Rosenior Takes Responsibility for Chelsea’s Defeat Against Arsenal

LONDON — Liam Rosenior has urged Chelsea supporters to hold him accountable for goalkeeper Robert Sánchez’s two crucial errors that contributed to Arsenal’s 3-2 victory in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinal at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

Sánchez struggled to deal with a corner in the seventh minute, allowing Ben White to score from close range, which set the tone for the match. Four minutes after halftime, another mistake from Sánchez allowed Viktor Gyökeres to double Arsenal’s lead.

Chelsea managed to respond, with Alejandro Garnacho finding the net in the 57th minute, reducing the deficit. However, Martín Zubimendi increased Arsenal’s lead again with a well-executed goal in the 71st minute.

Garnacho netted his second goal seven minutes before the final whistle, giving Chelsea a glimmer of hope as they now face a challenging task to qualify for the final, with the second leg scheduled for February 3 at the Emirates Stadium.

Rosenior acknowledged the difficulties created by Sánchez’s errors, noting that the goalkeeper also faced criticism from some fans for his attempts to play from the back under Arsenal’s high press. Making his home debut as head coach after succeeding Enzo Maresca last week, Rosenior remarked, “The first goal was disappointing. It’s a team goal. It’s not just on Rob [Sánchez].

“I’m asking Rob to do things he hasn’t done before. I made it clear to him before the game that when my players make mistakes, I’m accountable. That’s on me. He made a world-class save in the second half that could have jeopardized our chances in the tie.”

Rosenior is optimistic about Sánchez’s development, praising his overall performance this season and expressing confidence in the team. “He will improve in terms of his understanding. There were very good moments from him, and I will remain positive with him and the entire group. My role is to support them, not to assign blame.”

The head coach also revealed that Chelsea had been dealing with a sickness bug prior to the match, which left Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens unable to play due to dangerously high temperatures. However, Cole Palmer and Reece James, both absent against Arsenal, are expected to return for Saturday’s Premier League match against Brentford.

“Cole, yes, this game came too early for him,” Rosenior explained. “We hope he can train on Friday and be ready for Saturday. He had a minor thigh strain, and rushing him back in January could lead to a six-week absence, which we cannot afford. Reece [James] sustained a significant hip injury and was too sore to play today, but we expect him back on Saturday.

“Jamie Gittens fell ill last night, and Liam Delap, who was set to play today, was unable to due to illness just four hours before the game. Moisés Caicedo was suspended, and Malo Gusto was unavailable. Nevertheless, there are many positive aspects to take from our performance today.

“I want to keep the ill players away from the team to prevent further spread, and I felt our energy levels today were a major positive.”