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Chelsea sacked manager Liam Rosenior on Wednesday following a catastrophic run of form that has left the London club’s Champions League hopes hanging by a thread while they also endured their worst goalscoring drought in over a century.
Rosenior lasted less than four months in the role after his January appointment following Enzo Maresca’s departure, becoming the latest casualty of Chelsea’s turbulent season after seven defeats in their last eight matches across all competitions.
Rosenior’s dismissal came a day after a humiliating 3-0 loss at Brighton & Hove Albion, which saw the south-coast club leapfrog Chelsea into sixth place in the table. Chelsea are now seven points behind fifth-placed Liverpool, who have a game in hand.
“Chelsea Football Club has today parted company with Head Coach Liam Rosenior,” the club said in a statement.
“On behalf of everyone at Chelsea FC, we would like to place on record our gratitude to Liam and his staff for all their efforts during their time with the Club.
“This has not been a decision the Club has taken lightly, however recent results and performances have fallen below the necessary standards with still so much more to play for this season.”
The club said Calum McFarlane, who stepped in as caretaker when Marescaleft, would take charge of the team as interim head coach until the end of the season.
The 41-year-old had been brought in from owners BlueCo’s sister club Racing Strasbourg on a contract until 2032, tasked with “getting the season back on track” following Italian Maresca’s departure on New Year’s Day.
Rosenior had guided Strasbourg to European qualification in his debut season. Yet after an encouraging start that included an unbeaten Premier League run with four straight wins and two draws, Chelsea’s season spectacularly unravelled in March.
They crashed out of the Champions League to Paris St Germain after an 8-2 aggregate defeat, a bitter pill to swallow given they had beaten the French side in last year’s Club World Cup final.
Chelsea have now lost five league games in a row without scoring a single goal — their worst run since 1912 — while their only victory in the past eight matches was a 7-0 thrashing of third-tier Port Vale in the FA Cup.
Chelsea fans turned on Rosenior during the second half at Brighton, calling for his dismissal, and the manager apologised to the travelling supporters after the final whistle.
Rosenior later said he could not defend his team’s performance, saying he was “numb” and “angry” as he asked the players to look at themselves in the mirror.
However, Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah said the team had “run their socks off” and the loss had “nothing to do with effort”.
The defeat appeared to be the final straw for the Chelsea hierarchy, who pulled the trigger despite an upcoming FA Cup semi-final against a resurgent Leeds United on Sunday.
“As the Club works to bring stability to the Head Coach position, we will undertake a process of self-reflection to make the right long-term appointment,” Chelsea added.
Meanwhile, Chelsea will play all their Women’s Super League home games at Stamford Bridge from next season, the club said on Wednesday, as they followed similar moves made by other English clubs.
The eight-times WSL champions join the likes of Arsenal, Aston Villa and Leicester City who hold all their women’s home league games at the men’s first-team ground.
Chelsea have played at Kingsmeadow since 2017, with only select games, including Champions League fixtures, being played at Stamford Bridge. The club said Kingsmeadow will be used for academy matches from next season.
The 4,850-capacity ground is currently shared by the women’s first team and the under-21 side. Stamford Bridge houses around 41,000 fans in the stands.
In an open letter to supporters, Chelsea players described the move as an emotional but important step for the club.
“Leaving Kingsmeadow after nine years is bittersweet. It’s where so many Chelsea greats built their legacies,” they wrote.
“Yet, as was the case when we left Wheatsheaf Park, a new era begins, and Stamford Bridge provides the stage this team deserves.”
The players said the move would not change their ambitions.
“This is a new chapter, but our ambition remains the same. We want to win. We want to lift more trophies.”
“We want to create further history. That is what Chelsea has always done – and we’re going to continue that legacy with our supporters beside us at the Bridge.”
