Chelsea v Leeds Utd Match Thread - Bielsa Names Unchanged Starting XI

[Cjay]

That being said cant see what makes Havertz worth £75mil?

[John in Louisiana]

Hmm so what was the difference between Welbeck last week and Poveda? I don't mind VAR, but there's no consistency with it, that's the problem.

Poveda didn't go down.

[gessa]

Poveda didn't go down.

Too honest

[SG90]

Poveda didn't go down.

Neither did Wellbeck though.

[Carrick Dave]

Dont agree Carrick.

1st half yes, 2nd half no.

At times Chelsea players had nobody near them, do the basics well, stick with your man etc.

Not criticising them for the loss itself, we shouldn't be beating the Billionaires toy, but not doing the basics 2nd half wasnt acceptable imo.

To easy for Chelsea at times.

I think we did the basics ok Clay, and against a lesser team we’d have got away with a point, perhaps the win.

The gulf in quality was too great second half, and probably would be if we played the game again 20 times.

Side before self applies to fans as well as players, we put our disappointment behind us, take it on the chin and move on.

[SG90]

That being said cant see what makes Havertz worth £75mil?

Chelski can afford to waste enormous sums on poor players, but that would completely cripple us.

[John in Louisiana]

Too honest

Yep. The referee will call it - or at least go to VAR - if the player goes down, but if he stays up it will never, ever get called.

Had Poveda flopped we might have been awarded the penalty.

Reminds of the old cartoon of the executives sitting around the boardroom table and the boss says, "We all know honesty is the best policy. What's the second-best policy?"

[SG90]

I think we did the basics ok Clay, and against a lesser team we’d have got away with a point, perhaps the win.

The gulf in quality was too great second half, and probably would be if we played the game again 20 times.

Side before self applies to fans as well as players, we put our disappointment behind us, take it on the chin and move on.

We just scored too early unfortunately. Shame we can't get an early goal like at home when teams park the bus.

[gessa]

Yep. The referee will call it - or at least go to VAR - if the player goes down, but if he stays up it will never, ever get called.

Had Poveda flopped we might have been awarded the penalty.

Reminds of the old cartoon of the executives sitting around the boardroom table and the boss says, "We all know honesty is the best policy. What's the second-best policy?"

If it had been at the other end, we know what the outcome would have been.

[SG90]

If it had been at the other end, we know what the outcome would have been.

I can't help but feel fans will be intimidating refs again. Chelski fans were screaming for everything tonight, got many decisions their way. It's not a level playing field at all.

[Cjay]

Chelski can afford to waste enormous sums on poor players, but that would completely cripple us.

Shows the financial difference.

Watched him a few times now, looks bang average.

[WhiteRose]

Anyone else think rodrigo must come in on friday? Dallas back to left back and drop alioski. Rodrigo is just too good to be sat doing sod all for 80 minutes. Time to give harrison a rest, and start cost on the left.

[Mick Jones shoulder]

Better side won tonight, got to defend set pieces better

[YorkshireSquare]

Anyone else think rodrigo must come in on friday? Dallas back to left back and drop alioski. Rodrigo is just too good to be sat doing sod all for 80 minutes. Time to give harrison a rest, and start cost on the left.

[Cjay]

Anyone else think rodrigo must come in on friday? Dallas back to left back and drop alioski. Rodrigo is just too good to be sat doing sod all for 80 minutes. Time to give harrison a rest, and start cost on the left.

Ali was better than Dallas last 2 games, motm contender.

But i do agree on Rodders.

He provides a level of class that we lack, could replace JH whose been living on pure effort for ages.

Rodders go right wing Raph to the left?

[1964white]

Free header for Chelsea again from a corner

Agree we were lost in the air all night, just made this point on the Man Of The Match topic

[60sUnited]

Rodrigo must start...to most of us its a no brainer....but we are not Bielsa.

[1964white]

One or two shrewd acquisitions needed in January.

It will happen Overman, we are playing against top premier league forwards with a championship defence

[Irish Ian]

Bielsa said tonight that we were not able to take the ball off them in their half.

Our pressing wasnt effective mainly due to the gap in quality.

But Im not too disappointed. I had feared being routed.

WH will give us the ball and try and exploit the gaps.

Rod to start on Friday.

[Boo Radley]

Lost to a better team. First time I've seen us look like we ran out of gas.

Spent all day chasing the ball, especially in the second half.

Our inability to defend corners was key today. They easily could have had two or three other goals from corners.

We're not a top four side yet, but I suppose we knew that.

Correct on all four points John.

What is a worry is that we’ve known for over a year that we can’t defend corners and we pose no goal threat from our own corners, irrespective of the quality of the opposition. Why can’t we address this?

Kante killed us today, especially in the second half. He’s lethal when he’s on this kind of form.

We did look tired tonight for the first time in a long time. Dallas, Klich and Ayling looked particularly out of sorts. Rodrigo will have to get a proper run next week.

Anyway, the West Ham game was always the more important game for us as it offers a far more realistic chance of points. Hopefully we’ll have a positive reaction Friday night to tonight’s disappointment.