This is How Chelsea Could Set Up Under Liam Rosenior to Face Manchester City at Home tomorrow

Enzo Maresca’s shocking New Year’s Day departure could rapidly be followed by the appointment of Rosenior, who has turned heads with his impressive work at fellow BlueCo-owned Strasbourg and is firmly established as the prime candidate to fill Maresca’s vacancy.

While Rosenior may already be well-versed in the BlueCo operational model, his potential arrival at Stamford Bridge would almost certainly trigger a dramatic tactical revolution if his French exploits serve as any blueprint for what lies ahead.

Here’s an in-depth breakdown of how Chelsea might be transformed under his leadership should he take the reins.

His Strasbourg side operates with an aggressive high press and demands unrelenting, perpetual motion to suffocate opponents, with a laser focus on forcing defensive mistakes and pouncing on them with clinical precision.

“The core philosophy revolves around winning possession back at the earliest opportunity, strangling the opposition’s ability to control the ball, and asserting our dominance as high up the pitch as humanly possible,” Rosenior articulated to Ligue 1 media.

Meanwhile, Strasbourg rarely pump balls forward aimlessly, instead showcasing a clear devotion to quick, intricate passing sequences that flow from the back line and routinely involve the goalkeeper, who serves as a crucial participant in the opening phase of possession.

When pushing the ball into the final third, Rosenior’s Strasbourg deliberately avoid deploying traditional wingers. He strongly favors wing backs paired with central attacking midfielders, an approach that would undoubtedly create serious headaches for Chelsea’s expensively assembled stable of natural wide men.

Having said that, Rosenior has repeatedly stressed his preference for molding a system around the talent available to him rather than dogmatically clinging to preconceived tactical ideals, which suggests there could be room for a few tactical curveballs.

How Chelsea Could Take Shape Under Liam Rosenior’s Reign

GK: Robert Sánchez—The Maresca chapter closed with Sánchez producing some of his finest work between the posts, although lingering doubts about his distribution and technical security will never fully disappear. That said, the Spanish keeper displays admirable bravery when playing out from the back, a quality that would immediately appeal to Rosenior’s sensibilities.

CB: Wesley Fofana—The right-sided centre-back position in Rosenior’s system requires someone equally comfortable tucking inside and stretching wide when circumstances demand. Fofana stands as Chelsea’s strongest candidate for this role, though Trevoh Chalobah, Josh Acheampong and even Reece James all boast the necessary versatility to thrive here.

CB: Levi Colwill—When Colwill shakes off his injury concerns and returns to full fitness, he’ll immediately reclaim this central defensive berth as the unquestioned first choice. Until that moment materializes, however, expect familiar faces like Chalobah or Tosin Adarabioyo to continue filling the void as they did under Maresca’s watch.

CB: Jorrel Hato—Hato could emerge as one of the biggest winners from the resurrection of a back-three system at Stamford Bridge, though it wouldn’t raise eyebrows to see Marc Cucurella or Benoît Badiashile eventually claim ownership of this spot as the season unfolds.

RM: Reece James—All eyes will inevitably gravitate here, toward an aggressive wing back role that demands the sort of relentless, lung-busting running that has been largely missing from James’s repertoire over the past couple of seasons. He was genuinely world-class when thriving in this exact position under Thomas Tuchel’s guidance and will be desperate to rediscover that form. If the fitness concerns persist, look for Malo Gusto to seize his opportunity or perhaps even some carefully managed minutes for Estêvão in the right circumstances.

CM: Moisés Caicedo—You probably don’t need anyone to spell out why Caicedo walks straight into this lineup. He’s established himself as one of the planet’s premier defensive midfielders and would be entrusted with dominating this box-to-box assignment.

CM: Enzo Fernández—While Andrey Santos brings the advantage of having worked directly under Rosenior previously, Fernández will continue to occupy a pivotal role in Chelsea’s midfield hierarchy moving forward. His silky touch and composure under pressure would make him invaluable during the build-up phases from deep, though occasional deployments in a more advanced position could carve out valuable playing time for Santos.

LM: Marc Cucurella—On paper, this could potentially emerge as the squad’s most problematic position under Rosenior’s stewardship. Cucurella flourished under Maresca but performed most of his damage through central zones, whereas a distinct shortage of credible alternatives would force him into an unfamiliar wing back assignment here.

AM: Cole Palmer—One of the defining challenges for Maresca’s successor will be unlocking Palmer’s full potential and building the attack around his extraordinary talents. Under Rosenior’s system, the English sensation would occupy this inverted attacking pocket, blessed with extensive creative freedom and license to roam.

AM: Estêvão—There’s been endless speculation about Chelsea’s grand vision for Estêvão, widely recognized as a natural winger but apparently earmarked for a central role in the long term. Rosenior’s tactical blueprint would create the perfect environment for the Brazilian wonderkid to flourish in this position, potentially sharing minutes with Enzo Fernández or João Pedro depending on the tactical requirements.

ST: João Pedro—This represents perhaps the trickiest position to definitively pin down as it will likely be shared among Pedro, Liam Delap and the incoming Emmanuel Emegha from Rosenior’s current Strasbourg squad. Strikers are expected to cover massive distances—constantly pushing the defensive line—and time their runs perfectly to latch onto early crosses whipped into dangerous areas.