It is three wins from four for Liam Rosenior at Chelsea now, and the Blues gaffer is starting to find out which players he cannot live without and which players will be the foundation for any success he has.
All four of Rosenior’s games have come in a different competition. Enzo Maresca’s replacement made his Premier League debut as a manager on the weekend, limping to a 2-0 win over Brentford on Saturday.
Then on Wednesday, Rosenior’s Champions League debut. Despite Pafos’ very low block being summed up in the first few seconds, when Filip Jorgensen almost strolled to the halfway line, Chelsea won 1-0.
Moises Caicedo’s header on 78 minutes finally saw Chelsea get the job done but for Rosenior, the main positive will be a second clean sheet and another win. If Rosenior is to earn credit, he needs instant wins.
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Moises Caicedo is definitely up there!
Liam Rosenior on Moises Caicedo
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But there is no doubting that the feel-good factor is back at Chelsea after weeks of discontent under Maresca. The new manager is starting to work out which players are absolutely crucial moving forward.
What Liam Rosenior said about Enzo Fernandez after FT
A virus has gripped the Chelsea squad during Rosenior’s first two weeks as manager, and Enzo Fernandez has fallen victim to that. But while Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens sat out, Enzo has played through it.
On Saturday, Enzo played with the virus and lasted 85 minutes against Brentford and on Wednesday, the World Cup winner played 90 minutes. He will be one of the first names on the team sheet against Palace.
Speaking to Chelsea’s YouTube channel, Rosenior said that he feels he has a good “understanding” of Fernandez at this early stage. He described the midfielder as a “leader” and the squad loves him.
Enzo Fernandez.
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images
“Top. Enzo played 90 mins today. I had to take him off on Saturday because he played with a virus, and that sums up his mentality. The man is a leader, he can play many different positions, he wants the ball.
“The lads absolutely adore him, and for my first 10 days, I feel I’ve got to understand him well,” Rosenior continued on the £107m midfielder, who is said to have attracted interest from PSG in recent weeks.
Enzo starts against Palace, but what changes will Rosenior make?
There is no doubting that Enzo will be in the starting line-up against Palace on Sunday, with the Chelsea squad boasting three and a half days to recover. Robert Sanchez comes in for the injured Filip Jorgensen.
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Wesley Fofana surely retains his place, while Trevoh Chalobah could come in to face his old side. Rosenior will have to make a decision between Jorrel Hato and Marc Cucurella on the left side of the defence.
Reece James was subbed at half-time and that may be a hint that Rosenior intends to start the skipper on Sunday, while Moises Caicedo’s involvement goes without saying. The main changes will be in attack.
Rosenior said Cole Palmer has a good chance of starting against Palace, but his choice of wingers and who leads the line is up in the air. Alejandro Garnacho staked his claim to start at Selhurst Park, next up.
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