23/04/2026

THURSDAY | APR 23, 2026

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Rosenior slams The Blues Something has to change, says Chelsea boss after unacceptable and indefensible defeat

Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior (top) reacts after Brighton’s Jack Hinshelwood (right) scores their second goal during the Premier League match in Brighton yesterday. – AFPPIC/REUTERSPIC

A FURIOUS Liam Rosenior accused his Chelsea players of lacking “desire, spirit and courage” and said they put in an “unacceptable and indefensi ble” performance as defeat to Brighton marked the club’s worst run of form in 114 years. Rosenior said he felt “numb” and “angry” after Chelsea suffered a fifth defeat in a row in the Premier League without scoring a goal and brilliant Brighton went above them into sixth in the table with a fully deserved 3-0 win on the south coast. The nature of Rosenior’s post match comments were a departure from his support of a young, expen sively assembled Chelsea squad, while his own future is now also in the spotlight ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup semifinal against Leeds at Wembley. Rosenior was the subject of X rated chants from the Chelsea fans at Brighton and he said the defeat, where his side failed to land a shot on

can trust to do the basics of football and we should not be talking about the basics of football at this level. It is something we have to adjust very quickly,” Rosenior said. “Tonight was not (about) tactical. This was about desire, spirit, courage and I did not see enough of that tonight. Nowhere near good enough and we have to improve that.” Former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton told Sky Sports : “It’s a team that look like they’ve never played together before. What’s worse than that is it’s been a really gutless dis play. “The issue Liam Rosenior will have is people will look at this per formance and say he has lost the dressing room, but Chelsea players need to take a hard look at them selves. “Chelsea have been pathetic and they are going backwards. You wonder what next for Chelsea and Rosenior.” – The Independent/Agencies

away supporters at full-time. Enzo Fernandez, who captained the Blues despite being dropped by Rosenior just two weeks ago, appeared to shrug towards the angry away fans. Asked about fans turning on him, Rosenior said: “I understand the sup porters’ frustration. It’s my job as head coach and manager – the buck stops with me. I have thick skin and I understand why the fans feel that way. “I’m frustrated with the perform ances we’re producing and I have to keep working hard with the staff and the players. “ Rosenior, who was without the injured Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro and club captain Reece James, hinted at personnel changes for the FA Cup semifinal. Rosenior said before the Brighton game that Palmer and Pedro could be available this week end. “I will look at the team, will look at individuals and I will look at a team I

able performance at every level. “The performance in terms of pro fessionalism wasn’t there. It was a really, really difficult night, the most difficult night – not even here at this magnificent football club – but in my career. Some of the things I witnessed today, I don’t want to ever see again. “If you’re playing at this elite foot ball club, or any football club, to be even accused of throwing the towel in is unacceptable. That’s all I’m going to say. I’m hurting, I’m feeling numb. “That doesn’t represent me. That doesn’t represent the football club in any way. That has to change.” Chelsea could find themselves in the bottom half of the Premier League by the time they play their next League fixture, with hopes of a top-five finish and Champions League football all but over. Blues co owner Behdad Eghbali was also watching on at the Amex Stadium. The Chelsea players appeared shell-shocked as they went to the

target in a toothless performance, was “by far” the worst night of his three-month reign in charge. “It as unacceptable, in every aspect of the game,” he told Sky Sports . “I keep coming out and defending the players, that was inde fensible, that performance tonight. “The manner of the goals we con ceded, the duels that we lost. Something has to change drastically right here, right now. “We need to look in the mirror. I need to look in the mirror. But I can’t keep coming out here and defending some of the things that we’re seeing. Manchester United (on Saturday), genuinely the result wasn’t there but I felt we turned a corner. “But the general attitude, the spirit was lacking – determination wasn’t there apart from three or four of the starting XI. “That’s nowhere near enough for this club. I can’t come out and lie. I tell the truth. That was an unaccept

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