Wayne Bridge did not agree with one decision that Liam Rosenior made in Chelsea’s 5-2 loss to Paris Saint-Germain last week.
Chelsea take on the French champions again this Tuesday in the second leg of their last 16 Champions League tie.
Three goals down, a comeback seems impossible, especially with Reece James out injured. Ultimately, the tie was lost at the Parc des Princes, with Rosenior partly responsible for that.
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Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior poll results
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Wayne Bridge shocked by Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro subs in Chelsea’s loss to PSG
Despite being 3-2 down, Rosenior decided to take off his two best attacking players, Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro.
PSG went on to score two more times, and with Palmer and Pedro no longer on the pitch, Chelsea did not have enough firepower to grab another goal. The decision to substitute both players together really baffled Bridge.
Speaking to TEAMtalk, the former Chelsea defender said: “Yes, it was a bit disappointing the other day — the last 16 minutes and how the game slipped away from them. I was a bit shocked when he took Pedro and Palmer off.”
Ousmane Dembele (R) challenges Chelsea's English midfielder #10 Cole Palmer (C) and Chelsea's Brazilian forward #20 Joao Pedro
Photo by Alain JOCARD / AFP via Getty Images
Offensively, PSG were amazing, but they were very vulnerable at the back. Chelsea could have easily equalised after Vitinha’s goal had Rosenior not withdrawn Palmer and Pedro from the game.
Rosenior’s plan, though, was clearly to go back to Stamford Bridge only a goal down. He seemed content with a 3-2 scoreline.
However, that plan backfired and the attack that Chelsea were left with was not good enough to score after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s first strike of the night.
Ousmane Dembele thinks Chelsea are a “great team”, but it is hard to agree with him after that performance. From the touchline to the pitch, too many mistakes were made.
Has he seen us lately? 🤣
Ousmane Dembele talking about Chelsea
Photo by Glenn Gervot – PSG / PSG via Getty Images
Liam Rosenior can’t do the same thing again
Chelsea need to win the second leg by four clear goals if they want to make it to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, which sounds practically impossible.
To have any chance of coming even close to scoring four times, Rosenior obviously cannot take off Palmer and Pedro again.
Other than Enzo Fernandez, you cannot see where else Chelsea’s goals are going to come from.
Chelsea’s defence also need to do their part, but a clean sheet seems very unlikely after some of the defending on show in Paris. Wesley Fofana did not play well and also had a role in Newcastle United’s goal at the weekend.
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