Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has levelled fresh accusations at Arsenal's backroom staff, citing a "lack of respect" as the catalyst for his visible pre-match outburst. The incident unfolded shortly before Chelsea's Carabao Cup defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, where Rosenior was seen berating members of the Gunners' coaching team.
Rosenior Explains Pre-Match Anger
In his post-match press conference ahead of Chelsea's upcoming Premier League clash with Wolves, Rosenior clarified the reasons behind his frustration. He emphasised that his anger was directed not at Arsenal's players, but specifically at their coaching staff for encroaching on Chelsea's designated half of the pitch during the warm-up routines.
"It wasn't the players," Rosenior stated. "When you warm up, we have our half and the other team have our half. I've never asked my team or coaches to encroach on the other team's territory. I thought they were affecting our warm up. I asked them, maybe not politely, to move away."
Respect at the Core of the Dispute
The Chelsea boss insisted he holds no personal grievances against Arsenal Football Club but felt compelled to address what he perceived as a breach of professional etiquette. "I don't have an issue with anyone at Arsenal Football Club," he added. "It was just in that moment, I don't think that respect was shown to my team."
This incident cast a shadow over the match, which Chelsea ultimately lost 2-0, with former Blues striker Kai Havertz scoring a late goal to seal a 4-2 aggregate defeat for Rosenior's side. The performance drew widespread criticism, including scathing remarks from pundits like Paul Merson.
Focus Shifts to Wolves Clash
With the Arsenal controversy behind them, Chelsea now turn their attention to a crucial Premier League fixture against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux. A victory could propel Chelsea back into the top four, adding significant pressure to the encounter.
Rosenior outlined his approach for the upcoming game, stating, "We prepare in exactly the same way. I've watched Rob's team recently. They put in a very good performance against Bournemouth and were unfortunate not to get anything from the game. I want to see a consistency from this group in our engagement in every game we play. It's another important game in our season."
Regarding the external noise and criticism following the Arsenal defeat, Rosenior remained unfazed. "The noise doesn't surprise me at all, that comes with the territory," he commented. "What other teams do, it has nothing to do with me. What people think about the way my teams play makes no difference to my decision making. We didn't go through so there are always things you can do differently, but that was a very, very solid performance and the game could have easily gone our way."
