LIAM ROSENIOR'S CHELSEA: STYLE, STRUCTURE & PRINCIPLES

Liam Rosenior’s Chelsea tenure began with an FA Cup win over Charlton Athletic. Results against Arsenal and Brentford showed clear signs of his tactical identity - one he previously used at Strasbourg.

Rosenior wants his teams to play with intensity, bravery, and control, both in and out of possession. However, managing a top club like Chelsea brings extra pressure, and some principles are still being adapted to suit the players available.

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Build-Up Principles & Structure

Build-Up Principles

Rosenior strongly prefers short build-up play from the back.

Chelsea will:

• Build short when they have a numerical advantage in defence

• Use quick combinations to play through pressure

• Attract man-to-man presses to create space elsewhere

Only when opponents remove their spare defender does Chelsea go more direct and vertical.

Build-Up Structure

Although Chelsea lined up in a 4-2-3-1, their in-possession shape often looked very different.

During build-up:

• Chelsea formed a 3-2-4-1

• A box midfield was created

• This allowed control through central overloads

This structure is common in possession-dominant teams and helps progress the ball centrally.

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The Goalkeeper's Role

One of Rosenior’s most distinctive ideas is the goalkeeper joining the defensive line.

Instead of staying behind a back three:

• The goalkeeper steps into the back line

• Chelsea temporarily form a “back four” without a sweeper behind

This worked well for Rosenior at Strasbourg, but at Chelsea it created problems.

Sánchez vs Penders: Why the Role Matters

At Strasbourg, this role suited Mike Penders perfectly. At Chelsea, Robert Sánchez has struggled to replicate it.

Mike Penders (Strasbourg)

• Comfortable receiving under pressure

• Strong short-passing accuracy

• Calm decision-making between the lines

• Happy to attract pressure before releasing a teammate

Penders’ skill set allowed Rosenior’s build-up to function with controlled risk.

Robert Sánchez (Chelsea)

• Less comfortable playing between the lines

• Slower decision-making under pressure

• Lower short-passing accuracy

• Struggled when opponents refused to press

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When It Went Wrong in Build-Up (Sánchez)

Chelsea’s build-up issues were most visible when Robert Sánchez was not pressed aggressively and had time on the ball.

Example 1: Press Resistance Without Pressure

In this moment:

• Sánchez plays into Fofana at the edge of the box

• Fofana is already signaling to play wide to Fernández

• Fernández is positioned in a less dangerous, wider zone

Instead of playing into the safer option early, the delayed decision invites pressure, placing Fofana under stress in a risky area.

Result: Chelsea lose control of the build-up at the edge of their own box.

Example 2: Poor Decision-Making Without Pressure

In a separate situation:

• Sánchez is not under immediate pressure

• He chooses a chipped pass into Estevão

• Estevão is moving wide from the right half-space

• Declan Rice anticipates the pass early

The pass is obvious, easy to read, and immediately puts Chelsea at risk.

Result: Arsenal regain possession and launch a dangerous attack.

Flexibility in Build-Up

Rosenior showed flexibility without abandoning his core structure.

Against Arsenal:

• Cucurella moved into the left half-space

• Hato moved to deep left back (Cucurella's space)

• Same structure, different movements

This shows Rosenior prioritises structure over fixed positions.

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Adapting Against Brentford

Brentford pressed man-to-man early, which changed Chelsea’s approach.

Adjustments included:

• Both full-backs pushing higher

• Sánchez allowed to play more direct

• João Pedro dropping deeper to create space

This created:

• A central box with midfielders and striker

• Space for wide runners to attack directly

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Settled Possession Shape

Once Chelsea established control:

• The goalkeeper returned to a normal sweeper role

• The team settled back into a 3-2-4-1

• The box midfield remained central to control

After missing the Arsenal game through injury, Reece James returned to the starting XI and was used in a new way.

Instead of staying wide:

• James inverted into midfield

• He formed a double pivot with Caicedo

• Chelsea could still build into a back three behind them

This small change solved multiple problems at once.

James’ movement allowed:

• Enzo Fernández to move higher

• Fernández to operate in the left half-space

• Chelsea to create a box midfield

This is the zone where Fernández is most comfortable and effective, both on and off the ball.

