YEP Jury: ‘No complaints’ as big-spending Chelsea prove too strong for Leeds United

Our fans’ panel have their say on Leeds United’s 3-1 defeat at Chelsea yesterday.
Raphinha shows his frustration after missing a chance at Chelsea. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.Raphinha shows his frustration after missing a chance at Chelsea. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.
Raphinha shows his frustration after missing a chance at Chelsea. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.

DAVID WATKINS

A bit of a lesson for Leeds in the second half, although at the end of the day an old Leeds failing, a failure to defend corner kicks did for us.

In the first half Leeds gave as good as they got and it had the look of the Liverpool game about it for long periods but after the break Chelsea showed their quality. They were neat and tidy, pressed well and of course looked very dangerous at every corner and set piece. Only the brilliance of Illan Meslier kept the Chelsea score at three.

Robin Koch goes off with an injury at Chelsea. Picture: Matthew Childs/Getty Images.Robin Koch goes off with an injury at Chelsea. Picture: Matthew Childs/Getty Images.
Robin Koch goes off with an injury at Chelsea. Picture: Matthew Childs/Getty Images.
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Leeds were restricted to three shots on target all day while our defending often looked flaky and the fact that we lost Robin Koch so early and then played the game out with Llorente limping does not auger well.

We should not be disheartened by this result, Chelsea went to the top of the table and have spent hundreds of millions on their squad so a defeat here is no disgrace; Chelsea are not the level of team we are in competition with this season, that is a tag more applicable to the next two visitors to Elland Road – West Ham and Newcastle.

Man of the match: Illan Meslier.

MATTHEW EVANS

Patrick Bamford celebrates scoring early on at Chelsea. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.Patrick Bamford celebrates scoring early on at Chelsea. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.
Patrick Bamford celebrates scoring early on at Chelsea. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.

None of us like Chelsea and it’s no fun being beaten by them but we have to acknowledge that they were the first side this season whose players appeared significantly superior to our own.

That’s as much a compliment to Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds team as it is to Chelsea given it has taken 11 games, including ties against Liverpool, Man City and Arsenal, for that gulf to show. Let’s not neglect to call out the huge gulf in resources between the two clubs that lies behind the performances on the pitch. It’s safe to say nobody will have been betting too seriously on us getting anything from a trip to Stamford Bridge in our first season back.

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United made a game of it in the first half but couldn’t get going in the second 45 as Chelsea showed hard work, organisation and determination to get the job done. There were broadly good performances from Liam Cooper and Kalvin Phillips in the United ranks but Illan Meslier was a clear man of the match for me. The fact he conceded three goals tells you everything else you need to know about this game.

Not every opponent will be as tough as this one.

Diego Llorente is challenged by Olivier Giroud. Picture: Matthew Childs/Getty Images.Diego Llorente is challenged by Olivier Giroud. Picture: Matthew Childs/Getty Images.
Diego Llorente is challenged by Olivier Giroud. Picture: Matthew Childs/Getty Images.

Man of the match: Illan Meslier.

JACOB STARR

No complaints with that one, beaten by the better team on the day, although Leeds United were certainly not disgraced by a 3-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge.

Former Chelsea-boy Patrick Bamford actually opened the scoring with only a few minutes played, and what a peach of a ball it was from Kalvin Phillips to set the striker away.

Patrick Bamford gets in a tangle with Reece James. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.Patrick Bamford gets in a tangle with Reece James. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.
Patrick Bamford gets in a tangle with Reece James. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.

With the Whites being victorious in all 25 away games they had scored first in under Bielsa prior to Saturday evening, it all seemed too good to be true. And it ultimately proved to be.

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Robin Koch was forced off early on to be replaced by Diego Llorente for his long-awaited debut. A bit of a tough game to make your debut in, eh?

Olivier Giroud brought the scores level at the break but we looked dodgy defending corners all night, and Kurt Zouma finally made one count before Christian Pulisic wrapped things up on the counter-attack.

We weren’t humiliated and showed again that we can be competitive against the ‘big boys’.

Three points from Everton and Chelsea away, I would’ve taken that!

Man of the match: Illan Meslier.

KEITH INGHAM

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Leeds’ unwanted record of not winning in London has now stretched to 13 games after their 3-1 defeat at the hands of Frank Lampard’s Chelsea.

United, though, will take heart from an impressive first half where they took an early lead through top scorer and future England international Patrick Bamford.

Quite surprisingly it was Leeds who took the lead on four minutes. A fantastic ball from Kalvin Phillips found Bamford who brushed aside the attentions of a couple of defenders to net his eighth goal of the season. A lovely composed finish from Bam, Bam.

The hosts created numerous chances and finally equalised before the half hour mark when the impressive Reece James found Giroud at the near post who netted his fifth goal in two matches.

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Chelsea upped their ante after the break, quick passing bypassed the Leeds midfield and presented Giroud and Werner opportunities which they spurned or Meslier stopped.

It was inevitable that they would go ahead and centre-back Zouma headed in from a corner with under 30 minutes to play.

United brought on Poveda for Harrison and the substitute so nearly gave them the chance to level matters but instead of going down in the area under a challenge, he got a shot away that Mendy saved.

It was a clear foul on the winger, like the one on Brighton’s Danny Welbeck last weekend against Liverpool.

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Chelsea finished off United with a breakaway from Werner. He found substitute Pulisic who beat Meslier from just outside the six-yard box with his outstretched boot to give Chelsea another home win over Leeds.

It’s very hard to criticise United, they played their part in a good game but Chelsea deserved to win.

Man of the match: Illan Meslier.

ANDY RHODES

Prior to this game, the Jury were somewhat pessimistic with their predictions. With a little bit of luck, we might have all been proven wrong.

In the end, 3-1 was harsh on Leeds, particularly after the first half in which United more than held their own.

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The Whites picked up where they left off last weekend against Everton, scoring an opener that they more than deserved.

In fact, they were unlucky to concede and go in level at the break.

Chelsea were made to look amateurish by United’s passing. Kalvin Phillips again pulled the strings in midfield.

However, Olivier Giroud’s experience told, as did that little bit of quality in the second half as Leeds were ultimately undone.

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United can take confidence again from the fact that they can mix it with the league’s top sides.

On a different day, more of those first-half chances would have found the net.

Once again, though, they’ve caught the eye.

Man of the match: Kalvin Phillips.

MIKE GILL

As we knew, this was always going to be a tough test. Even before Bamford’s superbly worked early goal, there were signs that the Whites were going to have difficulty playing their usual game.

Nevertheless for 23 minutes, United hung onto their lead and when Werner failed to score from under the crossbar you began to wonder whether the Whites could hold on.

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Then the inevitable happened, veteran striker Olivier Giroud stuck his foot out to connect with a cross from Reece James and the sides were level.

The second half started with hopes that United could hang on for the point but they were almost completely hemmed in.

Despite continual heroics from Illan Meslier, the Whites’ resistance finally cracked on the hour as Kurt Zouma sent a bullet-like header into the net from a corner.

Pulisic added the third almost at the end and United were left to worry about Koch’s injury and lick their wounds.

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A positive was a good performance from Llorente and the continual progress of our young goalkeeper.

Man of the match: Illan Meslier.

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