Chelseas

Chelsea have received nine dismissals across all competitions, although former manager Maresca, who was sent off for over‑celebrating a last‑minute winner against Liverpool, does not count in that total.

They are one short of equalling the joint record of eight different players sent off in a single season, held by Sunderland. They are two away from matching the Premier League record for the most red cards in a campaign.

This is far from a new issue.

Chelsea, bottom of the Premier League fair‑play table, finished second‑bottom last season under Maresca and bottom the year before under Mauricio Pochettino.

Maresca initially played down concerns before later launching his own review of the team’s indiscipline prior to his departure. Rosenior, meanwhile, believed he had tightened up Chelsea‘s disciplinary problems – only to see red cards return in consecutive matches.

“I have respect for the previous manager Enzo [Maresca]. I don’t speak about what happened before but it is starting to happen with me,” Rosenior said.

“That’s something I felt we had addressed. We went 10 games without a red card, now [we have had] two in two games and that’s a problem we need to solve.”

Why are Chelsea getting so many players sent off?

One possible factor, which is played down internally in west London, is that they have the youngest squad in the Premier League and lack natural leaders.

Former England defender Matthew Upson told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It is costing them. I don’t think it is something you can address at this point – you’re in March.

“It is something that is said in pre‑season. It is cultural and you build it into the club. The players buy into it and they police it. It is about being measured and controlled at the right moment.

“Again, they are young as well. The younger you are, the more susceptible you are to those situations.”

One of the leaders tasked with helping halt Chelsea‘s disciplinary slide, Reece James, told Sky Sports: “Every time it’s someone different, not the same player. Internally we need to review and keep improving. It’s a problem.

“We are playing in the toughest league in the world — 11 v 11 is tough; 11 v 10 is even harder, no matter who you are playing.”

Co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley have become increasingly involved with the decision-making on the women’s side, and have already taken steps to shape the future of the club.

Last week, Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor signed a new contract keeping her at the club until 2030.

That came days after she voiced her frustration at their recruitment in the summer transfer window, highlighting injuries and a lack of squad depth as one of the reasons Chelsea have fallen nine points adrift of WSL leaders Manchester City.

Some fans had expressed concern over Bompastor’s tactics, despite the Frenchwoman leading Chelsea to an unbeaten domestic treble in her debut season in charge, but the timing of her contract extension was a strong statement from the club.

However, Green’s departure comes as a shock given he has been a stalwart of the club’s structure for more than a decade, and hugely successful in his position.

It will lead to further questions about Chelsea’s direction and whether there is disharmony within the club.