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Transitions

Rosenior’s approach in transition mirrors his build-up principles.

Chelsea are:

• Quick and direct when space is available

• Patient and controlled when it isn’t

If the opponent’s rest defence is well organised:

• Chelsea slow the game down

• Revert to short combinations

• Maintain a clear positional structure

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Man to Man Pressing Out of Possession

Defensively, Chelsea usually lined up in a 4-4-2.

Key features:

• Attacking midfielder joins the striker

• Occasional shift to a 4-1-4-1

• Aggressive man-to-man pressing triggers

Man-to-Man Pressing Risks

Rosenior prioritises marking players over zones.

This caused problems:

• Centre-backs followed midfielders deep

• Defensive line became stretched

• One lost duel could break the entire structure

In this example: This 2v1 situation occurred because Enzo Fernández lost his direct opponent.

While Fernández has outstanding qualities on the ball:

• He lacks the top-end speed to recover over long distances

• During man-to-man pressing, one athletic mismatch is enough to disrupt the strategy.

Even when every player successfully tracks their direct opponent, one lost duel can still disrupt the entire system.

In this example:

• Fofana loses his individual duel with Ødegaard (arguably a foul)

• The defensive structure immediately breaks

• Ødegaard is able to carry the ball freely into the final third

Low Block Issues

Even in a low block:

• Players continued to follow opponents tightly

• Passing lanes towards goal were sometimes left open

• Midfielders were dragged into large defensive spaces

This highlighted the risk of extreme man-marking at elite level.

In this example:

• Fofana continues to follow Ødegaard deep into Chelsea’s defensive third

• This movement opens the passing lane towards goal

As a result:

• Enzo Fernández is left covering large spaces

• He is responsible for tracking multiple forward runs

This again highlights Rosenior’s preference for marking players over protecting zones, even when defending deep.

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Confidence in the Defensive Structure

Despite the defensive issues shown against Arsenal, Rosenior remained confident in his principles in the following match.

The return of Moisés Caicedo helped justify that confidence.

Compared to Fernández, Caicedo offers:

• Greater defensive awareness

• Higher athletic output

• Better ability to cover large spaces

As a result, the defensive structure remained unchanged against Brentford.

Defensive Approach vs Brentford

1. High Block Structure

Chelsea began by defending in a high 4-4-2 block.

• Front two set the pressing line

• Midfield stayed compact behind

• Pressing triggers were clearly defined

2. Man-to-Man Pressing

From the high block, Chelsea committed to an aggressive man-to-man press.

• Centre backs followed opponents into midfield

• Individual responsibilities were strict

• Chalobah is highlighted stepping out to engage his direct opponent

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Late-Game Defensive Adaptation

During the final twenty minutes against Brentford, Rosenior showed a willingness to adapt his defensive structure.

This change came after Cole Palmer moved to the right wing.

Rather than asking his star player to track deep runs:

• Rosenior adjusted the pressing roles

• Palmer was relieved of heavy defensive duties

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Pressing Shape & Immediate Counter-Pressing

In Rosenior’s pressing model, structure and aggression work together.

• Centre backs remain within the defensive line

• The back line shifts across to the ball side (right flank in this example)

• Compactness is prioritised over individual chasing

After losing possession:

• Players closest to the ball apply immediate pressure

• The opponent’s time on the ball is reduced

• Teammates further away recover their positions

This combined approach allows Chelsea to:

• Regain control quickly

• Prevent counter-attacks

• Maintain territorial dominance

An additional benefit of Rosenior’s counter-pressing approach is seen when Chelsea lose the ball high up the pitch.

In this example:

• Fernández loses possession at the edge of the opposition box

• Immediate pressure is applied by Fernández and Garnacho

• The opponent has no time to settle or clear

As a result:

• Chelsea quickly regain the initiative

• The ball falls to João Pedro

• A shooting opportunity is created

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Key Takeaway

Liam Rosenior has a clear and brave tactical identity.

• Strong belief in structure and principles

• Willingness to adapt roles, not ideas

• High-risk approach, especially in build-up and pressing

Early signs suggest mixed results are likely. The big question is whether Rosenior will be allowed the time to refine his ideas - or whether Premier League pressure forces him to compromise.