Every word Liam Rosenior said on why Chelsea have 'deep-lying' problem after Arsenal defeat

The full transcript from the Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior's post-match press conference following the Blues' agonising 2-1 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium

Liam Rosenior has just completed his post-match press conference following Chelsea's 2-1 defeat to Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.

The Blues, who were reduced to 10 men once again following Pedro Neto's second-half red card, could not deal with the Gunners' threat from corners at the Emirates Stadium with that being the method of both the Premier League leaders' goals. While Chelsea scored from a corner themselves, they did not have enough to take anything from north London.

Rosenior has just reacted to Chelsea's third defeat in less than two months against Arsenal. Here is every word the Blues head coach had to say:

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What did you make of the game?

I think it's clear where our strengths are and I think it's clear to everyone what we need to improve on. I felt as a group, including me, we learned our lesson last week. To concede two goals from set plays, which ultimately has cost us the game, is really disappointing. And then to have another red card, again, really disappointed. I don't want to be sat here saying how well we play every week without picking up the points. We need to start finding a way of playing well, which we have done in large parts of my time with the group. But we also need to pick up points very, very quickly.

Pedro Neto was sent off, the gap between the two cards was very quick...

It's disappointing for Pedro because he's a very, very good player and we want him on the pitch. Up to that moment, he was actually causing Arsenal so many problems. It's a frustrating thing for us, not just today, but we're going to miss him against Aston Villa. But it's not just Pedro. I think as a group, me as the leader as well, we have to take more accountability for some of the decision-making we're having in terms of our discipline and in terms of the moments of the goals, not just today, the goals we conceded. Some of them are just not acceptable at this level.

Just on the conceding goals from corners, last time you were here we saw two corners and both times you pushed three players up. Why didn't you do that today?

One, they would have prepared for that themselves. They're very, very good at that. Two, when I actually analysed those corners back, they were very, very close to scoring. It's not always the outcome. Sometimes there are certain things that happen. Also, in terms of our work this week, which obviously didn't work today, we've conceded from a corner against Burnley. We worked on a certain scheme. It's the first time the lads have done it. It didn't pay off today, but we need to make sure we're better in those moments because at the moment we're losing points not based off our performances, but based off of set plays and discipline.

On discipline, what are you and the club doing about it or going to do about it? We spoke to Enzo Maresca about possibly fining the players...

You can fine players. It's not about the punishment. It's about finding the reason why. I don't think Pedro Neto today or Wes Fofana last week would have in that moment been thinking about, if I get a red card, I'm going to get fined. It's a focus and a concentration thing that we need to get right. I know the record of the club is not great from the start of the season, and now it's getting bad. We had 10 games when I was in where we didn't have these issues, but we've had two in two games. There's something deep-lying that we need to get to the bottom of. The thing is, for me, if we get to the bottom of those two main things, we can be a very, very good team and we can achieve all the things we want to achieve.

It's not just red cards, though, is it? There are some very silly yellow cards. Enzo Fernandez gets booked for throwing the ball down...

Yes, I think dissent is a frustrating one for any player to get a yellow card for. I've sensed it. You're right in terms of what you're saying about the discipline record. Some of the decision-making today, on corners, on certain fouls, I think Joao Pedro was fouled probably five times in a row in the first 10 minutes. He didn't get a thing. Frustration builds up. I'm not blaming the referee for our defeat today, but there were clear things that happened that caused frustration, and I think that's something that needs to be looked at as well.

Just on the yellow cards as well, there are also different types of yellows on there that you can put in, but dissent in particular is something that has predated your time here. Exactly.

Is there something that maybe the club can do about the dissent, maybe put a policy in place?

Possibly something. We need to do something, for sure. I need to speak to the coaching staff, the staff around the club, the players, because it's not acceptable. Especially the last two games, we've caused our own issues, even here against a very good team. You can see there's a lot of good in our play. There's a lot of good technically, tactically, the quality of our play. But if we don't eradicate this, it's going to be the thing that costs us.

Seven goals conceded from corners since you came in. The record was quite good before that. What do you think has changed?

It's a great question. I think it's me. I said last week I'm learning about the group, and I'm learning about certain people in certain positions. The actual scheme hasn't changed up until this week, in terms of how we go about that. But it's something that's come into our game, which is something that's costing us points, and that we need to change very quickly.

In general, do you think the issue of grappling and holding in the box, does it need to be officiated in a different way?

Yes, because there's a rule. There's a rule that says it can't be a foul if the ball's not in play yet. So there's a lot of holding and grappling that goes on before the ball's actually delivered. And I think that needs to be looked at, because holding is holding. But I don't want to be bitter. We need to deal with it better. We just need to deal with it better as well. But I think it is something that's coming in. Set plays are massively important in this league, and in every league. But it's something that's coming in more and more, and I think it's something that should be looked at.

Do you think their winning goal should have stood?

I think we can deal better with it, being honest. I do think there is a block on certain players. One of our players who's trying to head the ball was held. Our goalkeeper, they're running at our goalkeeper. But these things happen. We have to deal with that moment better. In fact, we gift those two set plays, we gift the free kick away before that, and we gift them a corner.

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