Blues boss hopes to overcome first-leg deficit to book place at Wembley
Liam Rosenior says that of Chelsea his recent successes on the biggest stages give him confidence in the ability of his players to rise to the occasion. Arsenal in the EFL Cup.
Chelsea won two major trophies last season under former head coach Enzo Maresca, winning the UEFA Conference League before winning the revamped FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.
Rosenior believes experience will be crucial as his side attempt to overturn a 3-2 deficit in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Premier League Arsenal leaders.
“I think my players can play in big games,” Rosenior said. “You look at Enzo Fernández, who won a World Cup, and the group as a whole who won two trophies last year. They can play in big games and it will definitely be a big game on Tuesday.”
Chelsea go into the tie after an impressive win over West Ham at the weekend, but Rosenior stressed that preparation and recovery were his priorities rather than focusing on Arsenal or their manager.
“I’m not going to talk about what Arsenal or Mikel Arteta did or didn’t do,” he said. “That’s not my concern. My concern is resting. It’s another three-game week and we need to recover. It’s going to be a very physical game on Tuesday and it’s about preparing the team as best I can.”
Asked if reaching a League Cup final by eliminating Arsenal would strengthen his case as Chelsea head coach, Rosenior played down any personal significance.
“I’ll be very honest, I don’t really care about proving whether I’m right for the job or not,” he said. “If we get to the final it’s great for Chelsea Football Club. It’s not about me.
“I will prove in time whether I am worthy or not, but it is not a priority in my mind.”
Rosenior also provided an update on winger Estevao, 18, who missed the win against West Ham after returning to Brazil for personal reasons.
The Chelsea boss said no decision had been made on whether the teenager would be involved against Arsenal.
“I don’t know yet,” he said. “He’s a young boy who has come in and been magnificent. He’s going through a really difficult time and he’s on compassionate leave. I won’t put any pressure on him. It has to be good for him and he has to feel like he’s in the right place to play for this team.”
