The Athletic FC Podcast: Will Rosenior Prove to Be Chelsea's 'Best Decision'?

Episode Date: February 2, 2026
Host: Ayo Akinwolere
Panelists: Liam Twomey, Adam Crafton
Theme: Evaluating Liam Rosenior’s early tenure as Chelsea boss, the state of the squad, and what Chelsea need to return to title contention.

Episode Overview

In this episode, Ayo Akinwolere is joined by The Athletic's Liam Twomey and Adam Crafton to dissect Chelsea's remarkable comeback victory against West Ham and the early promise shown under new manager Liam Rosenior. The discussion delves into squad rebuilding, the challenge of inexperience, Chelsea's transfer strategy, the expectations facing a young English manager at a top club, and the evolving standards by which Premier League bosses are judged.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Chelsea's Historic Comeback Against West Ham

• [01:25–02:37]
  Chelsea overturned a 0–2 halftime deficit to beat West Ham 3–2, marking a club first. Enzo Fernandez netted the winner, completing a thrilling turnaround in front of a previously restless Stamford Bridge crowd.

• Liam Twomey (04:20):
  "You had players celebrating with fans, pumping up the crowd. You had Rosenior going around the stadium clapping. It felt like a big moment and a moment that might bring everyone a bit closer together."

2. Assessing Rosenior's Impact and Tactical Approach

• (04:39–05:47)
  Adam Crafton emphasizes it's early days for Rosenior:
  "I don’t think you can really tell from the first few games what a Liam Rosenior team is going to look like...they came back on Saturday playing 4-4-2 in the second half almost. It was like a throwback."

• Key Note:
  Rosenior's approach in the comeback focused more on intensity and directness rather than the more structured, positional style he intends Chelsea to grow into.

3. Fan Reaction and Handling Adversity

• [05:47–07:28]
  Discussion of halftime boos and player-fan interaction, particularly goalkeeper Robert Sanchez attempting to calm the crowd.

• Twomey:
  "The players always bear the brunt... Sanchez got it. Garnacho certainly got it. Trevor Chaliba got into an angry exchange with one fan... Completely transformed at the final whistle."

4. Youth, Inexperience, and Squad Building

• [07:28–10:32]
  Chelsea’s squad is youthful and lacks battle-hardened leaders:

  • "I think they are an incredibly immature team." (Crafton, 08:03)
  • Inconsistency and discipline are ongoing challenges.
  • Rosenior's initial emphasis has been on 'responding to setbacks the right way,' demanding instant positive reactions.

• Twomey:
  "Under Maresca, they could feel oddly passive in games, as if they were letting the game happen to them when things started to go against them."

5. Missing Experience: Transfers and Club Model

• [10:32–14:28]
  Historical errors (e.g., signings like Sterling under Todd Boehly) and the shift toward younger, more developmental transfers are discussed.

• Adam Crafton (12:34):
  "If you were to go and get, I don’t know who they are, but the equivalent now of Van Dijk and Alisson into this Chelsea team, they win the league. I really do think that."

• Twomey:
  "You either go and get those players, or you wait for the key players that you’ve got to grow up to the degree they become those figures."

6. Rosenior's Mindset and Public Persona

• [17:50–23:19]
  Play of the notable postmatch quote:

  • Liam Rosenior (17:50):
    "I hope in time they’ll say it was the best decision this club’s ever made, but I can’t focus on that."

• Adam Crafton (18:55):
  Discusses pressures and skepticism:
  "He is always going to be perceived as the Bluco man, because he came in from Strasbourg from a kind of a club that is perceived...as in some ways a feeder club."

• Twomey (20:51):
  "He’s leaned into the ‘I’m from this part of London. I’m kind of one of you.’ And I think he’s emphasizing the points of contact with the fans."

