It happened again for Chelsea – and perhaps the most telling situation of all was that you could see it coming a mile away.
Liam Rosenior’s side blew another lead at Stamford Bridge – this time dropping two points to second-placed Burnley at home.
The Blues dominated the game at 1-0 after Joao Pedro’s opener, but Wesley Fofana’s red card caused instability. Then Burnley’s pressure mounted until Zian Fleming headed home a stoppage-time equalizer – and the Clarets missed more chances to win it.
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the Premier League match between Chelsea and Burnley.
Chelsea are still going for fourth place – for now – but this was a huge opportunity missed, given the tough fixtures Rosenior’s side face. More on that below.
And while Rosenior brushed off questions about the squad’s mentality, he noted that Chelsea currently have five big problems:
- Giving up command positions in games
- Wrong decisions made in attack
- Red cards
- The players lack responsibility in defense
- Piece defense
In an impassioned press conference where Rosenior laid out all his teams issues, read all these issues analyzed below…
Giving up command positions in games
Burnley players celebrate Zian Fleming’s late equalizer at Stamford Bridge
After Sunderland and Leeds came from behind to win and draw, Burnley completed the set for the promoted sides fighting for the prizes at Stamford Bridge. Crucial points Chelsea could count the price until the end of the season.
Now there are 17 points. Chelsea have fallen from winning positions at home – only once, in 1995/96 (20) have they conceded more. They would be top of the table with those points.
ROSENIOR SAYS: “What happened with me is that we burned four points from two games at home. Whoever watches the game, that is not good enough for a club of this level.
“It’s not good enough to come in and say we were the better team. We have to be the better team every game. We have to win football games.
“I know what the answer is and we will solve it in a week. After every game it is tested whether we will win or lose.”
“I’m learning about the players. I’m learning about the people you can rely on when things don’t go your way and you have to see the game. It’s something we have to address very quickly.”
Wrong decisions made in attack
Giving up the lead is not just a defensive responsibility, but an offensive one as well.
After going ahead against Burnley through Pedro’s early opener, Chelsea were in complete control of the game. In the second half, Burnley failed to take a shot until the red card.
That’s despite Cole Palmer getting into good areas of the pitch but his touch letting him down on more than one occasion. He even had a one-on-one in the first half that went begging – the same finish where he missed an open goal against Leeds.
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Liam Rosenior reflects on Cole Palmer’s stoppage-time miss as Chelsea go down at Leeds.
Chelsea finished with a kG of 1.88, highlighting how they should have scored the second goal.
ROSENIOR SAYS:” From the first goal, we lacked a cut when we were in control. I want a cut. I want us to create wave after wave of attacks.
“We were too confident in our possession. – When you give a team, any team, a one-goal advantage, anything can happen. I think the frustration is more in the last two games at home, from being in winning positions and controlling the game, not to win two games. That’s the biggest frustration. It’s not the individual’s fault.
Red cards
It doesn’t help when you have eight red cards in all competitions. Six are in the Premier League and one more will break the club record.
The last time a Premier League side had this many red cards in all competitions was 2015/16 – when West Ham crashed out of the race for the top four to finish seventh. That is a real possibility for this Chelsea team.
ROSENIOR SAYS: “It wasn’t on Wes (against Burnley).
“It was an unfortunate red card for Wesley who went into the challenge. I felt there was something that could have been handled better before it happened by the referee and it went unnoticed.
“But you’re going to get red cards. It’s too much. It’s too much for sure. But in my time with the group, I think our record of discipline has been very good so far.”
Piece defense
If Chelsea had just held on to a 1-0 lead, no one would be talking about the above problems, including their red card record.
But the Blues took the lead – from a set-piece when Zian Fleming headed in unmarked. It could have been worse for Chelsea, had Jacob Bruun Larsen fired in moments later – missing the chance to make it 2-1 from a similar position, taking the lead instead.
That was the story of Chelsea’s season. Overall, 38 percent of Chelsea’s Premier League goals conceded came from set pieces – the third highest percentage in the league.
ROSENIOR SAYS: “We knew their biggest threat with Wall Prowse on the field was the set play. We went as far as we could because that was the only way they could score with 10 men. We’re still not seeing that.”
“It is unacceptable that their best header is a free in the box. There are not enough clear goals and not enough basic and value defensive set-pieces.”
“There were players on the pitch who were tasked to do their job and didn’t do their job. That cost us two points.”
“Set plays are huge in the Premier League, they are so important. Our record this season, defending set plays, is not at the level we need to achieve what we want to achieve and that is something I need to address.”
They will probably drop in the standings until the next game. Liverpool can go level with the Blues if they beat Nottingham Forest on Saturday. Manchester United will move back in front of them by avoiding defeat at Everton.
The players lack responsibility in defense
The Chelsea head coach cited four matches during his time at the club where the club conceded goals due to a lack of “concentration or responsibility” to manage the situation.
Those fixtures included recent wins over Crystal Palace and Wolves – but Chelsea are now dropping points as the other two games he mentioned were recent draws with newly promoted sides Leeds and Burnley.
ROSENIOR SAYS: “In my time here: Wolves away, Crystal Palace away, Leeds at home and today, where we conceded goals from moments of lack of concentration, lack of responsibility.
“If we want to maximize the potential, which I know is there, we need to address it very quickly.”
“I’m learning about the players. I’m learning about the people you can rely on when things don’t go your way and you have to see the game. It’s something we have to address very quickly.”
And it doesn’t get any easier for Chelsea…
The game against Burnley was also particularly important because of what comes next for Chelsea. The following is a brutal list of games – starting with away to Arsenal in the league, live on Sky Sports – the best team in the league.
Just look at their opponents until the end of April – and they still have to play Liverpool and Spurs after that…
- March 1: Arsenal (A), Premier League, 4.30pm kick-off live on Sky
- March 4: Aston Villa (A), Premier League, start at 19.30
- March 7: Wreckham (A), fourth round of the FA Cup, kick-off at 17.45
- March 9/10: First leg of the Champions League final
- March 14: Newcastle (H), Premier League, 5.30pm kick-off, live on Sky
- 16/17. March: second leg of the Champions League final
- March 21: Everton (A), Premier League, 5.30pm kick-off, live on Sky
- April 11: Man City (H), Premier League, start TBC
- April 18: Man Utd (H), Premier League, start TBC