Paul Merson insists Chelsea remain the same side they were under Enzo Maresca, contradicting head coach Liam Rosenior's claim of a "clear change" since he took over.
The Blues threw away a two-goal lead against Leeds on Tuesday, drawing 2-2 at Stamford Bridge and missing the chance to move into the top four. It was Rosenior's first dropped points in the league after four straight wins.
Sky Sports pundit Merson was unimpressed. "Chelsea haven't changed since Enzo Maresca was there. They cannot put a 90-minute performance together," he said.
Despite a brilliant first half, Merson highlighted familiar frailties: "When it goes 2-1 and then 2-2, the next 15 minutes were wasted. They haven't got anybody to say: 'Calm down, we'll get another chance'."
He pointed to Cole Palmer's shocking miss from two yards as emblematic. "It's mind-blowing. If you asked him to put that over the bar, he'd find it hard."
Rosenior, however, sees progress. "I hope people can see the progression already... It's a clear change and no disrespect to anything that's happened before. There's a change in the things I like to see," he stated.
He defended his team's performance: "Genuinely, I can't remember Leeds having a shot or a moment in the game. Some of our football in possession, our press, our energy, was everything I wanted to see."
Rosenior has won seven of his 10 games, scoring 24 goals, but kept only two clean sheets. His side has shown entertaining, comeback spirit—roaring back from 2-0 down to beat West Ham—but defensive lapses remain costly.
"I don't think it was a tactical or structural issue... We made poor decisions in key moments. If we can just focus and concentrate for 90 minutes, this team has unbelievable potential," he added.
With tough fixtures ahead, Merson remains skeptical: "If Chelsea get into the Champions League positions with their run-in, I'll hold my hands up and say, 'fair play'."
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