Chelsea's ill discipline, the Cole Palmer problem and six huge tasks facing Liam Rosenior as he takes the reins at Stamford Bridge

Liam Rosenior was always guaranteed a baptism of fire when he was named as Enzo Maresca's replacement at Chelsea given his complete lack of experience in the Premier League, let alone at one of the division's elite clubs. But even so, the task at hand is unenviable has he arrives to a brimming in-tray in his Cobham office. The Blues' season feels as though it is on a knife edge as the new head coach takes the reins.

The 41-year-old Englishman begins work in earnest when Chelsea cross London to face Charlton in the FA Cup third round on Saturday night, but in truth that feels like a mere warm-up for things to come, albeit he certainly can't afford an early misstep.

Rosenior was watching on as his new side slipped to eighth in the table after a defeat to west London rivals Fulham on Wednesday, and they now find themselves as close to 14th-placed Tottenham as they do to Liverpool in fourth. Meanwhile, their place in the last 16 of the Champions League is far from guaranteed and there is a flurry of games to come.

Although Chelsea aren't necessarily in the worst form, the new head coach arrives in a highly-pressurised moment and inherits a number of long-standing and more recent issues that must be addressed if he is to stand any chance of proving his doubters wrong and becoming a success at Stamford Bridge.

Discipline, discipline, discipline

If Rosenior didn't already have Chelsea's disciplinary issues on his radar when he was named Chelsea boss on Tuesday, they would have been brought into sharp focus when he was watching his new side from the Craven Cottage stands the following evening.

Just 22 minutes were on the clock when Marc Cucurella - one of the Blues' more experienced heads these days - got caught under a long ball, failed miserable to outmuscle slight Fulham attacker Harry Wilson and then blatantly pulled him back as the last man. That earned the Spain international Chelsea's seventh red card of the season - eight if you include ex-head coach Maresca's dismissal against Liverpool.

Rosenior's predecessor always barefaced denied that his players had any issue with their discipline - with needless yellow cards also a serious problem - and interim Calum McFarlane followed suit despite Cucurella's sending off contributing to a damaging west London derby defeat. It will be interesting to see whether the new recruit takes the same tact publicly, but behind the scenes something has to be done about the team's on-field behaviour and judgment.

Home discomforts

While Wednesday night brought another away defeat, it's Chelsea's home form this season that has been of even greater concern. The Blues have won just four of their 10 matches at Stamford Bridge so far in 2025-26, most recently dropping points there to Bournemouth in Maresca's final game, which followed a home loss to Aston Villa.

That record leaves them 13th in the Premier League's home form table, which plainly isn't good enough. The Bridge was once an impregnable fortress for Chelsea, but long gone are the days when Jose Mourinho made the stadium a stronghold across his two spells in the dugout, going 60 and later 77 home games unbeaten.

But the problem involves the fans as much as it does the players; a hangover from their struggles in the years since the Boehly-Clearlake takeover and the perceived poor running of the club, the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge can sour quickly if things aren't going Chelsea's way. Collective groans and bursts of frustration from the stands visibly sap the confidence of the players on the pitch, with the young squad undoubtedly finding it difficult to step up in the face of vociferous criticism from their own supporters.

Rosenior's task, therefore is twofold: he must find away to quickly endear himself and his players to a weary, volatile home support, as well as making opponents fear visiting the Bridge once again by improving performances and results.

The Palmer problem

Of course, in his bedding-in period the new head coach will need his best players to step up to the plate, but he arrives at a time when some of the star names at his disposal aren't firing.

While defensive midfielder Moises Caicedo has looked somewhat out of sorts having had his flow disrupted by two suspensions amid a spate of recent cards, talismanic attacker Cole Palmer has been well shy of his best further up the pitch since returning from a niggling groin problem and subsequent freak broken toe.

There is no doubt injuries have played a significant part in what has already been a stop-start season for Palmer, who admitted himself in December that he is still "nowhere near" full match sharpness - but seven games since he made his comeback, the absence of his usual impactufulness has been worrying, albeit it he has netted against Everton and Bournemouth and shown some flashes of his class.

Rosenior will be charged with getting his key man back to the level of consistent quality that convinced many Chelsea fans and neutrals alike that the 23-year-old is one of the finest players in the Premier League.

Make possession count

An in-form Palmer would certainly help in this department: converting possession into actual chances and goals. Chelsea have developed a nasty habit of failing to win games despite dominating the ball in recent times, including in the draw with Bournemouth that spelled the end of Maresca's reign and the home loss to Villa, while they have also lost to newly-promoted Sunderland and Leeds.

Comparatively, they have fared strangely better in games where the opponent has had the lion's share of possession, but that poses a problem to a coach who prefers a possession-based style of play like Rosenior. He must find a way to unluck stubborn defences and make sure there is a point to their passing.

Again, that will put the spotlight on creative players like Palmer and Joao Pedro, as well as the wingers, whom the onus is on to get down the sides of a low block to prise it open. Something will have to give; either Rosenior adapts to having the ball less, or his players find a way to break their opposition down.

Get Garnacho going

One such winger who has so far failed to ignite since arriving at Stamford Bridge is Alejandro Garnacho, who was viewed as a shrewd signing when Chelsea capitalised on his exile at Manchester United by signing him for just £40 million ($54m) in the summer, well under market value, albeit they have a wealth of options in the wide areas.

However, while the Argentine has demonstrated his ability in fleeting moments, we have largely seen the version of Garnacho who failed to convince ex-United head coach Ruben Amorim that he was worthy of a place in his long-term plans, often going missing and failing to take chances when they have come his way. Meanwhile, his lapses in concentration while defending the back post have cost his side dearly in draws with Brentford and, most recently, Bournemouth.

The 21-year-old was subsequently left on the bench for Maresca's final two games in charge, and it will be interesting to see what plans Rosenior has for him now he's taken the reins. The Englishman has a reputation for developing young players, and the club's hierarchy will want him to get the best out of Garnacho as soon as possible given their heavy investment and the leap of faith they took on someone who was a problem at Old Trafford.

Hold onto the lead

Another recurring problem for Chelsea this season has been staying in front once they have established a lead, a trend Rosenior must buck if he is going to have any chance of being successful at Stamford Bridge, given the significant scrutiny he will already face due to his inexperience.

Out of all 20 Premier League clubs, only Bournemouth have dropped more points from winning positions in 2025-26 than the Blues (13), a reflection of how vulnerable the west Londoners can be even when ahead and a telling sign of their overall inexperience as a group, as they lack the know-how to get over the line.

Chelsea have relinquished control in matches far too often this season, which is arguably one of the main reasons Maresca lost his job given they weren't necessarily in the worst overall form - the Villa game was a prime example, as they somehow fell to a defeat despite largely dominating proceedings. It is all about consistency, and they will only find that if they are able to see out their stronger performances and claim the three points.