Chelsea have dropped a league‑high 17 points from winning positions at home and 19 in total – the second‑worst record in the Premier League behind West Ham on 20.
It is another area affected not only by red cards but also by an inability to finish teams off and defensive lapses, particularly from set-pieces.
Chelsea have conceded a league‑high 13.54 expected goals from set-pieces this season, resulting in 11 goals against.
It is unsurprising, therefore, that the combination of dead‑ball specialist Ward‑Prowse and an aerial presence such as Flemming contributed to the equaliser.
“Set plays are massive in the Premier League, they’re so important. Our record this season, defending set plays, is not at the level required for us to achieve what we want to achieve, and that’s something I need to address,” Rosenior said.
There may also be a broader mentality issue, which again could be linked to the youthfulness of the squad – particularly within Chelsea’s leadership group.
Asked whether Chelsea have enough leaders, Rosenior simply replied “Yes”, before adding: “I think there are certain values you need to have in your team.
“The best teams, the teams that win titles – which is where we want to get to – win games 1-0 when they probably haven’t played at their best.
“That should have been at least a 1-0 today. Even with 10 men for 25 minutes, that should have been a 1-0 at the least. I know what we need to get there. It’s not down to youth, it’s about assessing the players and identifying the ones you can rely on in difficult moments.”
Chelsea were booed off at full‑time, and Rosenior’s reaction may signal the end of a brief period of calm around Stamford Bridge.
It remains a promising start for the Englishman in his 11 games in charge, but he walked into a club already experiencing a febrile atmosphere, with anti‑ownership chants growing louder and fringe protests beginning to move into the mainstream.
It promises to be an interesting few weeks for Chelsea, with Arsenal, Aston Villa and Newcastle to come in a tougher run of Premier League fixtures.
