Liam Rosenior’s reign as Chelsea head coach began on a winning note as the Blues swept aside Charlton Athletic 5–1 at The Valley, cruising into the fourth round of the FA Cup.
Turning to what was largely Chelsea’s second string, Rosenior oversaw a dominant display that combined overwhelming possession and late ruthlessness & intensity, even as he insisted afterwards that he made “nothing tactical, nothing technical” ahead of his first match in charge.
Second-String Chelsea Make Light Work of Charlton
Chelsea’s goals came through Jorrel Hato, Tosin Adarabioyo and Marc Guiu, three players who had seen little action in the closing months of Enzo Maresca’s reign, before late strikes from Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernández, the latter from the penalty spot, completed the rout.
Charlton briefly threatened to make a contest of the tie when Miles Leaburn reduced the deficit to 2–1, but Chelsea’s superior depth and composure eventually told.
The performance ensured Rosenior became the first Chelsea manager to win his opening game since Antonio Conte in 2016, also recording the club’s largest opening-game winning margin since Luiz Felipe Scolari in August 2008.
Early Nerves, Fan Protests and a Volatile Atmosphere
Rosenior got an immediate taste of the volatile mood among Chelsea supporters.
Blues fans in south London sang the name of former owner Roman Abramovich, while directing less complimentary chants towards co-owner Behdad Eghbali, Rosenior’s new boss at BlueCo.
While a cup win away to lower-league opposition is unlikely to heal the rift between fans and ownership, the performance was at least a step in the right direction.
On the pitch, there were some early jitters. Benoît Badiashile was booked for hauling down Leaburn, an incident that nearly repeated itself moments later when he challenged Sonny Carey.
Charlton goalkeeper Will Mannion kept the hosts in the contest early on, saving efforts from Hato, Jamie Gittens, and later Josh Acheampong, as Chelsea dominated possession, 80 percent by half-time, but struggled to convert control into clear chances.
Hato Breaks the Deadlock with a Stunning Volley
Chelsea’s dominance finally paid off in the fourth minute of added time at the end of the first half.
The ball dropped kindly in the box for Jorrel Hato, who had never scored for the club before, and the 19-year-old defender unleashed a thunderous volley, breaking the deadlock emphatically and giving Rosenior his first goal as Chelsea boss.
Charlton, who had defended valiantly, could consider themselves unfortunate to trail at the break.
Second-Half Surge: Tosin, Leaburn and Guiu Trade Blows
Chelsea doubled their advantage shortly after the restart when Facundo Buonanotte, another peripheral figure under Maresca, swung in a free-kick from the left. Tosin Adarabioyo rose highest to power a header past Mannion for 2–0.
The Valley erupted moments later as Miles Leaburn dragged Charlton back into the tie, smashing the ball home from close range after Filip Jorgensen pushed out an initial header.
Chelsea’s response was immediate and decisive, an encouraging sign for Rosenior, given the team’s struggles this season when facing adversity.
Alejandro Garnacho was influential in the build-up, his effort parried by Mannion, but Marc Guiu reacted quickest to thump home the rebound and restore Chelsea’s two-goal cushion.
Substitutes Estêvão Willian and Liam Delap both went close to extending the lead, only to be denied by an inspired Mannion.
However, the Charlton goalkeeper could do nothing in added time. Pedro Neto drilled a low finish into the corner, before Enzo Fernández converted from the penalty spot to seal a comprehensive 5–1 victory.
Liam Rosenior Explains His Tactical Approach
After the match, Rosenior revealed that he deliberately avoided major tactical changes, choosing instead to reinforce belief and intensity.
“This is a team that won the Club World Cup. That was five months ago,” Rosenior said post-match.
“This is a team that won the Conference League last year. We’re a good team.
“We are a good team. They’ve been well coached. I’ve made no secret of that.”
Appointed to build on Enzo Maresca’s work, Rosenior is deeply familiar with Chelsea’s playing philosophy, having been part of the club’s multi-club model at Strasbourg, where a similar system is used.
Chelsea again lined up in a 4-2-3-1 shape, but built play in a 3-2-2-3 structure, mirroring Rosenior’s approach in France.
Intensity, Togetherness and Fixing Chelsea’s Weaknesses
While the system remains largely unchanged, Rosenior made clear where his immediate focus lies.
“No, I think the biggest thing I challenged the players on was our reactions to setbacks, our intensity,” he said.
“I was very happy with the togetherness and the spirit of the group today.”
“I was very happy with the intensity that they ran at, winning duels, winning headers, all of the basics.”
“And that’s where you get your joy from.”
Chelsea have dropped 15 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season, winning just one of their last nine league games, and Rosenior is keen to address that fragility.
Set-pieces remain another concern, highlighted again by Leaburn’s goal.
“We need to improve in that aspect as well, long throws, wide free-kicks, corners going into our box,” Rosenior admitted.
“They are the basics that I talk about in football.”
Praise for Hato, Guiu and the Front Three
Rosenior singled out several players for praise, particularly Marc Guiu, Jamie Gittens, and Alejandro Garnacho.
“I have to say I was delighted with the starting XI,” he said.
“I was delighted with the front three. I felt Ale kept going in his one-v-ones.
“Marc Guiu was magnificent, deserved his goal. Jamie looked like he was going at the defenders.”
“He looked like he could create in a lot of moments. So a lot of real positives and a good start.”
The standout performer, however, was Jorrel Hato, deployed in an inverted role previously occupied by Marc Cucurella.
“I saw him play at Fulham, I was so impressed with him then.” Rosenior said.
“He’s taken that form on to another level today. Not just in terms of his goal, I felt his defensive attributes were top.”
The £37m signing from Ajax has now produced arguably his three best Chelsea performances since Maresca’s departure.
Injuries, Arsenal Next and Pressure Ahead
Rosenior confirmed that Cole Palmer, Reece James and Malo Gusto were left out due to knocks sustained in the defeat at Fulham, a concern with tougher fixtures looming.
Chelsea face Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final on Wednesday, before hosting Brentford at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Despite the convincing scoreline, fan protests continued throughout the match, with chants of “attack, attack, attack” echoing around The Valley before Chelsea finally broke through.
Asked about the atmosphere, Rosenior remained composed.
“All I’m going to focus on at the moment is working as hard as I possibly can to help this team achieve the potential, the unlimited potential, that it has,” he said.
“And if you concentrate and focus on your work, hopefully people will see that we’re onto a good thing.”
For now, results like this will help. The real test of the Rosenior era, however, begins next week.
