LIAM Rosenior insisted he wouldn’t rip up a winning formula after beginning his Chelsea reign with the Blues’ biggest winning margin in their first match under a new boss since 2008.
Chelsea defeated Charlton Athletic 5-1 in the third round of the FA Cup at a charged Valley.
Rosenior replaced Enzo Maresca after Chelsea and the Italian parted company despite Conference League and Club World Cup triumphs last season.
“This is a team that won the Club World Cup,” Rosenior said. “That was five months ago. This is a team that won the Conference League last year. We’re a good team.
“We are a good team. They’ve been well-coached – I’ve made no secret of that.”
Rosenior was appointed from sister club Strasbourg last week. The last Chelsea boss to win by four goals in his first game was Luiz Felipe Scolari, 4-0 against Portsmouth in August 2008.
Chelsea went two goals in front through Jorrel Hato and Tosin Adarabioyo either side of the break.
Miles Leaburn halved the deficit in the 57th minute before Marc Guiu restored the two-goal advantage in the 62nd minute and substitutes Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez scored two more in stoppage-time.
“I think the biggest thing I challenged the players on was our reactions to setbacks, our intensity. I was very happy with the togetherness and the spirit of the group today,” Rosenior said.
“I was very happy with the intensity that they ran at – winning duels, winning headers, all of the basics. And that’s where you get your joy from.
“We need to improve in that aspect as well – long throws, wide free-kicks, corners going into our box. They are the basics that I talk about in football.”
Rosenior had the luxury of bringing on Liam Delap, Neto, Fernandez and Estevao Willian against Nathan Jones’ Championship side.
“I have to say I was delighted with the starting XI. I was delighted with the front three. I felt Ale [Garnacho] kept going in his one-v-ones,” Rosenior said.
“Marc Guiu was magnificent, deserved his goal. Jamie [Gittens] looked like he was going at the defenders. He looked like he could create in a lot of moments. So a lot of real positives and a good start.”
It was nineteen-year-old full-back Hato’s first goal on his eighth start since his £37million move from Ajax last summer.
“I saw him play at Fulham,” Rosenior said. “I was so impressed with him then. He’s taken that form on to another level today. Not just in terms of his goal, I felt his defensive attributes were top.”
