Liam Rosenior fumes at 'unacceptable' Chelsea performance against Brighton

Chelsea suffered their fifth straight Premier League loss on Tuesday, falling 3-0 to hosts Brighton & Hove Albion in a performance Liam Rosenior called "nowhere near good enough."

The Blues were thoroughly outplayed at the American Express Stadium, failing to register a single shot on target while allowing the Seagulls to test goalkeeper Robert Sanchez seven times.

It comes on the heels of a stunning downturn in form under Rosenior, whose entrance as manager earlier this season was followed by four straight league wins amid a six-match unbeaten streak. The shine quickly came off manager's tenure in March, when Rosenior suffered his first Premier League defeat as Chelsea boss.

The Blues bounced back with a win over Aston Villa on March 14 in what was their last victory under Rosenior, with each of the following five matches ending in defeat — without scoring a single goal during that streak.

Tuesday's match was a microcosm of all that has troubled the club in recent weeks, and Rosenior blasted the players for the performance.

"Nowhere near the levels, not even tactical, tackles, duels, intensity, spirit, energy, passion all lacking and that is the reason we lost," Rosenior told the BBC.

"I am not here to make excuses. That was unacceptable from everyone involved with me at the head of it. That needs to change.

"It is accountability. I have defended the players at times when it was the correct thing but I can't defend that performance. It doesn't represent this football club, it doesn't represent anything I ask from the group and that has to change.

"I feel numb. I'm so angry. I always speak on what I see and that was unacceptable. The goals we conceded were unacceptable and that is something I have to hold my hands up to.

"I will look at the team, will look at individuals and I will look at a team I can trust to do the basics of football and we should not be talking about the basics of football at this level. It is something we have to adjust very quickly."

The manager lamented an apparent lack of character from Chelsea on Tuesday, implying that the team simply didn't want to perform better than they did. 

"Tonight was not [about] tactical [preparation]," he said. "This was about desire, spirit, courage, and I did not see enough of that tonight.

"Nowhere near good enough and we have to improve that."

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