Beat Barcelona, lose to Leeds — Chelsea are team with mental disorder

If someone asked you to name, off the top of your head, a team that can dazzle you and knock you off your feet in one match, only to disappoint you and throw you to the ground in the next, many would probably first think of—Chelsea.

That club, in the shortest terms, is a madhouse. A team capable of tearing apart Barcelona, fighting like lions against Arsenal with a man down, and then collapsing like an ordinary group of citizens rather than a collection of footballers collectively worth hundreds of millions of euros—while facing an opponent who is practically drowning in their inability to play quality football, no matter who is on the other side. Until Chelsea shows up, that is—only then do Leeds’ valves fully open and they teach them a footballing lesson!

What Chelsea is doing is practically material for deeper analysis by psychology experts, because it’s impossible to simply explain how you can play the match of your season one week, and then fall apart like they did against Leeds, who deserve credit for fighting tooth and nail — 3–1 (2–0).

After a solid showing away at Manchester City and before that against Aston Villa, it was more than clear that someone eventually had to feel the backlash, and that the effort would return to the team from Elland Road.

It turned out that it simply had to come down on the backs of the reigning Club World Cup champions — a title that once again looks like a complete farce, because this Chelsea should in no way be allowed to call itself the club champion of the planet…

Leeds shocked the Blues as early as the 6th minute when Jaka Bijol used Anton Stach’s corner delivery and, in the manner of top-class forwards, escaped Liam Delap to head the ball behind Robert Sanchez.

By halftime, Leeds already had a two-goal cushion after Tanaka’s rocket! It was an unstoppable strike from just outside the box that landed right next to the right post — Sanchez had no real chance to react.

Even then, it was clear Leeds were ready to break their run of four straight defeats and ruin Chelsea’s evening.

Until Maresca brought on Pedro Neto at halftime in place of the dreadful Estevao, Chelsea didn’t have a single proper chance. And just five minutes after coming on, Neto repaid the trust by finding the target on an assist from Jamie Gittins. That was the signal for the Italian manager that a comeback might be possible, so he sent on Cole Palmer and Alejandro Garnacho…

Better if he hadn’t, because Chelsea’s play turned into sheer chaos, followed by a complete collapse. While Chelsea were desperately chasing an equalizer, the moment of embarrassment arrived.

Everything became clear in the 72nd minute, when Chelsea’s defense reacted at the level of a neighborhood amateur gathering… Malo Gusto played a risky cross-field pass in a dangerous area to Tosin Adarabioyo, who was caught by surprise, and to top it off, the again dreadful Robert Sanchez failed to react properly. Noah Okafor slid in at just the right moment, leaving Dominic Calvert-Lewin with nothing more to do but tap the ball into the net for the final 3–1.

And so, after a cannonade against Barcelona, Chelsea now suffer burning cheeks thanks to a relegation-threatened side at Elland Road… Leeds gave them a full-on footballing lesson.

PREMIER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 14

Tuesday

Bournemouth - Everton 0-1 (0-0)

/Grealish 78/

Fulham - Manchester City 4-5 (1-3)

/Emile Smith Rowe 45+2, Alex Iwobi 57, Chukwueze 72, 78 - Haaland 17, Reijnders 37, Foden 44, 48, Berge 54 (og)/

Newcastle Tottenham 2-2 (0-0)

/Guimaraes 71, Gordon 86(p) - Romero 78, 90+5/

Wednesday

Arsenal - Brentford 2-0 (1-0)

/Merino 11, Saka 90+1/

Brighton - Aston Villa 3-4 (2-2)

/Van Hecke 9, 83, Torres 29 og - Watkins 37, 45+7, Onana 60, Malen 78/

Burnley - Crystal Palace 0-1 (0-1)

/Munoz 44/

Wolverhampton - Nottingham Forest 0-1 (0-0)

/Jesus 73/

Leeds - Chelsea 3-1 (2-0)

/Bijol 6, Tanaka 43, Calvert-Lewin 72 - Neto 50/

Liverpool - Sunderland 1-1 (0-0)

/Mukiele 81(og) - Talbi 67/

Thursday

23.00: (1.50) Manchester United (4.30) West Ham (6.50)

***odds are subject to change***