London: Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior expressed his displeasure over what he perceived as a lack of respect from Arsenal during the warm-up for the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg at Emirates Stadium. Rosenior was seen shouting at Arsenal representatives to remain on their side of the pitch, as Chelsea prepared for the match that ended in a 1-0 victory for Arsenal, securing a 4-2 aggregate win.
According to Ghana Web, Rosenior clarified that his frustration was not directed at the Arsenal players. "When you warm up, you have your half and the other team have their half," he stated, emphasizing the importance of respecting these boundaries. Rosenior explained that the encroachment affected Chelsea's warm-up routine, prompting him to insist that Arsenal adhere to their designated area.
Rosenior further elaborated on the importance of maintaining certain etiquettes in football, expressing his respect for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, despite the incident. He noted that his concerns during the warm-up were purely about maintaining respect and fairness on the field.
Since taking over as Chelsea manager in January, Rosenior has achieved six victories in eight games, with his only losses occurring in both legs of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal. Ahead of Chelsea's upcoming match against Wolves, Rosenior defended his team's tactics and performance, particularly against a strong Arsenal side at home.
Chelsea's strategy involved starting with three center-backs, followed by a tactical shift with attacking substitutions in the 59th minute to level the tie. Despite the defeat, Rosenior praised his team's solid performance and emphasized that external opinions do not influence his decisions.
"What people say outside the club makes no difference to my decision making," Rosenior stated, acknowledging that while there are always areas for improvement, he was satisfied with his team's approach against Arsenal.