Honestly, if you took a nap on New Year’s Eve and just woke up, you wouldn’t recognize the Chelsea touchline. Enzo Maresca is gone. Sacked on the first day of 2026. After winning the Club World Cup in the summer and the Conference League before that, the Italian found out the hard way that at Stamford Bridge, trophies are just a stay of execution, not a pardon.
Enter Liam Rosenior.
The former Hull City and Strasbourg boss has been thrust into the deep end during the most chaotic month of the year. It’s a bold move. Maybe even a desperate one. While the latest Chelsea football news usually revolves around billion-dollar spending sprees, the story right now is about a squad that’s literally and figuratively sick.
The Virus at Cobham and a Depleted Squad
You can't make this up. Rosenior’s honeymoon period lasted about twelve seconds before a nasty virus ripped through the training ground. Heading into the Brentford game this weekend, the medical room is more crowded than the actual pitch. Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens—two of the big summer arrivals—are out. They’ve been ordered to stay home to stop the spread.
It’s a mess.
📖 Related: Heisman Trophy Nominees 2024: The Year the System Almost Broke
Then you’ve got the actual football injuries. Reece James is dealing with a hip issue. Malo Gusto is a doubt. Even the talisman, Cole Palmer, has been struggling with his groin. When Palmer isn’t fit, Chelsea look like a different, much flatter team. We saw it in the mid-week League Cup loss to Arsenal. Without that creative spark, the 2-3 scoreline actually flattered the Blues a bit.
Rosenior is trying to stay upbeat. He told reporters that while they’ve "gone through the wars," he still expects to be competitive. But let's be real: trying to implement a new tactical system while half your starters are in bed with a fever is a nightmare scenario.
The January Transfer Pivot
The transfer strategy has shifted. Fast. Under Maresca, there was a specific profile. Now? Rosenior and the recruitment team are looking for defensive stability. The club is reportedly tracking Jacobo Ramon at Como and Jeremy Jacquet at Rennes. It makes sense. Chelsea have conceded 24 goals in the league so far, and while that’s not "relegation form," it’s certainly not "Champions League title charge" form either.
The big shocker of the week? Facundo Buonanotte is out.
👉 See also: When Was the MLS Founded? The Chaotic Truth About American Soccer's Rebirth
His loan from Brighton was cut short so he could go to Leeds. It’s a weird one. He was supposed to be the backup for Palmer, but he barely touched the grass under Maresca. His exit leaves a hole in the number 10 spot that the club didn’t expect to be filling this late in the window. Rumors are swirling that West Ham are sniffing around Raheem Sterling, and Axel Disasi might still be out the door despite returning to training recently.
The "Maresca Legacy" is a strange one to talk about. He made Moises Caicedo look like a world-beater and turned Marc Cucurella into a vital cog. But the defensive errors—41 leading to shots since he took over—were his undoing. Rosenior has to fix that "brittleness" immediately.
Why the League Table is a Lie
If you look at the Premier League table, Chelsea are sitting with 31 points. They’re eighth. On paper, it looks like they’re just a couple of wins away from the top four. But the "form guide" tells a darker story: Draw, Draw, Loss, Win, Loss.
They are dropping points from winning positions at an alarming rate. 30 points lost from winning positions under the previous regime. That’s not a tactical flaw; that’s a mental one.
✨ Don't miss: Navy Notre Dame Football: Why This Rivalry Still Hits Different
Recent Results Breakdown:
- Jan 14: 2-3 Loss vs Arsenal (League Cup) - Defensivel shambles.
- Jan 10: 5-1 Win vs Charlton (FA Cup) - A glimpse of what Rosenior wants.
- Jan 7: 2-1 Loss vs Fulham - The "West London Derby" disappointment.
- Jan 4: 1-1 Draw vs Man City - Gritty, but ultimately two points dropped.
What Needs to Happen Next
Rosenior doesn't have time for a "project." He has Brentford today, then a massive Champions League tie against Pafos, followed by a trip to the hell-hole that is the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium to face Napoli.
If you’re a betting person, don't look at the names on the back of the shirts right now. Look at the bench. The lack of experience is glaring. Maresca never started a player over 30 this season. While the youth project is exciting for the long-term, Chelsea need a "boring" leader on the pitch to see out 1-0 leads.
Actionable Insights for the Blues:
- Prioritize the Center-Back: Whether it's Ramon or Jacquet, Rosenior needs a partner for Colwill (when he's back from his ACL) or Fofana who can actually organize a line.
- Manage Palmer's Minutes: If they burn him out in January, the February/March run in the Champions League is a write-off.
- Simplify the Build-up: Maresca’s "inverted full-back as a number 8" was clever, but it left the back door wide open. Rosenior needs to get back to basics.
The latest Chelsea football news suggests a club in transition yet again. It’s exhausting for the fans, but if Rosenior can navigate this "viral" January and squeeze some defensive discipline out of this group, the top four isn't out of reach. Just don't expect it to be pretty.
Keep an eye on the injury report for the Crystal Palace game on the 25th. If James and Palmer aren't back by then, the "honeymoon" for Rosenior might turn into a very cold winter.
Check the official club app for the final lineup against Brentford to see if the virus has claimed any more victims before kickoff.