Joe Cole believes Chelsea are beginning to rediscover their identity under Liam Rosenior, praising the head coach for the swift transformation he has overseen since arriving at Stamford Bridge.
Speaking after the Blues’ impressive Champions League victory over Napoli, the former Chelsea star highlighted renewed belief, improved character and a growing tactical clarity as signs that Rosenior’s influence is taking hold.
Chelsea’s win in Naples secured their place in the Champions League round of 16, joining Premier League rivals Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham in the knockout stages.
The result underlined the club’s resurgence following the departure of Enzo Maresca, with Rosenior steadying the ship and guiding the west London side back into European relevance.
Central to that success on Wednesday night was Joao Pedro, whose performance offered further evidence of a player re-energised by the new regime.
Rosenior, previously in charge of Hull City and Strasbourg, has wasted little time reshaping Chelsea’s approach.
Results have followed quickly, with five wins from their last six matches across competitions, but Cole was keen to stress that the evolution is still ongoing. In his assessment, the early signs are as encouraging as they are convincing.
Cole pointed to the resilience Chelsea showed after falling behind in Naples as a key indicator of progress.
“It’s been fantastic, superb. A lot of people talk about what he’s been saying, but you need to look at the team. They’ve won five out of six games now and gone to Napoli and won. You can’t really knock that.
“Liam is still getting his style of play in, but the character was really impressive. A Chelsea team who went behind could have got rolled over a few months ago so he’s instilled something in them.
“The lads look happy. Joao Pedro can sometimes look a bit on the periphery, but he was right at it tonight. It was a great performance.”
Attention now turns back to domestic matters, with Chelsea hosting West Ham United at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Victory would strengthen their push into the Premier League’s top four and potentially see them move above Manchester United.
