Chelsea v Leeds United: Leeds stun Chelsea with a 3-0 win
Chelsea collapsed to a staggering 3-0 defeat at the hands of Leeds United due to a miscalculated performance by all the departments on the pitch against the Yorkshire club
Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch praised for tactical plan as Chelsea are stunned at Elland RoadEdouard Mendy’s ill-timed and unforeseen error pushed the game in favour of the opponent that snapped up their first win against the Blues since 2002.
Leeds' Brenden Aaronson struck home when the goalkeeper attempted to dribble past him in his own box. Chelsea's spirits sunk and Leeds doubled their fortune through Rodrigo's header originating from a free-kick.
Jack Harrison then lodged the third goal in the second half and the Blues were cornered by attacking players seeking to get on the end of a cross. On top of that, former Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly received a red card for his second markable offence late in the match.
As Aaronson tackled goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, the latter tried to make a Cruyff turn on the edge of his six-yard goalpost. Sadly he was careless with the ball from the first touch which gave the United States international a leeway to score.
Although Mendy made a couple of other saves, the single blunder he made cost his team the entire match. In addition, Conor Gallagher, Kalidou Koulibaly, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Jorginho, Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic, and Hakim Ziyech were the ones who fell short.
Kalidou Koulibaly lands a red card in his third match Premier League match
Nine minutes into the match, defender Kalidou Koulibaly pulled Aaronson and earned himself a yellow card. The Senegal international struggled with the ball but his contribution was noticeable in the build-up.
It could have been a possible source for Chelsea to switch the match in their favour. He had made a similar assist during Mason Mount’s first-half effort.
However, Chelsea had lost all hope by the 85th minute when another tactical foul sent Koulibaly beyond the border of the field. He will now skip the upcoming match against Leicester.
The Blue's midfield crumbled against an aggressive Leeds attack
Starting off in an unusual 2-5-3 setup, Chelsea couldn't repeat the performance they delivered against Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge.
Conor Gallagher made an impactful start helping Raheem Sterling on two occasions on the left side. However, he lost possession a few times which initiated his downfall.
Likewise, Jorginho lost the midfield battle when he gave away the ball in the 20th minute allowing Rodrigo to break the magnificent Chelsea defence.
Now, the Blues will prepare for their next match against Southampton as manager Thomas Tuchel seeks reinforcements before the end of the summer transfer window.