Leeds United failed to continue their good momentum as they slumped to a 3-1 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The Whites simply didn’t look like their best despite finding an early opener through Patrick Bamford as some lacklustre defending allowed the likes of Olivier Giroud, Kurt Zouma and Christian Pulisic to find the back of the net.
Leeds United Player Ratings Vs Chelsea
Illan Meslier 8/10
Illan Meslier by far the best player for Leeds United in this game. He made a host of world-class saves throughout the game to keep his team in the contest. His double save to deny Timo Werner, in particular, was nothing less than remarkable.
Luke Ayling 6.5/10
An eventful game for Luke Ayling, who operated as an auxiliary centre-back during defensive phases. Did well to deal with the pressure of Christian Pulisic while making some useful forays down the flanks.
Robin Koch N/A
Robin Koch’s night was cut short with an early injury that forced him to come off within the first ten minutes of the game. A disappointing sight for Leeds United fans.
Liam Cooper 4/10
Liam Cooper was all over the place for the most part of the game. The captain failed to provide the leadership in the backline and his defending from set-pieces, in particular, was atrocious.
Kalvin Phillips 6/10
Provided a world-class pass to set up Bamford’s opener, in what will go down as one of the assists of the season. The midfielder, however, found it difficult to impose his authority in midfield, perhaps due to the presence of N’Golo Kante in the middle of the park.
Raphinha 5/10
Raphinha showed promise once again on the right-hand channel, but one could argue that he was a bit wasteful in front of goal. The Brazilian also failed to provide much penetration in the second half.
Stuart Dallas 6/10
Stuart Dallas made some good attacking runs, but it wasn’t enough to get the better of Chelsea, who remained strong in midfield. Shifted into a more familiar left-back position following the substitution of Alioski.
Mateusz Klich 6/10
Mateusz Klich played a key role in the first line of press but the Pole was far from effective. His lack of productivity coincided with Leeds United’s struggles of creating chances in the final third.
Ezgjan Alioski 5/10
It was always a risk to field Ezgjan Alioski on the left flank and the move didn’t pay off for Marcelo Bielsa as the Macedonian international struggled in dealing with the threat of Reece James, Hakim Ziyech and even Timo Werner.
Jack Harrison 5/10
Jack Harrison showed glimpses of what he is really capable of, at times, but it was overall a quiet evening and one could expect a bit more penetration from the on-loan Manchester City winger.
Patrick Bamford 6.5/10
A calm and composed finish that saw him score against his former club. From then on, however, the striker found it difficult to find chances as Chelsea doubled down on him.
SUBSTITUTES
Diego Llorente 4/10
Replaced the injured Koch early on in the game and unsurprisingly looked troubled dealing with the Chelsea attackers. The Spaniard lacked communication with Cooper while offering very little in the build-up play.
Ian Poveda 7/10
It was yet another impactful substitute appearance from Ian Poveda, who might have even won a penalty had he fallen down inside the box. It is about time Bielsa considers him as a starting option.
Rodrigo Moreno 6.5/10
Replaced Alioski midway through the second half, offering a far more creative presence in the final third. It wasn’t enough to unsettle the Chelsea backline, however.
