LONDON: Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has issued a stern warning to his players to improve their discipline following Pedro Neto’s latest red card.
A 2-1 defeat to Premier League leaders Arsenal at the Emirates saw Chelsea win just two of their last six matches in all competitions.
Chelsea are currently sixth in the league and will face Aston Villa this Wednesday, three points behind Liverpool in the race for next season’s Champions League spot.
Disciplinary problems have become a thorn in the side this season as Neto became the ninth Chelsea player to be sent off in all competitions, seven of them in league action.
Rosenior, who took over from Enzo Maresca in January, said Neto had apologised to his team-mates after being shown a red card in the 70th minute.
“My job is to build a culture of accountability. If you make a mistake, it’s okay, admit it and make sure it doesn’t happen again.
“But you have to take responsibility for the original mistake. If I make the wrong lineup, I have to take responsibility. The players are the same,” said Rosenior.
According to him, he wants to see a change in attitude, not just an apology.
“I need to see an improvement in behaviour. Not just Pedro. We have unnecessary yellow cards, protests to the referee, unjustified fouls.
“If we want to get to the next level, we need to take conscious steps to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
“If you look at our data, when there are enough 11 players on the field, the winning percentage jumps up. That in itself should be motivation to stay disciplined.
“I can’t afford to go through the season with a red card every two or three games. So I have to adjust the selection based on who has shown improvement in that aspect,” he said.