Liam Rosenior has issued a stern warning to his Chelsea squad, stating that players who fail to improve their discipline will not be selected. The head coach is growing frustrated with the team's recurring disciplinary issues, which were highlighted by Pedro Neto's red card in Sunday's 2-1 defeat to Arsenal.
Neto's dismissal was Chelsea's ninth of a turbulent campaign, leaving Rosenior deeply unimpressed. The 41-year-old is now prioritising a 'culture of accountability' within the dressing room, targeting senior players like Neto and Enzo Fernández for dissent-related bookings at the Emirates Stadium.
'When we have 11 men on the pitch, our chance of winning goes through the roof,' Rosenior said. 'That needs to be motivation to stay disciplined in key moments. I can't afford to go a season with a red card every two or three games. I need to see improvement, and I will adjust my team selection based on who shows those capabilities.'
Rosenior revealed that Neto apologised to his teammates after the match. Chelsea have now dropped to sixth in the Premier League, six points behind Aston Villa, whom they face on Wednesday. Another area of concern is defending set-pieces, with Chelsea conceding seven goals from corners in Rosenior's first 13 games in charge.
'I've taken more responsibility in the last week because it needs to improve,' Rosenior added. 'It's down to mentality, focus, and concentration. By the manager taking control, hopefully the value of that work increases.' He also called for a review of grappling and goalkeeper crowding at corners, describing it as an unfair advantage for certain teams.
