WHY IS LIAM DELAP SO UNHAPPY? RUUD GULLIT REVEALS THE CHELSEA TRUTH
Ruud Gullit criticises Liam Rosenior for playing Liam Delap out of position as Chelsea crashes out of the Carabao Cup to Arsenal.
Ruud Gullit didn’t think Liam Delap looked happy at all after starting as a winger for Chelsea in their Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Arsenal. Manager Liam Rosenior put Delap out on the right, which is not really his thing, and Chelsea just couldn’t get anything going offensively. They came into the match already trailing 3-2 from the first leg, and Rosenior’s tactical tweak didn’t do much to trouble Arsenal’s defence.
Chelsea was hoping to turn things around and reach Wembley, but the game at the Emirates was flat. Kai Havertz scored late to seal the deal for Arsenal, who went through 4-2 on aggregate. After the game, people weren’t shy about criticising Chelsea’s performance. Paul Merson even said they “played like a bottom four team,” which is pretty harsh but hard to argue with after watching that match.
Rosenior tried to defend his decisions afterwards. He talked about the need to manage the psychological side of the tie, saying he wanted to keep things tight and see if Chelsea could grab a moment to turn the game. He brought on Cole Palmer and Estevao around the hour mark, hoping to shake things up, and Chelsea did get a bit more lively in attack. Still, in the end, Arsenal held firm. Rosenior said he was proud of his players’ effort, even though the result was all that really mattered.
Gullit, though, thought Delap’s role out wide was a problem. He told Gambling Insider, “Liam Delap was not happy starting on the right wing against Arsenal. Rosenior clearly wanted to hit long balls to him, but Delap looked lost out there. Sure, it was tactical, but Delap just didn’t look comfortable. If you get the ball in the box, he’ll try to make something happen, but playing deeper or out wide just isn’t his game. Honestly, it’s a shame he didn’t play closer to Joao Pedro. Pedro looked pretty isolated up top, and having Delap up there with him would have helped both of them.”
Gullit also thought Chelsea just wasn’t creative all night. “They waited too long to really go for it,” he said. “When Palmer and Estevao came on, things improved a bit, but Arsenal also started sitting back more. Chelsea just didn’t have the firepower—they barely created any chances. I get why Rosenior set the team up the way he did, trying not to concede, but there was just no spark. Arsenal defended well and never really looked threatened.”
Delap’s not having a great time at Chelsea in general. The club spent £30 million on him last summer, but he hasn’t made the impact people expected. He’s only scored once in the Premier League, and pundit Troy Deeney thinks Delap just isn’t enjoying himself at all.
On the Football Xchange podcast, Deeney said, “He doesn’t look like he’s having any fun. It’s like he’s out there just trying to show the fans he cares by throwing his weight around. If he’d come up through a lower-league club, I’d get it—that’s what you do. But he’s from City, a top club; he knows how these teams are supposed to play. Maybe it’s injuries, maybe it’s the transfers, or something else off the pitch, but he just looks like he needs a break. He needs the summer to come, go off to Mykonos for a couple of weeks, and just clear his head. Right now, it all feels so heavy for him.”
LIAM ROSENIOR’S "DETAILED TALKS" WITH CHELSEA LEADERSHIP REVEAL AGGRESSIVE SUMMER TRANSFER STRATEGY
Liam Rosenior confirms no Chelsea players want to leave, including Enzo Fernandez and Cole Palmer, despite UCL exit.
Liam Rosenior is currently engaged in thorough discussions with Chelsea’s leadership about their plans for the summer transfer window. Interestingly, none of the players has approached him expressing a desire to leave.
After Chelsea’s exit from the Champions League last-16 against Paris Saint-Germain, speculation swirled around Enzo Fernandez’s future, while names like Cole Palmer and Moises Caicedo have also been linked with moves away since Rosenior took charge in January. Ahead of their trip to Everton, Rosenior addressed questions about possible departures if the team misses out on Europe’s top competition again. He also spoke about the ongoing efforts to bring new players in.
“We're having very detailed talks about where we need to strengthen,” he said, referring to conversations with the sporting director team, headed by Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart. “I’ve shared my thoughts on what’s needed, and we’re mostly aligned on the approach, which is encouraging. But the priority is also handling the present properly. It’s crucial to be in a good spot now. Planning is important, but so is winning in the moment. That’s why I’m here, and I’m having positive discussions with ownership and the sporting directors about it.”
Rosenior emphasised that key players like Enzo Fernández want to remain at Chelsea. After Fernandez’s recent interview with ESPN Argentina, where he was noncommittal about his future following the heavy loss to PSG, Rosenior reached out to him personally.
“Our plans don’t hinge solely on qualifying for the Champions League; there are many variables,” Rosenior explained. “We need to make the best of the situation we’re in and stay as strong as possible. I maintain a close relationship with the players; we talk beyond football about their families and their lives. I’m particularly close with Enzo and the others. Since I arrived, no one has told me they want to leave in the summer. The focus is really on improving together as a team and figuring out what it takes to win right now.”
When asked specifically if that applies to Fernandez, Palmer, and Caicedo, Rosenior was clear: “They love it here.”
WHY ENZO FERNANDEZ REFUSES TO COMMIT TO CHELSEA’S FUTURE PROJECT
Enzo Fernandez has sparked Chelsea exit fears after refusing to commit to his future following a 2-8 defeat to PSG.
Chelsea fans barely had time to process a brutal 8-2 Champions League thrashing by PSG on Tuesday when vice-captain Enzo Fernandez stirred things up even more. ESPN Argentina asked him about his future, and instead of assurance, Fernandez left everyone guessing about whether he’d still be at Stamford Bridge next season.
His answer? “I don’t know. There are eight games left, and the FA Cup. There’s the World Cup, and then we’ll see.” Not exactly what supporters needed to hear after a rough night. Honestly, Enzo, now’s probably not the best time for uncertainty.
People have been gossiping about Fernandez’s next move for a while now. Real Madrid and PSG keep cropping up as possible destinations, despite Chelsea sources insisting they won’t sell him. He’s locked into a contract until 2032, but if he pushes for an exit, who knows if that changes.
Fernandez holds a hefty price tag of £107 million; when he arrived in January 2023, it was a British record at the time. He’s backed it up this season, stacking up 12 goals, 6 assists, and playing more minutes than anyone else on the squad.
Still, Chelsea has been searching for someone who can play that No. 10 role where Fernandez has spent most of the season. Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers is on their wishlist, though nothing’s happened yet. Rogers, 23 and once a Manchester City academy kid, has been lighting it up at Villa lately. He signed a contract extension in November, but rumours about his future just won’t die.
Rogers is definitely on Chelsea’s radar. If Fernandez leaves this summer, and really, that’s still wide open; Rogers could be a target.
You can expect Chelsea to be busy in the market soon. They need a centre-back after missing out on Jeremy Jacquet in January. Douglas Luiz was briefly considered but wound up at Villa, so midfield is still in the mix. Plus, given their attacking troubles this season, they’ll be looking to upgrade up front too.
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