Four Problems Chelsea Must Fix During March International Break

Four straight defeats is hardly the ideal way to enter an international break.

Chelsea will at least be grateful for the distraction after a disastrous run of form which has seen them concede 12 goals over those last four games, tumbling out of the Champions League and losing ground in the race to qualify for the competition next season.

With matches against Manchester City and Manchester United on the horizon in April, Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior simply cannot afford to let things stay the same. His continuity in the dugout has been questioned at a time in which everybody needs to be fully focused.

Here are four issues Rosenior must address over the next two weeks.

Restore Robert Sánchez’s Confidence

Perhaps the biggest loser of the Rosenior era has been goalkeeper Robert Sánchez, who was settling into a groove under former boss Enzo Maresca but has been guilty of a series of unforced errors since the new manager arrived.

Were Sánchez’s mistakes serious enough to warrant being dropped? This is the million-dollar question. The Spaniard sat on the bench for the 4–1 win over Aston Villa and then watched on as his replacement, Filip Jörgensen, endured a nightmare showing in the first leg of defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

Jörgensen has since undergone minor surgery to hand his spot in the team back to Sánchez who, understandably, looks devoid of confidence after Rosenior’s snub in the biggest game of the season. We’ve seen the sort of form produced during Sánchez’s early days at Chelsea and nothing like the star stopper from the end of Maresca’s tenure.

Sánchez clearly needs a confidence boost, but Rosenior may also think about a potential adjustment to his tactics. Maresca figured out a way to minimize Sánchez’s weaknesses and maximize his strengths, but those lessons have clearly not been passed down in the dugout.

Adapt to Cope With Defensive Injuries

Trevoh Chalobah avoided a nasty injury. | Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

Tweaking tactics feels like a necessity after a handful of truly rotten performances. A lack of attacking invention is a concern but pales in comparison to the extent of Chelsea’s defensive struggles.

Players have been caught out of position and have lacked any sort of cohesion between themselves—undoubtedly not helped by the change of goalkeeper. That is a massive problem which does not even consider the nasty injuries that have plagued Chelsea’s back line in recent weeks.

Captain Reece James has been struck down by a hamstring injury and center back Trevoh Chalobah will need six weeks to recovery from an ankle problem that looked destined to need significantly longer as the boot of PSG’s Achraf Hakimi sent his foot in the wrong direction.

Rosenior does still have five central defenders to call upon, but none have inspired any real confidence. Wesley Fofana appears to be top of the list but is enduring a miserable run of his own, while Mamadou Sarr may need help recovering from a poor outing in an unfamiliar position against PSG.

Tosin Adarabioyo and Benoît Badiashile both appear to be fighting for their futures ahead of the summer transfer window, and young Josh Acheampong may have flashed too many examples of his inexperience to be trusted under the current pressure. How Rosenior can stabilize things seems like a mystery.

Find a Plan for Estêvão

A natural boost to Chelsea’s stale attack may have arrived before the international break as Brazilian sensation Estêvão stepped off the bench for the final 20 minutes of the defeat to Everton.

The young winger has been missing with a hamstring injury but should be raring to go by the time domestic action returns, at which point Rosenior will have to figure out how to fit the Brazilian into his crowded attack.

Estêvão is strongest on the right wing, where Cole Palmer has been playing. Rosenior could shift the Englishman inside, but that is where Enzo Fernández has been lining up recently. There does not seem to be an obvious vacancy for the youngster, who is one of very few players in this squad who appears to enjoy letting his creative juices flow.

Chelsea need his ingenuity, that much is clear. Estêvão’s stock has risen in his absence and Blues fans are crying out for a significant run of games from their young superstar.

Work Out Strongest Midfield

Enzo Fernández is under fire. | James Gill/Danehouse/Getty Images

Fernández’s specific role under Rosenior has been questioned. Often played in an attacking midfield role, the Argentine has looked nothing like the box-crashing threat of the Maresca era and has not been able to dictate games with his passing.

Rosenior must decide whether to persist with this position for Fernández or drop him deeper alongside Moises Caicedo who, himself, has looked fatigued and lost in recent weeks as the manager has chopped and changed his midfield partner.

James was playing in midfield before his injury, while we’ve seen Andrey Santos and, most recently, Roméo Lavia given chances to prove themselves. None have really worked, though, creating a porous pivot that has offered very little defensive protection or attacking substance.

Rotation is obviously important, but stability down the spine of the team is crucial. Chelsea’s midfield has looked jumbled far too often and that simply cannot continue.

Chelsea’s Next Five Fixtures After International Break

Fixture	Date
Port Vale (H)	April 4
Man City (H)	April 12
Man Utd (H)	April 18
Brighton (A)	April 26
Nottingham Forest (H)	May 2

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