Liam Rosenior has warned his Chelsea squad that there are no nailed on starters in his team, with no one’s place safe if they don’t perform.
The new Blues boss is two games into his tenure, starting with a 5-1 FA Cup win at Charlton, followed by a 3-2 defeat at home to Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg on Wednesday night.
That loss to the Gunners was partly due to a couple of mistake from goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, who flapped at a cross for Ben White’s opener and spilled a ball into the six-yard box for Viktor Gyokeres’ second.
The Chelsea goalkeeper did make an excellent save from Mikel Merino later in the match, but questions remain over whether he is good enough to match their ambitions.
Filip Jorgensen played in the win over Charlton, so Rosenior does have options in goal and he says no one’s position in the team is safe.
‘It’s the same for every position. I’m here to assess every position,’ he told a press conference on Thursday. ‘I don’t have numbers ones or number twos, that’s not how I work.
‘If you look at me at every club there has to be competition. I work on performance, not just in the goalkeeping department but in every position on the pitch.
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‘You have to earn your spot in this team. I have a very good squad so for me, that’s the message for all of the players. I don’t have guaranteed numbers ones or guaranteed number nines. They have to earn their place in the team.’
Rosenior did defend Sanchez on Wednesday night after his ropy performance, saying he is asking the Spaniard to do things he is not used to.
‘I think the first goal was disappointing. That’s a team goal, that’s not on Rob,’ said the manager. ‘I’m asking Rob to do things he hasn’t done before.
‘When my players make mistakes, I’m accountable. He made a save in the second-half that was absolutely world-class. That would have put us out of the tie.’
Pushed further on what he has been asking Sanchez to so, Rosenior explained: ‘Every manager that comes in has a different idea. There are different triggers, there are different patterns. In terms of what I’m asking, not just Rob to do but the whole team, positions you take up on build.
‘It’s never going to be perfect the first time. When it’s right to be direct and when to play, especially against the man-to-man press it’s the right thing to do.
‘It’s just making sure the decision-making, not just Rob but the whole team, is there. That will come, I’ve got no doubts about that.
‘Rob’s had an outstanding season. Filip showed really good signs of his understanding against Charlton
‘I want to win now and I want to improve the team and put my stamp on it and that’s what we’ll work on for Brentford.’
Rosenior seemed to be mainly referring to how he was asking Sanchez to play out from the back, which is a part of his role, but his issues against Arsenal came in handling the ball.
He was left waving an arm at a corner which led to White’s goal and fluffed his lines on a low cross for Gyokeres’ to score.
Clearly capable of great stuff, such as his brilliant performance against PSG in the Club World Cup final, but Sanchez’s consistency is certainly in question.
