Rosenior Reveals Surprising Team Spirit Secret After Chelsea’s Shocking EFL Cup Defeat to Arsenal

When Chelsea took on Arsenal in that nail-biting EFL Cup semi-final clash, the energy was palpable—even if the scoreboard didn’t swing their way at the end. Liam Rosenior, the fresh voice leading the Blues, wasn’t shy about singing praises for the grit and hustle his squad laid down despite the 3-2 setback. Alejandro Garnacho, coming off the bench, stormed the pitch with a brace that kept Chelsea very much alive in the tie, setting the stage for a tense return leg at the Emirates. Sure, certain moments stung—letting in goals from set pieces and a few mental lapses—but Rosenior’s message was clear: this team’s heart and commitment aren’t in question. With injuries and illnesses testing their depth, the resilience they’ve shown will be crucial moving forward. As the battle lines are redrawn, the Blues will be eager to tighten up the defense and capitalize on the spark that players like Garnacho and Pedro Neto have ignited. This tie’s far from over—and the passion is just heating up. LEARN MORE

Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has praised his team for their engagement and energy in the 3-2 loss to Arsenal on Wednesday evening.

The Blues faced up against their familiar Premier League rivals in the EFL Cup semi-finals, with three Gunners goals countered by an Alejandro Garnacho brace from the bench.

Although they lost, Rosenior’s men are still in the tie heading back to the Emirates next week for the second leg.

Speaking after the match, the new head coach said: “It’s half-time [in the tie]. I was very happy with the engagement, the commitment of the players. They gave everything.

“It was every open game. Disappointed to concede from a corner. Disappointed with the third goal as well because we were right back in the game and we were on top at that moment.

“We switched off from a restart from a central free kick but I can’t fault the players. We’ve had illness in the squad, we’ve picked up a few knocks this week but what the squad has shown that they are willing to run and fight for each other.

“We need to make sure i we perform well individually we don’t concede as many goals.”

Robert Sanchez was at fault for Arsenal’s second goal, but was defended by his manager.

“Rob’s a very good goalkeeper. He made an outstanding save at 3-1 to keep us in the tie, so for me load of things to improve but the overall attitude of the team I liked. Hopefully, we get a few bodies back for Brentford on Saturday.”

On Garnacho, Rosenior added: “I said he would be important off the bench and he proved that today. I’ve got an outstanding squad. What I need them to do is be engaged whether they start the game or whether they come off the bench. Garna showed his quality. I think Pedro Neto was magnificent. Estevao was outstanding as well.