Chelsea star ‘not happy’ with Rosenior tactics vs Arsenal as Blues count cost of £65m snub | OneFootball

Liam Delap was “not happy” with Liam Rosenior’s decision to start him on the right wing for Chelsea against Arsenal.

Rosenior set his stall out to defend for the first hour at the Emirates despite being 3-2 down before sending on the cavalry in the final 30 minutes.

The game plan didn’t work as Chelsea struggled to create anything of note even when Cole Palmer and Estevao entered the fray, and – as Blues legend Ruud Gullit says – Delap “looked totally out of place” on the right while Rosenior looked to keep things tight.

“Liam Delap was not happy with starting on the right wing against Arsenal,” Gullit told Gambling Insider. “It’s clear that Liam Rosenior played him there so they could launch long balls to him, but he looked totally out of place.

“I know it was all tactical, but I don’t think Delap looked happy about it at all.

“If you get the ball into the box, then Delap will do his best to get on the end of it, but when you’re asking him to drop deeper into midfield or out wide, then it’s a different story.

“It’s a pity that Delap didn’t play closer to Joao Pedro, because the Brazilian looked all on his own up front. I feel like that would have helped both players if they started in attack together.

“I understand why Rosenior set up like that, but when it came to Chelsea going for it and trying to attack Arsenal, they couldn’t create anything and they lost the tie.”

On Chelsea’s divisive tactical approach, Gullit added: “Chelsea took too long to be brave against Arsenal last night.

“When Cole Palmer and Estevao came on, it looked a little bit better, but that was also because Arsenal themselves began to withdraw as the game went on. Chelsea didn’t have the firepower to get close to Arsenal – they barely had any shots on goal.

“I understood Liam Rosenior’s setup to try and not concede for as long as possible away from home, but there was no creativity throughout the match – nothing at all.

“Arsenal defended well and barely gave them any chances – they were never outplayed in the game.”

Chelsea beat Manchester United to the signing of Delap from Ipswich for £30m in the summer, but Gabby Agbonlahor believes the Blues should instead have gone for Victor Osimhen, who made his loan move from Napoli to Galatasaray permanent for £65m.

“No, this isn’t working,” he said on talkSPORT. “I said when he joined Chelsea that I thought he should have gone to a team like Everton.

“Develop there for a couple of years and then make the big move to top-six side. I think the jump from Ipswich to Chelsea was too much.

“When I look at him as a striker, I like him – he can hold up the ball well, he’s a good finisher, but he just doesn’t look sharp enough for the top level of the Premier League.

“Someone like [Victor] Osimhen was the striker they should have gone out and got.”