Liam Rosenior praised by Chelsea legend for 'fantastic' start as Blues boss following crucial win over Napoli

Speaking on TNT Sports following Chelsea's thrilling 3-2 victory at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Cole offered a glowing endorsement of the work being done by Rosenior. The former Hull City and Strasbourg manager stepped into the hot seat following the departure of Enzo Maresca and has wasted little time in steadying the ship in west London.

While Rosenior’s appointment was met with some scrutiny given his relative lack of experience at the elite level compared to his predecessors, Cole insists the evidence on the pitch silences any critics.

"It’s been fantastic, superb," Cole said. "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."

The victory in Naples was particularly significant, ensuring Chelsea finished in the top eight of the Champions League league phase to secure automatic qualification for the last 16, bypassing the perilous play-off round.

For Cole, the most encouraging aspect of the performance in Italy was the character shown by the players. Chelsea found themselves trailing 2-1 at half-time against an Antonio Conte side but Rosenior’s men rallied in the second half, showing a resilience that has often been missing from the Blues' makeup in recent years.

"Liam is still getting his style of play in but the character was really impressive," Cole observed. "A Chelsea team who went behind could have got rolled over a few months ago so he’s instilled something in them."

Cole noted that while this version of Napoli, decimated by injuries and languishing in the table, isn't the force that won the Scudetto recently, beating a Conte team on their own patch remains a significant litmus test. "This isn’t the Napoli team that was blitzing everyone in Serie A but it’s still an Antonio Conte team," he added, emphasizing the tactical battle Rosenior had to win.

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A key factor in Chelsea's resurgence has been the form of Joao Pedro, who now has four goals in as many games. The forward was the match-winner on the night, scoring a decisive brace to turn the game on its head. Cole highlighted the Brazilian's performance as a symptom of a wider mood shift within the camp.

"The lads look happy," Cole said. "Joao Pedro can sometimes look a bit on the periphery but he was right at it tonight. It was a great performance."

The statistics back up Cole’s assessment. Since taking charge, Rosenior has overseen a remarkable upturn in fortunes. This run has not only secured their place in the last-16 of the Champions League, but has also reignited their domestic campaign. The Blues currently sit fifth in the Premier League table on 37 points, breathing down the necks of Manchester United in fourth. With the team now arguably playing their best football of the season and showing a newfound mental fortitude, Rosenior has positioned Chelsea to fight on multiple fronts as they head into the business end of the campaign.

The turnaround from the disjointed displays of the autumn to the gritty, high-energy performance in Naples suggests that the club’s hierarchy may have finally found the right figure to unite a talented but temperamental dressing room.

He will hope his side make it five wins in a row when they host West Ham in the Premier League on Sunday before coming up against Arsenal in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final tie.