Andrey Santos knows Liam Rosenior better than most Chelsea players after working with him at Strasbourg.
The two had a good relationship when they were both in France, and that has continued at Stamford Bridge.
Under Rosenior, former Liverpool player Steve McManaman has been impressed with Santos in possession.
Is Andrey Santos now quietly Chelsea’s best midfielder?👀
What a performance from the Brazilian!
Chelsea v Leeds United - Premier League
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In the build-up to Chelsea’s fourth-round FA Cup tie against Hull City, the midfielder has been speaking about his manager, hailing him as a “top coach”.
Andrey Santos of Chelsea looks on
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Andrey Santos praises Liam Rosenior’s coaching ability and character
In an interview that has been posted by Chelsea’s official club website, Santos said: “I think he is a top coach, a top person as well, and he asks us every single day to be constant in bringing intensity.”
Chelsea’s early results under Rosenior would suggest that the 41-year-old is a capable manager despite the criticism he has faced since taking over the Blues.
While Chelsea did throw away a 2-0 lead against Leeds United and drew that game 2-2, they were on a run of four consecutive wins in the Premier League.
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Robert Sanchez quotes on Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior
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Rosenior has also guided the Club World Cup winners into the last 16 of the Champions League following their 3-2 victory over Napoli.
Of course, critics will argue that this is just a honeymoon period and there is a bit of a new manager bounce going on. However, Rosenior may have actually shown enough to prove that he is a top coach, as Santos has claimed.
Chelsea Training and Press Conference
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Liam Rosenior’s use of Andrey Santos and innovation
The mere fact that Rosenior is getting a lot out of a player like Santos at the minute — someone his predecessor Enzo Maresca barely used — shows the Englishman knows what he is doing.
Rosenior has been starting Santos in midfield alongside Moises Caicedo where the 21-year-old is keeping things ticking while winning back the ball.
A top coach gets the best out of what he has instead of crying for transfers at every opportunity, and that is exactly what Rosenior is doing.
The former Strasbourg boss has also been very innovative, another sign of an elite coach.
When Rosenior used Wesley Fofana to man-mark Martin Odegaard in the first leg of Chelsea’s Carabao Cup semi-final tie against Arsenal, Jamie Carragher said he had never seen a left-sided centre-back be used in that way before. He is still young and fairly inexperienced, but Rosenior is really making a name for himself at the moment.
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