Rosenior gaining the admiration of Chelsea supporters with each victory

LONDON — Chelsea’s head coach Liam Rosenior is aware of the memes circulating online. He has noticed the comparisons to David Brent from the British version of “The Office.” He understands that many have been laughing at him on social media, with his children being the ones to share them with him.

“They find it amusing! There was one regarding my fashion sense where they claimed I had good style, and my daughter thought that was hilarious,” he mentioned during his pre-match press conference on Friday. “She dislikes my fashion sense!”

Despite the humor, Rosenior has fulfilled his commitment to achieve victories for Chelsea — he has now secured six wins in his first seven matches across all competitions since taking charge earlier this month.

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Saturday’s 3-2 win over West Ham United marked the first occasion in Premier League history that Chelsea has come back from a two-goal deficit at halftime to claim victory. Following Wednesday’s 3-2 triumph over Napoli in the UEFA Champions League, it is also the second instance within a week that Chelsea has overturned a deficit to emerge victorious.

Few, undoubtedly, will be laughing now.

“I hope that in time the fans will regard this as the best decision this club has ever made, but I cannot concentrate on that,” Rosenior stated after the match regarding his appointment.

The match presented a tale of two halves for Chelsea, who were undeniably poor in the first 45 minutes. The fans expressed their discontent when referee Anthony Taylor signaled the end of the half, with boos resonating throughout Stamford Bridge. West Ham rightfully held a two-goal lead: A cross from Jarrod Bowen found the net in the seventh minute, followed by a well-executed strike from Crysencio Summerville.

Alejandro Garnacho lost possession 12 times before being substituted at halftime. Liam Delap appeared isolated and ineffective, touching the ball merely eight times. The center-back duo of Benoît Badiashile and Trevoh Chalobah seemed vulnerable, conceding numerous chances. They were fortunate to be only two goals behind.

Rosenior was not hesitant to make changes. Dressed in a stylish overcoat, blue trousers, and white sneakers, he made three substitutions at halftime. He has previously stated his preference for early substitutions.

“If you examine my managerial history, I’ve consistently made early changes,” he remarked on Friday.

“At Strasbourg, it was similar. The players already know with me that if you’re substituted at halftime, it’s tactical.”

All three substitutions at halftime proved effective. He introduced defenders Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana, along with striker João Pedro, and each of Chelsea’s goals involved one of the substitutes.

Initially, in the 57th minute, Fofana delivered a perfectly placed cross to the back post for Pedro to head in. The equalizer came 13 minutes later when Cucurella reacted swiftly to a rebound off the bar and scored with a diving header.

This was the first instance in over three years that two Chelsea substitutes scored in the same Premier League match.

Ultimately, it was Enzo Fernández who netted the winner in the second minute of added time. He arrived in the opposition’s 18-yard box at the perfect moment to convert Pedro’s pass across the area.

When Rosenior took over from Enzo Maresca at Chelsea earlier this month, it was met with more amusement than enthusiasm. Maresca had led Chelsea to a top-four finish, secured the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup, and was rumored to be a candidate to replace Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

In contrast, Rosenior’s background included a role as Wayne Rooney’s assistant at Derby County, a moderately successful period managing Hull City, and a promising 18-month stint at Chelsea’s sister club, Strasbourg.

His record since assuming the role at Stamford Bridge speaks volumes. He is currently enjoying a five-game winning streak and has achieved the best start on paper since Mauricio Sarri in 2018.

“For a manager to step in midway through a season with limited training sessions and achieve six wins out of seven games, it’s a commendable start,” Rosenior added.

“As long as the team demonstrates the determination, energy, and intensity they displayed in that second half, the fans will show their support, and I am truly enjoying being part of this football club.”

There remains an aspect of respect for him to earn. He has been afforded a relatively favorable run of fixtures to commence his tenure at Stamford Bridge — his only loss, against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semifinal first leg, was one of two matches he has faced against high-caliber opponents.

Saturday’s win will present his most significant challenge to date: The return leg of the Carabao Cup semifinal away to Arsenal, where they must overcome a 3-2 deficit.

“Someone just informed me that it’s the first time in Premier League history we’ve won from two goals down at home,” Rosenior remarked.

“It’s a significant achievement to witness the heart, mentality, spirit of the group, and their quality in the second half makes me a very, very happy man.”