FA Cup: Can Chelsea Recover, or will Leeds’ Storied Run Continue? | OneFootball

Chelsea take on Leeds in the FA Cup semi-final and will be looking for a strong response after the departure of manager Liam Rosenior. 

Rosenior’s Fall: A Cautionary Tale

Rosenior was sacked after a terrible run of form which saw the Blues lose seven of their last eight games. The Englishman barely lasted three months of his six-and-a-half-year deal. Not many would have thought he would see out the full length of his contract, but it is still staggering how quickly it all went wrong. 

Especially given that there were some highlights. A 2-1 comeback win in the Champions League away at Napoli was impressive. Equally so was the 4-1 league win over Aston Villa, and the first 73 minutes of the UCL round of 16 first leg against PSG. It was still 2-2 at that stage. 

That tie of course ended in an 8-2 aggregate defeat for Chelsea. That was when the Rosenior project went off the rails. 

The 41-year-old never recovered after the two PSG legs. The following game was a 3-0 loss to Everton, and Chelsea lost three of the next four after that. That included defeats to Manchester City, Manchester United and Brighton.

The only win in Rosenior’s last eight games was against Port Vale in the FA Cup quarterfinals. Given how poor Chelsea’s form was before and after the match, Port Vale must look at that as an opportunity missed.

Rosenior’s last game in charge, the 3-0 league defeat to Brighton, was by far Chelsea’s worst performance. Even more damning, it was one of the worst performances a Premier League side has displayed this season. Chelsea were outfought, outthought and outran.

Rosenior could have been sacked just for that performance. Or for the disastrous change of shape he attempted. But his criticism of the players after the game sealed his fate.

A mere 106 days was all he lasted. And now Chelsea are in a position where the next managerial appointment could make or break the project. 

Meet the New Boss…

Calum McFarlane is the interim manager until the end of the season, as Chelsea want to wait until the summer to make a permanent appointment. McFarlane was interim manager once before this season, when Enzo Maresca left the club. He could get the chance to lift the FA Cup and win his first trophy as a manger if the Blues are able to beat Leeds. 

Leeds Looking for the Cupset

Their old FA Cup rivals Leeds, meanwhile, have had a very positive season, and look to be safe from relegation. They are nine points above 18th-placed Tottenham, although they have played a game more. 

Manager Daniel Farke has done a fantastic job, especially given he had developed a reputation as being something of a yo-yo manager; promotion followed by inevitable relegation and repeat. Adept at taking teams up from the Championship, but not so well suited to keeping them in the Premier League. 

That would change if Leeds avoided relegation this year, and it could even be a far better season than that if they can win this trophy. 

This is their first FA Cup semi-final in 39 years, and they have beaten Derby County, Birmingham City, Norwich and West Ham to get here. 

Given Chelsea’s terrible form, and the cloud of uncertainty around the club, there will perhaps never be a better chance to beat them and reach what would be a first FA Cup final since 1973.

Leeds could hardly be in better form coming into this game. They are unbeaten in their last seven in all competitions and beat Manchester United at Old Trafford in the league less than two weeks ago. 

And they have done well against Chelsea twice this season. They have taken four points off the Blues in the Premier League, winning the first game 3-1 at Elland Road, and they managed a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge, having been 2-0 down in the game. 

Both Farke and his players will fancy their chances of beating this Chelsea side and causing a cup upset.