Chelsea is once again frustrated with their manager.

The loss to Newcastle not only served as a stark warning regarding Chelsea's potential failure to secure a Champions League ticket. It highlighted doubts about Liam Rosenior's administrative competence across various dimensions.

The focal point of the match was not the sole goal by Anthony Gordon that ended Newcastle's winless streak at Stamford Bridge since 2012. It lay in the incident where referee Paul Tierney was "suddenly" surrounded by Chelsea players during the warm-up before the game commenced.

Constant complaining

That seemed more like an unintended mishap for this 45-year-old referee than a deliberate tactic by Chelsea players. However, manager Liam Rosenior appeared to shift the blame towards the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) and referee Tierney personally: "If Tierney had focused more on his professional duties, i.e., making correct decisions, we would have been awarded a penalty. So, concentrate on what matters. Our team's display of unity is less important than referees making accurate decisions on the pitch."

The penalty Rosenior demanded was from the situation where Cole Palmer was fouled by Woltemade inside the box, but referee Tierney denied it. This is not Rosenior's first involvement in controversies. A month earlier, he criticized an Arsenal coaching staff member for disrespecting his team by mistakenly entering Chelsea's side of the field, disrupting their pre-match warm-up ahead of the League Cup semi-final second leg.

Rosenior is not the first Chelsea manager dissatisfied with referees. Enzo Maresca frequently complained about refereeing decisions during his 18-month tenure at Stamford Bridge. Further back, Jose Mourinho, during his two spells leading Chelsea from 2004 to 2007 and 2013 to 2015, often clashed with referees.

However, Mourinho viewed complaining about referees as a psychological battle to gain advantages for Chelsea. Maresca, though criticized for lacking emotional restraint, at least had grounds for his criticisms of referees. What about Rosenior? Some perceive the 41-year-old manager's criticisms of opponents or referees merely as a way to mask questions about his professional expertise and Chelsea's current form.

Risk of losing Champions League qualification

Recent defeats against PSG in the Champions League and Newcastle in the Premier League have cast doubts on Rosenior's tactical decisions. The PSG match saw the English strategist unexpectedly using goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen despite Robert Sanchez's decent performance. The Danish goalkeeper was culpable, contributing to Rosenior's side conceding five goals in France. The 2-5 loss in the first leg leaves Chelsea's path to advancing in the Champions League very narrow.

In the Newcastle match, he made puzzling decisions by retaining almost the entire lineup from the PSG defeat. Only two changes occurred, both beyond Rosenior's intentions. Without Jorgensen's groin injury, Sanchez might not have returned as starter. Pedro Neto's suspension gave Alejandro Garnacho an opportunity, but the Argentine forward once again disappointed.

The concerning aspect after the Newcastle defeat is not just Chelsea missing the chance to pressure Aston Villa and Man United in the Top 5 race. After experiencing a dream month with four consecutive Premier League wins, Rosenior's Chelsea has won only one of their last five Premier League matches. This disappointing form could cost Chelsea their Champions League ticket next season, as their schedule in the final two months is predicted to be very challenging.