Chelsea
Liam Rosenior: the coaching profile Chelsea’s owners favour
Former Hull and Strasbourg coach known for empathy, pressing style and player development at Chelsea
Liam Rosenior arrives at a point in his career shaped by long preparation and a clear coaching identity. From doing scouting reports for his father Leroy at Gloucester City as an 11-year-old, to taking his Uefa Pro Licence aged 32 while still a player at Brighton & Hove Albion, Rosenior has methodically built the experience he now brings to Chelsea.
His pathway included spells learning from Chris Coleman, Steve Coppell, Brendan Rodgers, Steve Bruce and Chris Hughton. He worked at Brighton as an assistant with the Under-23s and later as a specialist first-team coach, then moved to Derby County with Phillip Cocu before working with Wayne Rooney. One early lesson came when Rooney noticed a player distracted at breakfast and handled it quietly; Rosenior absorbed that approach to managing people.
“Top coaches have to have empathy,” Rosenior told me once. “Yes, you can be tough, but you have to understand people. You can’t shout at players like you used to.” That outlook informed his time as a pundit on Sky Sports programmes, notably The Debate, and underpinned the culture he created at Hull City after his appointment in 2022.
Rosenior encouraged a collective spirit. He showed players a video of his assistant Justin Walker towing his car from a flooded puddle to make a point. “Life isn’t perfect but your mate needs to have your back,” Rosenior told his players. “The first person I called was my best friend Justin.” He also admires the attacking risk-taking of Roberto De Zerbi and learned from Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta at Brighton.
Hull’s work under Rosenior won loans from Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp, including Liam Delap, Tyler Morton and Fabio Carvalho. Delap’s goal at the King Power ended Leicester’s perfect start in September 2023, and Rosenior reflected on progress: “I’ve been here for eight months and we wouldn’t have been capable of doing that when I first came in,” Rosenior told BBC Radio Humberside afterwards. “That’s why I keep saying it’s a process.”
Players have responded to his demands and his stance against discrimination. “Give 100 per cent in and out of possession, love and respect your team-mates, and don’t hide from the ball. You have to be brave.” He was sacked by Hull after narrowly missing the play-offs, then appointed Strasbourg head coach, qualifying them for the Uefa Conference League. BlueCo now view him as the man to succeed Maresca at Chelsea. Rosenior remains candid about his approach: “I’m a giver,” Rosenior told me in 2022. “I like seeing people achieve. I like helping them.”
Chelsea
Chelsea’s fringe players fall short in five-goal draw with Johor Darul Ta’zim
Chelsea’s youth-heavy side drew 3-3 with JDT, as Delap scored twice but questions remained.
Chelsea ended their Asian preseason tour with a 3-3 draw against Malaysian side Johor Darul Ta’zim on Sunday, a result that left several fringe players still searching for a convincing statement.
The opening period was shaky, but Liam Delap levelled matters before the interval after winning and converting a penalty with a powerful finish. Jamie Gittens then earned another spot-kick on the hour, and Delap dispatched that too. Even so, JDT responded quickly, with a deflected free kick striking Delap and looping beyond Gabriel Slonina.
Chelsea were then nearly beaten by Bérgson’s low drive, before an own goal arrived after Mykhailo Mudryk’s cross to spare them late frustration.
Xabi Alonso selected a very young side, though Tosin Adarabioyo, aged 28, was still used in the centre of a three-man defence. He was the senior figure in the team, but the match did little to support that role. Tosin looked uneasy in a high line, failed to track the JDT move that led to the opening goal, and later lost his composure in an exchange with Kevin Medina, who had also impressed against Chelsea towards the end of 2025.
The armband went to 21-year-old Dário Essugo instead, underlining the youth of the team. Up front, the contest offered Delap and Nicolas Jackson another chance to show where they fit in a squad that now appears to have one spot left alongside João Pedro, with Emegha injured.
Delap’s two penalties were strong, but the broader impression was of an opportunity not fully taken. Jackson was tidier in possession and looked more settled in Alonso’s structure, yet he too failed to meet expectations.
