Liam Rosenior is set to become the next Chelsea manager, following former boss Enzo Maresca’s departure on New Year’s Day. Rosenior currently manages Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, who are also owned by BlueCo, and was formally interviewed yesterday by Chelsea’s sporting leadership team, according to reports.
If everything goes to plan, Rosenior is expected to be announced as the new Chelsea boss before the Blues face Fulham on Wednesday night. So, here’s how his tactics would work at Stamford Bridge.
Embed from Getty ImagesOn paper, Rosenior sets up his Strasbourg side in a 3-4-2-1, with the flexibility to change into a 4-2-3-1 out of possession and a 3-2-5 in possession. His system is very player-adaptive and Rosenior often adjusts the team’s shape to suit squad profiles.
Strasbourg build up from deep and aim to play out from the back even when under pressure. The goalkeeper is heavily involved in the build-up play, and joins the three defenders to create a back four in order to create an 11 vs 10 scenario against the opposition.
In this shape, Rosenior prefers his players to use short passing sequences, which is why they rank amongst the lowest in Ligue 1 for long-range passes.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe aim during the low build-up is to draw the opposition deeper and create central overloads higher up the pitch. This season, Strasbourg have repeatedly exploited empty spaces behind midfield lines and used third-man combinations to break through the press.
It hasn’t always worked in their favour, but Rosenior would rather concede from turnovers than abandon his structure. An example of this came against PSG, when Strasbourg were forced to settle for a point in a 3-3 draw, despite being 3-1 up.
Once the first line of press is beaten, the tempo increases rapidly. The wing-backs get high to stretch the opponents’ back line horizontally, and the attacking midfielders operate in half-spaces rather than as traditional wingers. The latter form a box midfield with the pivot and receive vertical passes in those half spaces.
Embed from Getty ImagesIn attack, Rosenior prioritises chance quality over volume. Attacks are built through the previously mentioned central overloads and occupation of the half-space by attacking midfielders. Additionally, late runs into the box from midfielders help increase the likelihood of scoring from a chance.
This season, Strasbourg have been able to score through long possession sequences and fast breaks following a high press. At Chelsea, Rosenior would require his players to show that same kind of versatility going forward.
The role of the striker in Rosenior’s set up is vital. He relies on a striker who has a high physical output, is constantly on the move without the ball, and attacks early crosses and both channels.
Despite having a clear positional framework, Rosenior does encourage freedom amongst his attacking players, hence the movement from strikers and attacking midfielders being such a staple in his approach.
Embed from Getty ImagesDefensively, Rosenior’s teams are very aggressive. Whilst in possession they are more calculated before picking up the tempo, it’s all guns blazing without the ball. This season, Strasbourg have set up in a 4-2-3-1 when defending. The focus is on high, aggressive pressing and protecting wide zones.
The former is the main defensive approach. Rosenior’s press is designed to force mistakes, compress space and win the ball high up the pitch. The press is man-orientated and players are told to focus on blocking passing lanes rather than blind and chaotic man-marking.
The defensive line stays high to reduce opposition progression distance, and the players who lead the press are on alert for triggers such as backward passes, poor body positioning, and touches towards the sideline.
Embed from Getty ImagesWhen they lose the ball, Rosenior’s players immediately counter-press and protect central spaces. They also shut down forward passing options and have a strong rest defence structure to help them control transitions.
When they win the ball back, Strasbourg look to be direct and have scored lots of goals from fast breaks under Rosenior. He encourages his players to commit numbers forward as he is confident in the counter-press.
Due to the intense nature of Rosenior’s playing style, he often opts for younger players in his squad as they can maintain the tempo across phases throughout the match.
Embed from Getty ImagesAt Chelsea, the starting 11 is likely to look similar to Maresca’s under Rosenior. However, some players who weren’t used under Maresca, could get more opportunities in 2026. For example, Andrey Santos could see more minutes in midfield under Rosenior after flourishing on loan at Strasbourg last season.
Liam Delap could also benefit from Rosenior’s appointment, as the pair previously worked together at Hull City during the 2023/24 season. Rosenior has previously said: “He is one of a kind and I love him.”
Rosenior has also worked with goalkeeper Robert Sanchez before. They played in the Brighton U23’s together on a handful of occasions. The Spanish shotstopper was also coached by Rosenior briefly when he was assistant manager for the U23 team.
Despite their history, there is potential for Rosenior to opt for a more ball-playing goalkeeper to suit his build-up play.
One area of the pitch that looks particularly exciting is the attacking midfield, where Cole Palmer and Estevao could flourish. Given Rosenior’s want for his attacking midfielders to operate in half spaces and roam freely in attack, Palmer is expected to get back to peak form in a system tailor-made for his game.
Rosenior is expected to take charge of Chelsea’s match against Fulham on Wednesday night at Stamford Bridge. Whilst his ideas won’t be seen on the pitch overnight, the 41-year-old’s tactical approach could suit Chelsea really well.
Against the Cottagers, you can expect the Blues to have plenty of possession and pressing aggressively when they lose the ball. Keep an eye on the wing-backs who are set to be positioned higher up the pitch.
Andre Silva’s Fulham set up in a mid-block, so Rosenior will look to beat this with third-man runs, and his attacking midfielders finding those half-spaces.
With plenty of Chelsea fans riled up by the departure of Maresca, Rosenior will need a win under his belt to keep the critics at bay. It won’t be flawless straight away, and the players won’t be fluent in Rosenior-ball for a while, so on Wednesday, the focus must be on the result rather than establishing tactical authority.
Embed from Getty ImagesWritten by Isabelle Martin
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