Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has criticized his players for a “lack of ruthlessness” after they allowed a 10-man advantage to slip away in a frustrating 1-1 draw against Burnley at Stamford Bridge. Despite a dream start with Joao Pedro’s clinical opener in the 4th minute, the Blues failed to capitalize on their early supremacy. The match’s complexion shifted dramatically in the 72nd minute when Wesley Fofana received a second yellow card for a late challenge on James Ward-Prowse. Burnley seized the opportunity in the dying moments, as Zian Flemming rose highest to power home a 93rd-minute equalizer from a corner, punishing Chelsea’s persistent inability to defend dead-ball situations.
The result marks the second consecutive home game where Chelsea has surrendered a winning position, a trend that Rosenior warns could derail their pursuit of a top-four finish. While the London club controlled large portions of the match, the head coach expressed visible frustration at their passive approach once they held the lead. The defensive lapse during Burnley’s final set piece particularly drew his ire, as Flemming’s header exploited what Rosenior described as a missed marking assignment in the heart of the box.
“We should have killed the game,” Rosenior told the media. “I thought we started the game very well. After the first goal we were happy just to maintain possession and not be ruthless. You need to be ruthless in this league because if you don’t defend set plays well, which we haven’t, then you get punished.”
The suspension of Wesley Fofana creates a significant selection headache for Rosenior ahead of next weekend’s crucial London Derby against league leaders Arsenal. This stalemate keeps Chelsea in a volatile battle for European qualification, with the team now having dropped 17 points from winning positions at home this season. As the Premier League enters its final dozen matches, the manager insisted that the squad must rediscover a “killer instinct” to ensure they do not continue to “set fire” to vital points against teams in the relegation zone.
Chelsea now turns its focus to an internal review of their set-piece organization, which has conceded 11 goals this campaign—among the worst records in the top flight. With Burnley gaining a massive psychological boost in their fight for survival, Rosenior has promised an “inquest” into the squad’s mental fortitude during high-pressure moments. For a team with Champions League aspirations, the inability to see out games against bottom-three opposition remains a glaring tactical hurdle that the coaching staff must address immediately.
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