Does one rule correspond to another, and one rule corresponds to another? That’s the message from Chelsea. Manager Liam Rosenior has sent Enzo Fernandes into stock and let the others get away with nothing.
What was the crime? Teasing a transfer? Rumors of a strong transfer?
Fernandes’ comments were less than ideal, but even though the Argentine was flirting with leaving Chelsea, this punishment does not fit the crime. The comments pale in comparison to Manchester City’s Rodri’s comments during the international break, but he is almost certain to be picked by manager Josep Guardiola for the next two games.
In any case, these were not the worst comments made by a Chelsea player during his time away from the national team. Fernandes could have followed in the footsteps of teammate Marc Cucurella, but the Spaniard is no stranger to suggesting that Rosenior is not fit for purpose.
The left-back questioned the leadership’s decision to let Enzo Maresca leave the club, with Cucurella saying: “I would die for the manager if he gives me confidence and gives me a place to compete for titles.”
“The moment Maresca left, it affected us a lot. These are decisions taken by the club. If you ask me, I would not have made this decision. It is best to wait until the end of the season to make such changes.”
“It will give everyone time to prepare, both the players and the new manager, and we will have a good pre-season. In a nutshell, this is where the instability of the club comes from. First we had an interim manager (former Under-21s coach Callum MacFarlane), then a new manager, who had new ideas but didn’t have time to work on them. That’s the way it is.”
Every time I hear Rosenior speak, he tries to give the impression that he is swimming with his head above water. Rather, it is becoming increasingly clear that the 41-year-old is drowning, arms snarling in the air, emerging from the depths of fear.
If Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea manager had said “respect the ball” immediately after their humiliating Premier League defeat, he would have been frog-marched out of Stamford Bridge and given 45 points on the spot.
