Matt Law covers Chelsea closely for the Daily Telegraph, so he sees exactly what is right and wrong with the club at the moment.
He just wrote a piece about Liam Rosenior’s arrival at Chelsea, including his interesting take on the incoming boss’s initial challenges in his “in tray” at the club.
Some are obvious – stop dropping points from winning positions (15 in the league already this season), start winning at home (they’re 13th in the home from table), forge a good relationship with the media, fix the crazy discipline problems at the club.
But the key one is about a player.
Rosenior must get best out of struggling Palmer
Cole Palmer in action against Newcastle.
Cole Palmer in action against Newcastle. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Cole Palmer’s true wonder year was under Mauricio Pochettino, and while he was good last year, it’s basically been a steady decline in his magic since Enzo Maresca came in.
Palmer has been suffering with this groin injury since last season, and still looks off it. Either it’s still bothering him, or he simply hasn’t recovered his sharpness. Either way, if Rosenior is to improve Maresca’s efforts, getting Palmer right again will be key.
He’s a player whose brilliance is in moments, and Maresca’s restrictive system was never going to suit him. He needs the freedom to do what he wants – but that also means the rest of the team have to work extra hard to create that platform.
Rosenior will have his work cut out creating that kind of platform for his star man.
In other news…
Andy Brassell was on TalkSport earlier today pointing out that Chelsea fans comparing the incoming Liam Rosenior to Jose Mourinho or Antonio Conte should get real about the new aims of the club.
Brassell also spoke about Rosenior’s ability to improve players, citing numerous examples from the last 12 months at Strasbourg.
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