Liam Rosenior marked his Premier League managerial debut with a solid win over Brentford on Saturday. A 2-0 victory, thanks to goals from Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer, saw the Blues take all three points away from Stamford Bridge.
Rosenior's first Premier League lineup saw him name a strong side with Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho on either side of Palmer and Pedro leading the line, and it didn't take long for the Brazilian to break the deadlock.
The former Brighton man opened the scoring with a thunderous strike after just 26 minutes. Although Chelsea weren't at their very best from then on, the Bees offered very little in terms of a threat. Palmer's second-half penalty sealed the tie.
It wasn't just the result or the quality of Pedro's opener that Rosenior was pleased with. The new Chelsea boss took a moment to explain the impact his number 20's work rate had on the side's overall performance.
Liam Rosenior loved what Joao Pedro did against Brentford
Pedro made way for Liam Delap after 74 minutes, but just moments before his substitution, the 24-year-old bust a gut to recover the ball, and it didn't go unnoticed by Rosenior.
Speaking to Chelsea's official website about Pedro after the game, Rosenior said:
"It wasn’t just his goal [that pleased me], it was his performance. We went a little bit more direct to take Brentford off the press early in the game and he won every duel. He was outstanding.Liam Rosenior
There was also a moment that made me so happy. In the first half, Brentford were breaking on transition and he's sprinted back 70 yards to make a tackle. That's what I love, that's what I want to see in my team.
I said to him – and not just him, all of the players – the harder you work for the team, the more chances come for you, and he took his chance magnificently. It was a fantastic strike."
Even though Pedro only joined six months ago, he has, at times, come under fire for his lack of attacking contributions. However, with a new manager now at the helm, and one who clearly has full confidence in him, the South American will be hoping he can go from strength to strength and prove his critics wrong.
Delap will also be chomping at the bit to show he has what it takes to be a success at Stamford Bridge. According to many, the former Ipswich Town forward has been one of the biggest disappointments of the season. Still, with a hamstring injury disrupting his start, fans will stick with him, as will Rosenior, who prides himself on helping younger players improve.
With that said, any player, not just the forwards, who hopes to remain a Chelsea first-team player must match Rosenior's physical demands, and that isn't easy given the unforgiving pace and relentlessness of the Premier League.