Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has lavished praise on summer signing Estevao Willian, describing the £29 million Brazilian teenager as "outstanding" following his impressive contribution to the Blues' 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace.
Estevao's Brilliance Shines in South London
The 18-year-old forward opened the scoring with a superb individual effort at Selhurst Park on Sunday, setting Chelsea on their way to a crucial three points that temporarily lifted them into the Premier League's top four positions. Fellow new arrivals Joao Pedro and Enzo Fernandez added further goals before Palace defender Chris Richards netted a late consolation for the home side.
Rosenior's Delight with Team Performance
Speaking after the match, Rosenior expressed particular satisfaction with his team's collective display while acknowledging Estevao's growing influence since his arrival at Stamford Bridge earlier this season. "He's a player with special abilities, special talent," Rosenior commented. "He's been ill, and every time he's been on the pitch so far with me, I think he's been outstanding."
The Chelsea boss was quick to emphasise that Estevao's success stemmed from excellent team organisation rather than individual brilliance alone. "What makes me so happy is all 11 men are back behind the ball. That's why he gets the space," Rosenior explained, highlighting the tactical discipline that created opportunities for his attacking players.
Managing a Young Talent
Rosenior revealed the careful approach being taken to nurture Estevao's development, acknowledging the challenges facing an 18-year-old adapting to English football. "Firstly, off the pitch, I know his family are here with him," Rosenior said. "I know the club have worked really, really hard for him to settle. I also know that Andrey Santos and Joao Pedro have helped him especially settle into this country."
The Chelsea manager outlined his strategic approach to managing the young Brazilian's playing time. "With an 18-year-old with a talent like his, you have to manage his minutes. You have to manage the games that you think are the right moments for him to have an impact and I'll keep doing that because I want him to have an outstanding season. I want him to have an outstanding career as well."
Impressive Start for New Manager
The victory represents Rosenior's fourth win in his first five matches since replacing Enzo Maresca at Stamford Bridge earlier this month, with only a Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg defeat to Arsenal marring his otherwise perfect start. "It was very pleasing," Rosenior said of the Palace performance. "This is always a very difficult place to come. Crystal Palace are a very good team."
Rosenior praised his players' application and preparation, saying: "I felt in terms of the game plan, the organisation, what the players gave for the last two days was outstanding." The Chelsea manager did express minor frustration at conceding a late goal, adding: "Frustrating not to have a clean sheet in the last 10 minutes and we will work on that but a lot of really pleasing signs."
Looking Ahead
Chelsea's attention now turns to a challenging run of fixtures that includes:
- A Champions League encounter against Napoli on Wednesday 28th January
- A Premier League London derby against West Ham on Saturday 31st January
- A Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Arsenal on Tuesday 3rd February
- A Premier League trip to Wolves on Saturday 7th February
- A home Premier League fixture against Leeds United on Tuesday 10th February
Estevao's continued development will be crucial as Chelsea navigate this demanding schedule while maintaining their push for Champions League qualification and competing on multiple fronts.
