Chelsea’s head coach, Liam Rosenior, expressed frustration towards Arsenal’s players, accusing them of a lack of “respect” shown to his team ahead of the Carabao Cup semifinal second leg on Tuesday. His comments followed a tense incident captured by Sky Sports, where he confronted the Arsenal players on the Emirates Stadium pitch before kick-off, claiming they had invaded Chelsea’s half during warm-ups.
Typically, each team is allotted their designated half of the pitch for warming up, and Rosenior reacted strongly, voicing his concerns about Arsenal’s behavior affecting his players’ preparations. “When you warm up, you have your half and the other team has their half,” he stated. “At that moment, their positioning was not right, and it was impacting my players’ warm-up.”
Rosenior continued, “I asked them, perhaps not in the most polite way, to remain in their half. I’m not here for mind games; it’s about what I believe to be respectful.” He emphasized the importance of etiquette in football, adding, “I don’t have any issues with anyone at Arsenal. It was just that, in that moment, I felt my team wasn’t being shown the respect they deserved.”
Ultimately, Chelsea suffered a 1-0 defeat, with a goal from former player Kai Havertz in the seventh minute of stoppage time, which eliminated them and allowed Arsenal to advance to Wembley with a 4-2 aggregate win.
This incident is not the first time pre-match warm-up protocols have sparked controversy. Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp was known for observing opposition teams closely during their warm-ups, leading some to accuse him of intimidation. Klopp later clarified that his intentions were solely to gain a better understanding of the opposing team.
Despite the setback in the Carabao Cup, Rosenior has enjoyed a successful first month in charge, leading Chelsea to three Premier League victories and a place in the last 16 of the Champions League. However, he faces challenges regarding the form and fitness of key player Cole Palmer, who has struggled this season and was recently rumored to be unsettled.
The club has managed Palmer’s fitness carefully, following a groin injury that kept him out for several weeks. “We have an excellent medical and sports science team,” Rosenior mentioned regarding the management of player fitness. “We conduct various tests to ensure players can perform at the level required to help us win.” Both Palmer and teammate Estêvão are expected to be fit to play the full 90 minutes against Wolves on Saturday.
Addressing Palmer’s situation, Rosenior stated, “There’s no specific timeline for his return to peak form; it’s about progressing from game to game. He has been fantastic and is growing both as a player and as a person, understanding the bigger picture of his career.”
Meanwhile, forward Jamie Gittens, who sustained an injury during a recent match against West Ham, missed the defeat to Arsenal. Rosenior provided an update on Gittens’ status, noting, “Unfortunately, it appears to be a longer-term situation. He has a hamstring tear, which is disappointing as he is a valuable player for us.” The coach refrained from giving a specific timeframe for Gittens’ return.
Information from the Associated Press contributed to this report.