Chelsea fail to get the better of old rivals Leeds Utd in a 2-2 draw
Chelsea vs Leeds kicked off Gameweek 26 at Stamford Bridge on the night of Tuesday, February 10, in a game that ended in a draw.
Despite enjoying a 2-0 lead past the one-hour mark, Chelsea conceded two goals to Leeds, forfeiting a full bag of points.
A win would have seen Chelsea go into the top four of the Premier League table, with fourth-placed Manchester United drawing to West Ham on the same night.
Midway through the first half, Cole Palmer played a simple pass between two Leeds defenders into Joao Pedro’s path, who chipped it into the opposition goal.
In the second half, after the Brazilian was pushed, Palmer converted a penalty, seemingly sealing what looked like a Chelsea win.
However, Leeds responded with a penalty of their own, before levelling in the 73rd minute.
Chelsea made an effort to regain control over their rivals, but with Pedro hitting the woodwork and Palmer missing the target, the points were shared between the two sides.
‘We need to be focused’
“We are very frustrated because I think we started the game very well,’ Joao Pedro said after the game. “We controlled the game at 1-0 and 2-0, but in the end, we conceded.”
The striker also pointed out Chelsea’s inconsistency this season: “I think we have to be more consistent and more focused, and kill the game, but today it happened again. We need to look at ourselves to see where we can improve.”
“This season has been like this. When things like this happen, where we could win the game - I had a chance, Cole had a chance - I think it’s just not our day. We need to be focused to try to win the game.
“I think we need to be more consistent. If you want to achieve the Champions League and top four, you cannot drop points like this.”
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Rosenior’s thoughts
This marked the first time Chelsea did not win a Premier League game under Liam Rosenior, who against Wolves, became just the fifth Chelsea manager to win their first four league games in charge.
Speaking to the media after the game, the new Chelsea head coach spoke on the performance.
“In the first half some of the moments were really enjoyable to watch. That’s why it’s so frustrating that I’m not talking about that more because we should have three points in our pocket and be talking about the positives from that performance.”
He also made sure to note the progress he sees within his team, saying, “Anything can happen in football when you don’t take care of key moments, that’s why we watch the game, but I hope people can see the progression already, considering we’ve played 10 games in 32 days.
“There’s a change in the things I want to see, but what I really want to see is three points on the board every week.”
The Blues’ next fixture is an FA Cup fourth-round game against Hull City on Friday, February 13, where no points are on offer, but qualification to the last 16 is non-negotiable.
On Saturday, February 21, Premier League points will be on offer as Chelsea take on Burnley at Stamford Bridge.
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