenior can take encouragement from a significantly improved display compared with the first leg at Stamford Bridge, where the tie had effectively slipped away.