Liam Rosenior launched into a scathing rant after his Chelsea side lost 3-0 to Brighton on Tuesday, eviscerating his players and their lack of effort.
It’s the first time that the usually level-headed coach has let loose and publicly criticised his squad for a poor performance.
Here is everything the 41-year-old told Sky Sports in a withering post-match interview.
Liam Rosenior rant in full after Chelsea defeat to Brighton
Their worst performance to date:
“By far. By far. It was unacceptable in every aspect of the game, unacceptable in our attitude. I keep coming out and defending of the players. That’s indefensible, that performance tonight. The manner of the goals we conceded, the amount of duels that we lost, the lack of intensity in the team. Something needs to change drastically right now.”
"That was unacceptable, indefensible… something needs to change, DRASTICALLY" 👀
No holding back from Liam Rosenior after Chelsea's humbling defeat to Brighton. pic.twitter.com/TfjkhFfz5P
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 21, 2026
Why the performance was so bad:
“We need to look in the mirror. I need to look in the mirror. But I can’t keep coming out here and defending some of the things we’re seeing. Manchester United, genuinely the result wasn’t there, I felt we turned a corner. The general attitude, spirit, determination was lacking a part from maybe three or four of the eleven. That is nowhere near enough for this club. I can’t come out and lie. I’ll tell the truth. That was an unacceptable performance in every area.”
The bad start to the game:
“The goal’s terrible, we have an easy header, we miss the header. The passage before the goal upset me even more. I think there were four or five occasions where we can actually show some courage and quality, and take the ball down and actually play. We just kicked the ball back to Brighton. You can speak about a lack of confidence or results not going our way, that doesn’t represent anything that I ever want to see. And I won’t ever see it again.”
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Lacking professionalism:
“The professionalism wasn’t there. It’s a really difficult night. The most difficult night not even just here, so far, at this magnificent football club, but in my career. Some of the things I witnessed today, I never want to see again.”
Did the Chelsea players throw in the towel?
“You have to ask the players. Whether you’re playing at this elite football club or any football club, to even be accused of throwing the towel in is unacceptable. That’s all I’m going to say. I’m hurting. I feel numb because that doesn’t represent me or the football club in any way. It has to change, starting with the FA Cup this Sunday.”
On whether Chelsea’s consistently inferior running statistics indicate a deeper problem:
“I don’t want to go into that right now. I have my own thoughts, my own feelings. I have discussed in depth about how this club… regardless of who’s the manager, what needs to happen at this football club for this club to be where it needs to be. It’s not about me, it’s about this football club. Chelsea represents fight and spirit, determination. And that was lacking in every department this evening.”
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Issues with the structure of the squad:
“We’ve had injuries. It’s not an excuse, it’s a reality. That team we put out today was far better, in terms of this engagement to the game. For me, I will pick a team on Sunday that represent the club in the correct manner.”
On the FA Cup semi-final against Leeds being a potentially season-defining game:
“This was a huge game and we didn’t hit the mark anywhere near. Any game between now and the end of the season is a huge game and it needs to look like that in the way that we play.”
What needs to happen between now and Sunday’s game, given his team look ‘bereft’:
“That’s your opinion. I have to sit with the staff. And we have to make sure we get it right for Sunday.”
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