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The full transcript from Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior's post-match press conference following the Blues' FA Cup fifth round victory over Wrexham on Saturday evening
Liam Rosenior has just completed his press conference following Chelsea's 4-2 (after extra-time) victory over Wrexham in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
With the game level at 2-2 after 90 minutes, the Blues needed extra-time to see of the Championship play-off hopefuls. Goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Joao Pedro in extra-time ensured the visitors are now in the hat for the quarter-final draw on Monday evening.
Rosenior has just reflected on his side's win and here is every word he had to say:
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Alejandro Garnacho just described that as one of Chelsea's toughest games this season. Do you agree?
I agree. That's every reason why the FA Cup is what it is. I think they were magnificent. Magnificent in their energy, and how brave they were in the press, and how they played. Then we had to be at a high, high level. We were pushed all the way by very good team. You've got to show character as well.
What perhaps did you learn about your players?
No, to be honest, nothing new. We went 1-0 down early against Aston Villa. We were 2-0 down at half-time against West Ham. We have to find a way to not be in that position, but what the players are showing me, no matter who's on the pitch, is a really good spirit and a belief and a determination to win games of football, which we're going to need for the rest of the season.
What do you make of Garnacho's form?
I feel he's in a good place. Ale is in a great place. His goals, his energy levels for 120 minutes were magnificent, considering he played a full 90 on Wednesday. He's in a really good place, and it's really, really good to see his form at this really important stage of the season.
Two decisions that VAR influenced...
They're both correct decisions from me. I know it's frustrating. Any challenge that's dangerous is a dangerous challenge, and if you're offside, you're offside. It doesn't matter how small the margins are. We needed elements of luck today because Wrexham were that good in terms of their performance.
What do you put down your lack of control down to?
It was the same against Crystal Palace about six weeks ago when I first joined. We played really well when 3-0 up. We have control, and we need to find a way to get the game managed better. But in these cup ties, when there's emotion, you can feel the emotion of the game. They're very difficult games to play in. We won't be the only team in the Premier League in this round to find it difficult against lower-level opposition. We need to find a way. But also, what's that? I think 15 games, 10 wins now. It's not a bad place to be. So we just need to keep working. We need to recover. We've got a big game on Wednesday. We need to start preparing for that.
What does it come down to? Is it people not playing as a team?
I think we're playing as a team. I think we're playing against very good opposition at times, who are going for it. Wrexham threw caution to the wind. It's a cup tie. They have Kieffer Moore, Josh Windass is a good player. They put balls in our box from corners and from wide areas. It's something that we need to improve. We're improving on something that's actually quite good at the moment.
Can you explain a bit about the rotation? Because I feel like there might be a bit of criticism from maybe the first half and the style of play.
Yeah, that's the risk that you take. We are going into a period of games where, for example, Romeo Lavia can be really important because he has to play minutes. We have to get him to speed. Dario Essugo, we have to give him the time on the pitch. It's not just about your first 11 or your first 12 players to get us to where we want to be. The only way that our players and our squad are going to help us to achieve what I think is possible is for them to be sharp and ready. That's a risk that you take by rotating, but it's also the trust I have in the group to make sure we win games and get the squad in the best possible shape.
Was it a bit of the end justifies the means? And also to ask about the 120 minutes, is that a concern going into PSG in terms of the tightness?
No, I don't think it will be because of the way that we are rotating. I don't think that will be an issue going into PSG. The most important thing is that we were through this round. And also what I would say is it's not guaranteed if you start your first 11 that these games will come easier. These are tough games. And also the amount of games that my squad have had in the last 18 months is the biggest in the world. So at some point I have to trust the group. They repaid my trust with the result tonight and I'll keep making strong decisions based on where I think we can get to at the end of the season.
What did you make of Lavia and Essugo?
Very good. It's brilliant for Romeo to get his 60 minutes because we've done his rehab in a different way where we've been more patient. We've built him up in a different way in terms of his rehabilitation and Dario the same. So for them to both get 60 minutes in today is brilliant because we're going to need everyone for the run.
It's good to see Essugo getting the assist but maybe the feeling that Lavia was a little bit behind the game at moments, did you feel that or not really?
I can't remember his last game.
Early November, I think...
Early November, so four months out. Any player who's been out for four months is not going to be perfect but some of the things that he's going to give us is performance coming on the Arsenal was top. The performance at Aston Villa was very, very good. He's a top player. But you can't expect perfection for a player who's been out for four months.
On the lack of control, is it down to complacency?
I think you've got to take into account, again, when you make changes, there's a rhythm and a consistency in a rhythm that you need. That's definitely true. That's a risk as a manager that you take. But also if you don't give the players the opportunity to play, you'll never build that continuity in the long term. I'm still learning about this group. I've been at the club for two months. It probably feels longer for everyone because we've had so many games. I'm still learning. I'm still learning about what our players are capable of, how they see the game. But like I've just said, we've put ourselves in a really strong position in every competition since I've joined. And I'm learning. I think it's 15 games in 10 wins, two draws, draws and three defeats. It's not a bad place to be. What we now have to do is make sure that we capitalise on the position we're in at all the competitions.
In terms of the first half and the rotation, and like you said, trying to give people opportunities, do you feel maybe that what you take from that first half is that you might not be able to rotate as heavily the further you go in, quarter-final of the FA Cup now, latter stage of the Champions League?
Yeah, for sure. You're making decisions as you go. And I promised the group when I came in that I would make decisions on my time with them. I've analysed everything before I've come. That's my job. But you learn about your players when you work with them, the detail that you give them, who understands it, who doesn't. But no, I've got some very, very good players. I've got a very, very good squad. And we just need to keep working in this way to get to where we want to be.
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