‘This isn’t a Liam Rosenior problem’ - Chelsea legend blasts club owners for leading the Blues in wrong direction

The Blues' European campaign ended in a humbling 8-2 aggregate loss, with fans seen leaving Stamford Bridge early during the second leg. 

This European disappointment comes amid a poor run of domestic form, which has seen Chelsea slip out of the Premier League's top five. 

The team has managed just one win in their last five matches, a stretch that includes draws with Leeds and Burnley and a recent loss to Newcastle.

Speaking on TNT Sports, Chelsea icon Joe Cole insisted the issues run deeper than the manager, despite Rosenior's questionable tactical decisions and changes to pre-match routines.

"That is a real leveller of where this club is. Paris is the gold standard," Cole stated. "They are the Champions of Europe—it shows that Chelsea are a million miles away over the course of the two legs."

Cole acknowledged that Chelsea competed for parts of the match but failed in the decisive moments. "This isn’t a Liam Rosenior problem. 

“Liam’s doing what he’s doing; he’s just come through the door," he added. "This is a problem with the strategy and direction of where the club are going."

The 44-year-old pundit described the result as a "real eye-opener" for the club's current state. "It’s a lot of money that’s been spent and there should be a real thought of what we’re doing and how we’re doing it. That is just simply not good enough," he said.

While noting the youth in the squad, Cole emphasised the need for a change in philosophy. "There are 20-year-olds and 19-year-olds on the pitch tonight. There’s time for them to grow and improve and get better. 

“Tonight’s not their night and they’ll have better nights in their career. As a football club, you’ve got to go football club first, not business first, or you’ll get performances like that."

Chelsea will look to regroup as they travel to face Everton on Saturday in their final fixture before the international break.