John Terry was left seething after witnessing Chelsea’s underwhelming performance against Leeds, which culminated in a 3-1 defeat. Jaka Bijol’s early goal set the tone for a dominant display from Leeds, marking only their fourth win of the season. The scoreline could have been more flattering for the Whites, with Estevao narrowly avoiding a red card for a reckless challenge on Gabriel Gudmundsson. However, it was the overall performance that caught Terry’s attention, and he was far from impressed.
Chelsea slammed for lackluster display against Leeds
If Leeds are to stave off relegation, their home form will be crucial to their success. While they’ve had some poor results at Elland Road, the stadium has largely been a fortress this season, proving to be one of the toughest venues in the Premier League. Chelsea, Newcastle, and Bournemouth have all failed to secure wins on Leeds’ turf, and Wednesday’s victory over the Blues marked only the third time Leeds have emerged victorious this season.
The stats from the match paint a stark picture:
29% possession
2.79 xG
17 shots
Two big chances
186 completed passes
Despite the numbers, Leeds’ win was well-deserved, with Terry venting his frustration at the performance levels displayed by Chelsea. “What a poor performance that was,” Terry said via his TikTok account. “Everything I said about Leeds away, they were going to be aggressive, fans were going to be up for it, it was going to be a hostile place to go. You either go there and match them, or you take the sting out of it completely, and by the looks of it, we certainly didn’t do that in the first half.”
Terry emphasized the need for Chelsea to match Leeds’ intensity and physicality. “You need to go there and show the fight, match Leeds in every single way, and then earn your right to play. After 15, 20 minutes, you play your football once you’ve earned that right. Set piece, individual mistakes defensively, clearly not good enough.”
Enzo Maresca’s Post-Match Verdict
When a newly promoted team pulls off a shock result, the opposition manager often takes the high road. However, Enzo Maresca refused to be condescending, instead acknowledging that Leeds were the superior team on the night. “I think they were better than us in all aspects; they deserved to win the game,” Maresca said, as quoted by the Yorkshire Evening Post. “When you come here, away against any team, if you don’t perform at 100 percent, the Premier League is tough. When you play, again the last two against Barcelona and Arsenal, you expect a better performance, no doubt.” Maresca’s words serve as a testament to Leeds’ dominance on the night, and a harsh reality check for Chelsea.
