Wednesday saw Chelsea join fellow London club Tottenham Hotspur in the three different managers this season club. The Liam Rosenior hire, made back in January to replace Enzo Maresca, seemed curious from the start. Appointing him seemed like a reach, given his credentials, and handing him a six-year deal reeked of being a potential panic hire. Rosenior turned out to be a disaster hire, as Chelsea fell down the table on his watch, and now he’s gone after just a little over three months. Drastic measures?
Maybe, but Rosenior was simply not working out right now.
FA Cup Semifinal FYIs
Chelsea vs Leeds United
Kick: Sun. Apr. 26, 3pm, Wembley Stadium, London, UK
The other FA Cup Semifinal Preview, Southampton FC vs Manchester City: go here
Blues Team News
Calum McFarlane will now take the reins, on an interim basis, and be the man in the dugout for what is left of the season. McFarlane’s first match in charge will be on Sunday, against Leeds United in the FA Cup semifinals.
Cole Palmer missed out on the midweek loss to Brighton, and he’s a doubt for this match, with Rosenior saying on Tuesday: “Cole has had a bit of tightness in his hamstring that he’s been carrying. He’s going to be out for this game, and we’ll see how he moves on for the FA Cup semifinal.”
Given that it’s a cup semifinal, and this is the only chance Chelsea has for a trophy this season, we think he’ll play.
Rosenior also provided an update on Joao Pedro, and his thigh injury, passing him fit:
“Joao Pedro will be good for Sunday. But this game is too close for him.”
And then finally you have the list of Chelsea long-term injury absentees: Reece James, Levi Colwill, Filip Jorgensen, Estevao and Jamie Gittens. No members of this quintet will make the matchday squad here.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.