Joao Pedro has played himself out of Liam Rosenior’s Chelsea team after atrocious performance against Arsenal | OneFootball

Chelsea lost their first game at Stamford Bridge under new manager Liam Rosenior, going down 3-2 to Arsenal in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final clash last night.

Two mistakes from Robert Sanchez and a well-taken goal from Martin Zubimendi gave the Gunners a healthy advantage.

The Blues showed some fight, with Alejandro Garnacho scoring twice.

However, Chelsea were ultimately too easy to play through, as Mikel Arteta’s side claimed a routine victory.

The Chelsea backline was all over the place, and Sanchez was the poorest player on the pitch. Joao Pedro was also incredibly frustrating to watch again.

Pedro played multiple positions and looked poor in each one. His penchant for holding onto the ball too long is jarring.

When he did release the ball, he often gave it away. He lost the ball 12 times and didn’t manage to influence play positively.

Pedro has been playing badly for weeks now. He has not covered himself in glory against Bournemouth, Fulham and Manchester City.

Chelsea needed the Brazilian to anchor play and be decisive, but he has been a liability. Performances like this do little to justify Pedro’s place in the team, especially with alternatives emerging.

Liam Delap has looked reborn in recent weeks, sharper without the ball and more decisive in possession.

Rosenior knows Delap well, and that familiarity could count for plenty as he looks to stamp his authority on this squad

It would be no surprise to see Pedro rotated out of the team altogether.