Since Liam Rosenior replaced Enzo Maresca, Chelsea's performance has been in decline, and their prospects of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League are now facing serious doubts. With six league games remaining, Rosenior's team sits sixth in the Premier League, outside the Champions League places. The team's recent form has been extremely poor, winning just one match in their last seven league games.
Financial statements show that Chelsea's parent company BlueCo has lost £1 billion over the past two years. Failure to secure the substantial revenue from the Champions League could mean Chelsea face problems beyond the financial realm.What does this mean for Rosenior's future and summer transfer plans? At this crucial end-of-season juncture,it's time to answers the core questions about Chelsea.
How much pressure is Rosenior under?
Liam Rosenior is under immense pressure. Chelsea managers are always under pressure, especially when they cannot win matches, and Chelsea's current performance has indeed been very poor.
In the two and a half months since the beginning of February, they have won only two Premier League games, and qualifying for the Champions League is absolutely crucial for Chelsea.
Rosenior must convince his players that he is the right person for the job. He must persuade Chelsea fans that he is the right person. He also has to convince those who appointed him in January to replace Enzo Maresca that he was the correct choice. When Chelsea fans look at the current football being played on the pitch, they do not believe he is the right person for the job.
Will Chelsea give Rosenior time?
Chelsea's current position is that Rosenior is their long-term manager. They will continue to support him even with the current poor results. They have full confidence in him. They also plan to keep him even if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.
But we all know football is a results-driven industry. We know Chelsea is a big club with demanding fans accustomed to success.
They are now simply wondering, "What on earth is happening to our club?" because the performances they are seeing on the pitch do not resemble Chelsea. Where is the players' fighting spirit? Where is the personality? Where is the players' character?
Last summer, they won the FIFA Club World Cup. Last season, they qualified for the Champions League and won the UEFA Europa Conference League. They had hoped to build on last season's success.
But you have to admit that almost everything has gone backwards since Enzo Maresca left the club in early January.
Can Chelsea afford to miss out on Champions League qualification?
Chelsea's parent company BlueCo released its accounts on Monday, showing a loss of approximately £630 million last year.
Financially, missing out on Champions League qualification would cost Chelsea at least £100 million. Requalifying for the Champions League is absolutely essential.
It's not just about finances; it will also affect their squad, as players want to play in the Champions League. Without Champions League football, players like Enzo Fernández are more likely to want to leave. Furthermore, this will have a knock-on effect on recruitment, as players want to join clubs that can offer Champions League football.
But if you look at the current league table, it's not a pretty picture for Chelsea supporters. They are four points behind Liverpool, who occupy the fifth and final Champions League spot.
Chelsea are only three points ahead of Bournemouth, who are in 11th place. Therefore, if Chelsea cannot start winning again, they may not only fail to qualify for the Champions League but might even miss out on the top half of the table entirely.
Will Chelsea be busy in the summer transfer window?
That depends on whether they can qualify for the Champions League. Historically, Chelsea have always been active in the transfer window. They are expected to be busy again this summer.
They will need to address the goalkeeper situation. But instead of signing a new player, they are likely to recall Mike Penders from Strasbourg, where he is currently on loan at their sister club.
Chelsea also need to sign another centre-back. There is a general feeling within Chelsea that they need to sign players with more character, personality, and Premier League experience.
