Chelsea's first FA Cup win under new head coach Liam Rosenior was sealed with a convincing 5-1 victory over struggling Charlton Athletic, but the real story behind the scenes is far more complex.
As Rosenior celebrated his side's dominance, he faced another test of resistance from the travelling fans. The discontent among Chelsea supporters towards the ownership group, Clearlake Capital, seems to be growing by the day. Despite Rosenior's assertion that if his fans are happy with him, it means he's doing a good job, the reality on the pitch suggests otherwise.
Chelsea controlled the game from start to finish, and their young Brazilian winger Estevão had a sparkling cameo, earning a penalty which led to Enzo Fernández scoring in stoppage time. However, Charlton showed signs of life when they halved the deficit through Miles Leaburn's goal in the 57th minute.
The 41-year-old Rosenior acknowledged that Chelsea need to improve defensively, particularly with regards to conceding soft goals. "We need to get better at the basics," he said. Despite his side's convincing win, Rosenior will be aware of the lingering resentment towards Clearlake Capital, who have been at the center of controversy since they took control of the club in 2022.
Rosenior signed a six-and-a-half-year deal last week, but his appointment has been shrouded in mystery. The manner of his appointment was unusual, given that he was poached from smaller club Strasbourg while Chelsea were still reeling from Enzo Maresca's messy departure. Rosenior has had to hit back at suggestions that he is a puppet for the ownership group.
The future remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: Chelsea fans are eager to see their side succeed on the pitch. Can Rosenior and his team build momentum and silence the dissenting voices in the fanbase? Only time will tell.
As Rosenior celebrated his side's dominance, he faced another test of resistance from the travelling fans. The discontent among Chelsea supporters towards the ownership group, Clearlake Capital, seems to be growing by the day. Despite Rosenior's assertion that if his fans are happy with him, it means he's doing a good job, the reality on the pitch suggests otherwise.
Chelsea controlled the game from start to finish, and their young Brazilian winger Estevão had a sparkling cameo, earning a penalty which led to Enzo Fernández scoring in stoppage time. However, Charlton showed signs of life when they halved the deficit through Miles Leaburn's goal in the 57th minute.
The 41-year-old Rosenior acknowledged that Chelsea need to improve defensively, particularly with regards to conceding soft goals. "We need to get better at the basics," he said. Despite his side's convincing win, Rosenior will be aware of the lingering resentment towards Clearlake Capital, who have been at the center of controversy since they took control of the club in 2022.
Rosenior signed a six-and-a-half-year deal last week, but his appointment has been shrouded in mystery. The manner of his appointment was unusual, given that he was poached from smaller club Strasbourg while Chelsea were still reeling from Enzo Maresca's messy departure. Rosenior has had to hit back at suggestions that he is a puppet for the ownership group.
The future remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: Chelsea fans are eager to see their side succeed on the pitch. Can Rosenior and his team build momentum and silence the dissenting voices in the fanbase? Only time will tell.
. They're doing okay on the pitch, but that ownership group is like a black cloud over everyone's head 
️. Rosenior's trying to prove himself, but it's hard when there's all this tension in the air. And let's be real, that whole appointment process was pretty shady 
. I mean, I get why fans are skeptical – they want to know what's really going on behind the scenes.
. The fans are right to be upset, you feel? It's not just about Rosenior or the team – it's about the ownership group's priorities and whether they really care about the fans. I'm rooting for Rosenior and all, but can he really silence the voices of discontent when there's so much mistrust? Only time will tell... 
Chelsea's biggest issue is still their inconsistent form in big games - they can't seem to finish off opponents when it matters most 
I heard Rosenior's been trying to implement some new strategies, but you need more than just a new coach to fix the club's issues 
. One thing's for sure: Chelsea needs to get their act together if they want to build some momentum and silence the doubters 
.
! That 5-1 win was a masterclass, but at the same time, it's clear they still have some work to do defensively 
. Only a matter of time before they start silencing those dissenting voices in the stands 
He got to prove himself as a coach despite all the doubters and uncertainty around his appointment 
The fans are just frustrated because they're worried about the ownership group, but I think Rosenior's shown that he can handle the pressure 
Now, it's time to focus on building momentum and silencing those dissenting voices 
estevão is straight fire btw can't wait to see him in action more often 
They're so cool, but also kinda scary? Like, have you ever seen a bee up close before? 
I swear, they're like little tiny helicopters or something. Anyway, back to Chelsea... I'm guessing their fans are just feeling a bit frustrated because they haven't won anything in ages? 
what's with the secrecy around his appointment tho? did he really just "poach" himself from strasbourg 
and btw estevão is a talent 
can't wait to see how things play out in the next few weeks