Chelsea legend makes Liam Rosenior demand as meeting detailed

William Gallas has urged Chelsea to give Liam Rosenior the same patience Arsenal gave to Mikel Arteta as he explained the circumstances around their meeting

Two-time Premier League champion William Gallas has called on Chelsea to show the same patience towards Liam Rosenior as Arsenal did with Mikel Arteta. Rosenior, 41, has made a strong start at Stamford Bridge, securing victories in seven of his first nine matches at the helm.

Despite suffering two defeats against Arteta's team in both legs of their League Cup semi-final clash, Rosenior can highlight his 3-2 away win over Napoli which secured Chelsea's spot in the Champions League knockout stages. The former Brighton and Hove Albion defender will next lead his team to the Midlands to face bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers in their upcoming match.

A win is crucial for Rosenior, who currently has the west London side sitting fifth in the table. However, even if there are setbacks, Gallas has urged his former club to be patient with the ex-Strasbourg manager.

In an exclusive interview at bet365's celebration of their UEFA Champions League Big Ticket Giveaway, Gallas said: "I think what is very important even now in football is to give time to the new manager, to build what he wants to build.

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"That's why when we look, for example, at what happened to Arsenal with Arteta. He's been in charge of the club for five years now. It looks like they will be champions this season.

"That shows you that managers now need time to build their team, to bring the players they want to compete for the Premier League and for the Champions League. A few years ago, maybe 10, 15 or 20 years ago, it was not like this, especially when you are the manager for the big club.

"After one, two years, if you don't have the results, you will not be the manager anymore. But now football has changed, players are different, new generation, so with that new generation you have to take more time."

Gallas' conviction stems from numerous discussions he has held with Rosenior. The former French defender, whose career included spells at Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur amongst others, frequently spoke with Rosenior during the latter's coaching stint in France.

He also recalls exchanges from their playing days when they faced each other on the pitch. Reflecting on their latest encounter, Gallas added: "It was in London. We had a little conversation. And we have played against each other before as well. But it was a very short meeting."

Rosenior couldn't overcome Arteta's side across their two-match League Cup tie. With Arsenal sitting atop the Premier League and progressing through the Champions League knockout rounds after finishing first in their group, it's worth noting that Rosenior actually possesses more managerial experience at this stage than Arteta had when he took charge at the Emirates.

The Spaniard took the reins at the Emirates Stadium in late 2019, with his coaching credentials primarily stemming from his stint as Pep Guardiola's deputy at Manchester City. His inaugural season saw Arsenal finish eighth, a position they replicated in his first full campaign.

Following a fifth-place finish and three successive runner-up spots, they now find themselves leading the pack in the Premier League title race. Concurrently, Rosenior was appointed after managing Hull City and steering Strasbourg into the Europa Conference League.