Liam Rosenior’s period of friction with Joao Pedro has paved the way for the Brazilian’s resurgence, transforming the striker into Chelsea’s best attacking weapon.
Joao Pedro hasn’t always had it easy at Chelsea since his move in the summer.
His time under Enzo Maresca was a period of flashes, but without any real consistency. While he started brilliantly, scoring twice in the Club World Cup final, his Premier League form stalled as Maresca publicly doubted Pedro’s ability to be a 20-goal striker.
The turnaround under Liam Rosenior has been nothing short of sensational. He’s hit 17 goals and nine assists in all competitions this season, including eight goals and five assists in his last eight games.
But it hasn’t been a straightforward process for the striker.
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Liam Rosenior and Joao Pedro’s friction at the start
We previously reported Liam Rosenior’s comments on Joao Pedro, where he revealed a bit of friction between the pair not long after he joined.
“I think me and Joao have had some interesting conversations so far, a bit of friction at times, which you need, and a little bit of love at the same time as well.
“I need that. I need them to tell me the truth.”
It’s this kind of management that is needed to really show the players you mean business and get on a level with them. Most relationships break down when there’s a lack of trust.
Enzo Maresca hang your head in shame 😬
Was he the problem?
Enzo Maresca's prediction about Joao Pedro was wrong
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Liam Rosenior deserves credit for transforming Joao Pedro
Liam Rosenior’s transformation of Joao Pedro from a frustrated, inconsistent talent into a world-class striker is perhaps the biggest achievement of his Chelsea tenure so far.
The new Chelsea boss chose to address the tension through honest conversations and a tactical recalibration that moved Pedro into the number nine position.
By demanding a higher intensity and focusing on his predatory instincts in the six-yard box, Rosenior has unlocked a monster. Since January, Pedro has responded with an incredible 12 goal involvements in 14 games, including a historic hat-trick against Aston Villa.
Rosenior’s ability to turn that initial friction into a warrior mentality has not only boosted Pedro’s Chelsea career but has finally provided the club with its first true successor to Diego Costa.
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