• On Leadership and Communication Style:

  • British managers are not always given the same credibility for self-confidence as foreign counterparts.
  • Results ultimately define how personality and public statements are received.
  • "If he wins, he’ll be seen as confident and fantastic. If he doesn’t, he’ll be seen as overconfident and a waste of time. That’s the way the world sees these idiosyncrasies." (Crafton, 24:03)

7. Media, Pressure, and the Chelsea Environment

• [27:17–30:52]
  The Premier League is a pressure cooker:
  • "You can only sell a story for so long without delivering results." (Crafton, 27:31)
  • "Just by virtue of being in Europe, you’ve got three, four press conferences a week...answering, in some cases, the same questions over and over again." (Twomey, 29:46)
  • Rosenior takes a light approach to social media memes about himself, as relayed by his kids.

8. Chelsea’s Transfer Activity (Deadline Day)

• [33:26–35:14]
  • Little major movement expected; main target (Jeremy Jacquet) went to Liverpool.
  • Recall of Mamadou Sarr from Strasbourg emphasized.
  • Axel Disasi likely to go out on loan to get more playing time.

9. Upcoming Fixtures & the Carabao Cup

• [35:41–39:14]

  • Chelsea face Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg; overturning the 3–2 deficit is seen as a big statement opportunity for Rosenior.
  • Winning a trophy early could cement fan support and buy time for the project to grow.

• Twomey (37:18):
  "It would be huge...they’ll go into it as underdogs, but as live ones."

10. Final Whistle – Marco Silva, A Study in Perception

• [39:28–41:05]
  Fulham manager Marco Silva is praised for his work but reportedly suffers from low-profile/low-charisma perception.
  • "When do you ever see him smile? If he told a few jokes...he might be in that conversation [for bigger jobs]." (Crafton, 40:40)
  • Touches on how communication and personality still sway managerial reputations.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Rosenior on his ambitions:
  "I hope in time they'll say it was the best decision this club's ever made, but I can't focus on that." — Liam Rosenior (17:50)

• On inconsistency and squad age:
  "They look like they’ve never been coached...they make very basic mistakes and they look like they could go under. And it’s that inconsistency within games which is I think completely understandable given the makeup of the squad." — Adam Crafton (12:12)

• Pressure of the job:
  "You can only sell a story for so long without delivering results...in football, they [managers] do it about seven times a week." — Adam Crafton (27:31)

• British managers and self-confidence:
  "If we were hearing a lot of the things Rosenior said in a Spanish or Italian accent...I think it would be received very differently. We’re just not used to British coaches even being in this position." — Liam Twomey (25:31)

• On Rosenior’s approach:
  "Nothing technical, nothing tactical. It’s about how we respond to setbacks." — Liam Twomey (10:15)

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• Historic Chelsea comeback, scene-setting: 01:25–02:37
• Largest statement so far for Rosenior: 02:46–04:20
• Tactical tweaks and the value of intensity: 04:20–05:47
• Fan reactions, player emotional responses: 05:47–07:28
• Chelsea’s immaturity, inconsistency, and squad challenges: 07:28–10:32
• On transfers and leadership needs: 10:32–14:28
• Rosenior on his hopes for his Chelsea legacy: 17:50
• Club model, skepticism, and personality: 18:55–27:17
• Media, perception, and Premier League pressure: 27:17–30:52
• Transfer update (deadline day): 33:26–35:14
• Carabao Cup expectations and potential squad problems: 35:41–39:14
• Marco Silva and the importance of personality: 39:28–41:05

Episode Tone and Final Thoughts

The discussion balances optimism about Rosenior’s promising start with realism about the gigantuan nature of the Chelsea job, especially for a young, relatively unheralded English manager. There’s acknowledgment of both tactical progress and the ongoing struggle for consistency in a squad largely deprived of experienced leaders. The panel asserts that while results will determine Rosenior’s long-term fate, early signals—especially in communication and connecting with fans—are trending positive.

If Rosenior can combine his confidence, local roots, and tactical growth with tangible results (perhaps a trophy run in the Carabao Cup), he may yet prove the bold ‘best decision’ Chelsea’s owners hope he will be.