Chelsea is shrouded in chaos, pure chaos. Their keeper actually threw one into his own net here; they had five forwards on the pitch at one point, some of whom seemed unsure where they were supposed to operate.
Performances are often the product of what happens behind the scenes and it was proof that a club was struggling for its direction.
Leeds, on the other hand – well, something is going on with them. If Chelsea were destroyed by the chaos, then Leeds seemed emboldened by the crazy atmosphere. It was their second home win of the season, already halfway to last year’s total. And what a beating they inflicted.
Leeds produced their best performance under Jesse Marsch by hammering Chelsea on a raucous Elland Road (pictured)
It was their first win over Chelsea since 2002, but what Jesse Marsch is building here is far more important to those crammed into Elland Road. Chelsea aren’t the only club to have undergone an overhaul – Marsch also oversaw one, but Leeds’ version was methodical.
This posting was carefully managed, professional. Chelsea’s scatty politics in the transfer window – the Todd Boehly raffle – manifested on an afternoon that makes you wonder where they are heading.
Thomas Tuchel, resigned to defeat long before Jack Harrison scored the third 21 minutes from time, must surely be asking himself these questions, even if not publicly. With around £180m already spent, somewhat erratically, more will follow to shatter spending records in all likelihood.
Leeds got off to a fiery start and earned their lead midway through the first half after a howl from Edouard Mendy
Brenden Aaronson capitalized on the error to score his second home goal ahead of a feverish Elland Road on Sunday
They need a striker, but do they need 33-year-old Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang? They need a centre-half but is there more than £80m on Wesley Fofana or Harry Maguire? Perhaps in the future this window will make sense, but watching them succumb against tactically sound opposition here, that future seems distant.
In fact, yesterday was quite irrational. Kalidou Koulibaly got sent off with six minutes left – the game is obviously long over – by taking a second booking to prevent the lively Joe Gelhardt from rushing in. Not a challenge Koulibaly had to take up.
Add that farce to Edouard Mendy giving Leeds a 33rd-minute opener, losing possession inside their own penalty area to the magnificent Brenden Aaronson.
Rodrigo and Jack Harrison were superb in attack and gave Chelsea’s back line a torrid afternoon thanks to a tough run
Elland Road was a picture on a hot afternoon in Leeds as the atmosphere was feverish and drove their team to victory
It had even been a bit in a fierce environment. Marsch rushed to take notes; Tuchel hastened to reprimand several of his players, including Koulibaly. Thiago Silva and Reece James argued after Aaronson cleared Rodrigo, only for the striker to shoot Mendy straight from the corner.
Angles are what Leeds work so well and Mendy suffered from it. After a simple back pass from Silva, the goalkeeper’s passing lines were cut by the industrious Aaronson, already a favorite in the area, and he panicked. An aborted Cruyff turn caused trouble, Aaronson gleefully nicked it on the line. Marsch ran away, initially with an arm from Alan Shearer in the air – Chelsea had fallen into the home side’s trap.
Four minutes later, they were completely distraught. Raheem Sterling, who previously scored for offside, brought down Marc Roca in the corner of their area. Harrison knew the exact arc of Rodrigo’s arrow through Silva and the Spain international’s ballhead flew past Mendy before Silva had a chance to see it coming.
Thomas Tuchel has a lot to think about as he watched his side fall to their first defeat of the season in soft fashion
“Cheap, useless,” Tuchel said. “We gave up an own goal and a cheap free kick. It had nothing to do with pressing. It was more our fault than someone else’s credit.
Few will agree; it was Leeds at a tee. Elland Road, feisty nonetheless but even warmer given the historic significance of this game, made it nasty, providing extra energy to a team surviving from it. Forty-five seconds before taking a two-goal lead into the break, Rodrigo effectively launched Marc Cucurella into the stand and again rallied those standing nearby – as if someone really needed him.
Tyler Adams and Roca are already developing a strong partnership, three games into their careers together, closing the big gap left by Kalvin Phillips. Conor Gallagher didn’t have time to reflect on his Chelsea debut and Jorginho looked uncharacteristically flustered.
Leeds, who have won the midfield battle with elegance, are unafraid to come back in the lead when needed, happy to play through the break, and others will face similar difficulties containing that here.
Later they played smart, occasionally slowing everything down. “The best since I’ve been here,” Marsch said, before delivering a rejoinder to Tuchel. “The way we played almost entirely dictated the game. We made them make mistakes.
Kalidou Koulibaly’s late red card after two bookings only worsened the shocking afternoon Chelsea endured
Chelsea had briefly threatened and quite right too given the quality at Tuchel’s disposal. Sterling folded in the opening seconds, with Illan Meslier showing a strong wrist to thwart Mason Mount’s low drive at the end of a sharp counter.
But more pain was to come for Tuchel, who remained in the safety of his dugout for much of this game before generally moaning against fourth official Michael Salisbury in stoppage time.
Jesse Marsch and Leeds fans endured a bit of a rocky relationship but the mood on Sunday suggested a romance was beginning
Rodrigo fell in front, finding Dan James on the left. The Spaniard, maligned last season but with renewed vigor that, wanted a piece of the eventual cross. Chelsea watched as James got up, Rodrigo bundled up in the way of Harrison and he hooked the ball over Mendy’s line.
He was wildly cheered on, if a little messy – just like Chelsea right now.
Did you miss the action? Relive the drama with Sportsmail’s live blog for Sunday afternoon’s Premier League clash between Leeds and Chelsea, plus updates from West Ham v Brighton, below.
Comments are closed.