Chelsea star who completed six recoveries vs Charlton set for key role in new-look XI
Liam Rosenior coached his side to a 5-1 win over Charlton Athletic on Saturday, in his first game since being appointed Chelsea head coach.
Chelsea announced Rosenior’s appointment on Tuesday, handing him an incredible six-and-a-half-year contract.
Enzo Maresca left Chelsea last week, after a breakdown in relations between the Italian and the board.
But with key games approaching in the race for the Champions League, the Blues felt it was important to bring in his replacement quickly.
Rosenior was present as Chelsea lost to Fulham on Wednesday, but he watched on from the stands as Calum McFarlane led the team for a final time.
Andrey Santos stars vs Charlton
Andrey Santos thrived under Rosenior at Strasbourg, but he has failed to recreate his form since arriving at Chelsea.
In Ligue 1, the 21-year-old was given freedom to go where he pleased, often appearing in the final third before popping up with a key defensive contribution.
In 32 games, Santos produced 10 goals and three assists, leaving Chelsea fans incredibly excited for his introduction to the Premier League.
But under Maresca, Santos struggled for consistent minutes and was plugged in and out of the team randomly.
Rosenior‘s arrival should put an end to that, however, and the Brazil international showed exactly what he is capable of against Charlton on Saturday.
Situated in a midfield three alongside Facundo Buonanotte and Moises Caicedo, Santos was everywhere. He completed over 100 passes, created two chances and took two shots.
And the 21-year-old was all over it defensively, too, making six recoveries, three tackles, and winning nearly all of his duels.
| Andrey Santos | Vs Charlton |
| Minutes played | 90 |
| Accurate passes | 109/119 |
| Chances created | 2 |
| Shots | 2 |
| Tackles | 3 |
| Recoveries | 6 |
| Blocks | 1 |
| Duels won | 4/6 |
Rosenior will hope to see a similar performance from Santos against Premier League opposition, but the Englishman would have been very pleased with his midfielder’s showing.
Santos’ heart-warming comments about Liam Rosenior
Santos’ talent is clear. It was evident when Chelsea paid £18million to sign him from Vasco da Gama in 2023, and it was even more obvious last season.
There is a feeling that the 21-year-old just needs the right manager to get the best out of him, with the potential limitless.
Speaking about Rosenior in November, Santos said: “Liam, I love my ex-coach. He’s amazing. It’s hard to say about Liam because when I joined Strasbourg, he helped me a lot.
“I improved a lot with him. I sent a message to him [a couple of weeks ago], because I always watch Strasbourg games.
“I told him ‘my new baby is coming’, and he congratulated me, saying ‘I’m so happy for you’. I think our relationship is perfect.”
Rosenior could be exactly the right character to get the best out of Santos, and Saturday’s showing has already given Chelsea fans a taste.