Chelsea’s discipline also looked fragile. Last season’s concerns had prompted moves for Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck, although neither featured here. Without those calmer heads, Chelsea appeared tense and were repeatedly dragged into confrontations, something Alonso would have wanted to avoid.
Chelsea
Chelsea’s Controlled Win Over AC Milan Offers Early Alonso Clues
Chelsea beat AC Milan 3-0 in Jakarta, with Alonso’s 3-4-2-1, Palestra and set pieces standing out.
Chelsea resumed their preseason with a convincing 3-0 victory over AC Milan in Jakarta on Saturday, a result that offered a clearer glimpse of Xabi Alonso’s thinking as his first summer in charge develops.
The key stretch came immediately after the interval. Pedro finished from close range just 30 seconds into the second half to double the advantage, before Moisés Caicedo added a volley from a corner in the 50th minute to put the game beyond reach.
Overall, it was a composed display from Chelsea, who return to action in less than 24 hours against Malaysian outfit Johor Darul Ta’zim. More importantly, the match hinted at how Alonso may choose to shape his side. While a 4-2-3-1 has been used up to this point, this contest brought the first look at the 3-4-2-1 that brought him success at Bayer Leverkusen.
That system gave the attack a smoother edge in the first half, with Pedro, Cole Palmer and Danny Welbeck combining well. It also appeared to suit a back line built around three natural center backs, with Wesley Fofana, Jorrel Hato and Josh Acheampong all on the pitch together.
The setup also allowed Marco Palestra to underline why Chelsea moved for him this summer. Operating from the left side of midfield, he pushed forward constantly and drifted into central areas, showing the versatility that stood out during his signing.
On the opposite side, Pedro Neto started and contributed well, including the cross that helped create Chelsea’s second goal. Geovany Quenda later came on for Neto and linked up neatly with Palestra, reinforcing the range of options available if Alonso keeps this shape.
Acheampong was another clear beneficiary. Playing on the right of the back three against Rafael Leão, he delivered a strong performance, capped by an excellent first-half challenge to stop the winger.
Chelsea also made their mark from set pieces, scoring twice from corners, something Austin MacPhee will have noted with satisfaction.
Chelsea
Alonso points to Chelsea’s goalkeeping depth amid Costa links
Alonso says Chelsea are happy with Sánchez, Penders and Sharman-Lowe despite Diogo Costa links.
Xabi Alonso has offered a clear indication that Chelsea are content with their current goalkeeping group, despite recent talk of a move for Porto and Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
The Chelsea boss said he is satisfied with the options already available to him and pointed to the balance of experience and youth in the squad. “I’m very happy with Rob [Sánchez], Mike [Penders] and Teddy [Sharman-Lowe],” Alonso admitted . “Mike is a young goalkeeper that has done a great season at Strasbourg. Rob, he has played many years in the club, in Chelsea , as well as the Premier League , he has experience.
“So to have this security in the goal is important,” Alonso finished.
Those remarks appear to reinforce the idea that Chelsea may be prepared to begin the 2026/27 season without bringing in a new established first-choice goalkeeper. Costa had been mentioned in connection with the club, with the Portugal international long regarded as one of the strongest goalkeepers outside Europe’s top-five leagues. He also impressed for Portugal at the 2026 World Cup.
Porto’s position has remained firm, with the club saying they would only consider a sale if his $68.7 million (£51 million) release clause is met. Even so, recent speculation has suggested Chelsea have not made an enquiry and are not planning a move at this stage.
The club did explore the possibility of signing Mike Maignan last summer, but that transfer did not come together. Instead, Chelsea continued with their internal options, and that approach now seems to be holding.
Sánchez is expected to start the third consecutive season in goal when 2026/27 begins. He had briefly lost the position to Đorđe Petrović in his first campaign, but improved in 2025/26, even if errors remain part of his profile.
Behind him, Penders remains the understudy. Signed in 2024, the 21-year-old Belgium international has spent the last two seasons on loan, first at Genk and then at sister club Strasbourg.
