Liam Rosenior, the head coach of Chelsea, has been honest about his team’s hopes ahead of their Premier League game against Everton on Saturday night at Hill Dickinson Stadium. The Blues are hoping to break a three-game losing streak as they head to Merseyside for what should be a very important game in their quest for a top-four spot.
Chelsea have had a rough time lately, losing both legs of their Champions League last-16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain (8-2 on aggregate) and a Premier League game at home to Newcastle United (1-0). With 48 points from 30 games, the west London team are currently in sixth place, just three points behind Aston Villa, who are in fourth place.
Before the Everton game, Rosenior told Sky Sports that he was determined to reach his goals at Stamford Bridge:
“We want to WIN. That’s why I’m here. It’s great to be able to plan for the future, but I want to make sure we’re also in a good place.”
The 41-year-old was hired in January on a six-and-a-half-year contract after Enzo Maresca left. He also said that his team are closer to being consistent than recent results might show:
“We’ve spoken a lot as a group in the last few days about where we can improve, how we go about that. But also it’s worth taking into account, we’re not that far away. We’re not that far away from consistently a very very good team.”
Rosenior has had to deal with a lot of tough situations in the last few weeks, like exiting the Champions League, injuries to important players, and rumours of unrest in the team. Chelsea won’t have Filip Jorgensen and Reece James available because they are unfit, but Malo Gusto and Estevao Willian are expected to be back for the trip to Merseyside.
Chelsea’s Champions League Qualification Hopes Hang in the Balance as Blues Slip to Sixth
Chelsea’s season has been a mix of good and bad under Rosenior. The team are still in the running for a spot in the Premier League’s top four, but they have already been knocked out of Europe’s top tournament. The Premier League is likely to have five spots for teams to qualify for the Champions League again this season, which gives Rosenior’s team some breathing room.
David Moyes’s Everton have been quietly good this season, sitting in eighth place with 43 points from 30 games. Chelsea’s defence has been especially bad lately; they haven’t kept a clean sheet in their last 14 league games. If Rosenior’s team lose at Hill Dickinson Stadium, the teams behind them could get even closer, making it even harder for him to ask for patience as the end of the season approaches.