02 Jan 2026 08:43:10
I wouldn’t agree with it as an appointment, but, I’m trying a bit of positivity around the seemingly imminent appointment of Liam Rosenior.

He knows how the BlueCo system works, he’s lived it and is coming in with his eyes wide open.

Similarly, there are certain players in that Strasbourg squad who are destined for Chelsea first team, so there will be some continuity there.

He arguably has a better managerial CV than Maresca did when he arrived at the club. Better than Arteta, when he got the Arsenal job too.

He comes across very well in his media activity and, from the clips you can see, he communicates with his squad very well too.

He’s generally recognised as being tactically astute, all be it relatively inexperienced, with a young (youngest in Europe) Strasbourg side playing, what is generally recognised as, a positive brand of football.

1.) 02 Jan 2026
02 Jan 2026 10:17:22
Agree with most of that, am finding it really hard to think of a good alternative appointment, at the moment .

Should of try to patch it up with Maresca until the end of this season

It Isn't going to happen nor should it but if you are going back to a young coach you may as well go back to Lampard

Or alternatively you could go for a total newcomer ex player like Thiago Silva not that he would leave Porto.

2.) 02 Jan 2026
02 Jan 2026 11:07:27
Hope your positivity has some legs J. Point may be anyway though that having got rid of Maresca mid-season there may not be that many better options right now given many managers who may be better than Rosenior would see out the season with current club unless about to be pushed out anyway!

Given entirely transactional nature of way Blue Co run the club - outsourcing medical team, churning over tons of (more misses than hits in terms of quality? ) players for trading purposes rather than careful winning squad building (or so it seems), and charging a fortune for tickets for non-season ticket holders - I am feeling another notch more distanced from the club than I felt last year.

But seymns I had had the same thought as you about trying Thiago Silva as perhaps even a player-manager for the rest of season though he would need a backroom team to help him and I think most of EM's have let with him?

3.) 02 Jan 2026
02 Jan 2026 13:40:37
Maresca had to go, he made his position completely untenable and he did it on purpose.

The smart thing now would be to bring in an experienced coach til the end of the season, as we had previously with Hiddink, and then complete a more thorough head coach search at the end of the season. If that’s Rosenior then, all good, he sees out his season with Strasbourg and starts a fresh with a new season at Chelsea.

I personally will be very patient with Rosenior, if he’s appointed, in full recognition of the s—t storm he’ll be walking into.