Fourth official gets an early earful
In the sixth minute, Ben Chilwell swiped for Crysencio Summerville and took the Dutch winger out with a sliding challenge near halfway. While Michael Oliver did blow for a free-kick, Leeds United clearly wanted to see some punishment handed out early.
Mikel Antia, Javi Gracia and Luke Ayling all had words with fourth official David Coote. Ayling even tried calling him over to the touchline to get a better grasp of what was being yelled at him.
Roca’s musical chairs
In the 10th minute, Marc Roca was beckoned by Gracia to sit further forward in the dugout. The midfielder had been in the second or third row, but the head coach wanted him front and centre, among the backroom staff.
READ MORE: Leeds United relegation picture analysed after hectic Premier League afternoon
Gracia would then take that chance to give clearer instructions to Roca throughout the afternoon, though the Spaniard would never get on.
Ayling fumes at Summerville
In the 22nd minute, Leeds had found a decent position to attack from. Weston McKennie had carried the ball a decent distance and into the final third. He gave the ball to Summerville, expecting it straight back in a one-two.
The winger had other ideas, holding onto it, dilly-dallying with it until he was in a hole he couldn’t get out of. Chelsea nicked the ball and broke before Joao Felix eventually crashed a shot off the bar.
Once the ball went safely out of play, Luke Ayling would bound over to Summerville, red in the face and screaming at him. There was a quick arm around the shoulder, but the youngster was left with no doubt about how unimpressed the captain was with his ball management.
Gracia’s transition
When Jesse Marsch was in charge of Leeds he would talk about dialling it down from ‘100 to 70’ in some moments. The implication was Marcelo Bielsa’s tenure was everything at 100. However, Marsch’s football ended up being a lot more 100 than 70 and, as a result, chaotic and high-risk.
Gracia has talked about balance since arriving. This week, Tyler Adams said the new coach had stressed to the players their first pass did not always need to be directed immediately at the opposition goal.
In one particularly stressful moment of transition today, in the 44th minute, Leeds had taken the ball away from Chelsea and were threatening to break on their hosts. Instead of egging them on to glory, Gracia was out on the touchline bellowing for calm from his team in possession.
The Spaniard does not want to see his players giving the ball away every time they have it, as was the case for long spells of Saturday.
Compatriot chats
After the game, there was the usual flurry of post-match chats across the two clubs. Basque natives Kepa Arrizabalaga and Zigor Aranalde may not have worked together in the past, but they were seen chatting away as the squads came off the pitch at the end.
A little later, as the players were leaving the stadium there was a meeting between two of the few men of Surinamese descent to have played for the Whites. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink caught the attention of Summerville as the winger was heading out along the touchline.
Hasselbaink was born in Suriname while Summerville’s parents were born there and then moved to the Netherlands before he was born. The pair chatted for several minutes and posed for pictures with Hasselbaink’s group.
Hasselbaink seemed to be giving the youngster some advice and gesturing to the field as they talked.
READ NEXT:
Every word Javi Gracia said on Leeds United's defeat, attack frustrations, Gnonto, Joseph, Bamford
Luke Ayling calls on Leeds United's senior players to share attacking burden after Chelsea loss
Rate Leeds United's players after their performance in Chelsea defeat
Javi Gracia's first words on Leeds United's goal-shy relegation prospects after Chelsea
Leeds United defence making strides but attack misfires once more at Chelsea
