Thank you very much for joining me.
Have a look at Jamie Jackson’s match report right here:
Updated
John Brewin witnessed another West Ham defeat.
Why not join Daniel Harris for Newcastle v Manchester City?
https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2022/aug/21/newcastle-united-v-manchester-city-premier-league-live
The good news for Chelsea is that they have a week to prepare for their match against Leicester next weekend, and the Foxes are really poor at the moment.
Aaronson: “We dreamed about it for a long time, it is a dream come true. It shows how much we’ve improved.”
On running more than Chelsea: “It shows you who wants it much. We were pumped up, the crowd were.”
Harrison: “We conducted a really good tactical plan from Jesse. We knew we had to be ruthless and the whole team were.
“We set the tone today and we have to try and implement this performance this week. We know it will be hard.”
Koulibaly …
6 - Since the start of the 2017-18 season, Kalidou Koulibaly has been sent off six times in Serie A and the Premier League combined - the most of any player in the big-five European leagues in this time. Dismissed. pic.twitter.com/ZTnXN0qJyN
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 21, 2022
Chelsea are left with four points from three games. Not what Tuchel was expecting, I am sure.
Marsch is waving his jacket above his head to the music of the Kaizer Chiefs. He is enjoying himself. He looks like he has won over the Leeds fans now.
Updated
Admir Pajic says: “Imagine watching this Chelsea defence and thinking: ‘Yes, one man can fix this. Let’s bid £60m for Harry Maguire.’”
MORE MONEY IS REQUIRED.
Marsch is jubilant. Tuchel gets a handshake before he goes to hug his Leeds charges.
Full time: Leeds 3-0 Chelsea
Chelsea set their own downfall by gifting Leeds the opener thanks to some rank stupidity from Mendy. They never recovered and Leeds’ intensity was too much for Tuchel’s side who crumbled under the pressure they faced at Elland Road. Koulibaly being sent off was the icing on the incompetence cake. Leeds were great thanks to their intensity and work ethic. What a day at Elland Road.
Hilariously, Tuchel spent the final moments of injury-time shouting at the fourth official. Calm down, mate, and make your team better.
Updated
90 mins: Three minutes added on.
89 mins: Leeds still giving it absolutely everything in challenges. They want to make sure they keep a cleansheet.
87 mins: Chelsea have made some dreadful decisions from start to finish today. Azpilicueta, Chelsea’s most sensible player, is coming on for Sterling, who has underwhelmed. The England forward sprints off to end this nightmare.
RED CARD - Koulibally
84 mins: Another bit of stupidity from Koulibaly. He pulls down Gelhardt to stop him chasing a through ball. Attwell pulls out a second yellow card followed by the inevitable red.
Updated
83 mins: Ziyech smacks a wicked shot from 22 yards but it blocked by his Chelsea teammate Havertz. Good to see the German get involved.
Leeds are making their changes with Harrison, Rodrigo and Aaronson getting standing ovations.
81 mins: Klich, Greenwood and Gelhardt are readying themselves for Leeds.
“In many of the PL pre season prediction programs on line Jesse Marsch’s name popped up in the first manager to be fired category,” emails Mary Waltz. “Early days but that idea has been put away.”
For the record, I would like to say I wasn’t one of those people.
79 mins: Struijk fouls Havertz to make the German feel like he’s been involved.
Sky are flashing up a few stats, including the fact Leeds have covered a helluva lot more ground than Chelsea.
77 mins: Chilwell is readying himself for action while Struijk is treated for some ailment or other.
Only slightly?
... ninety-nine percent of people wouldn't have predicted this, and the one percent who did was a slightly drunk bloke who wandered into the bookies on the way home from the pub ... #LEECHE @Will_Unwin
— VoiceOfTheMysterons (@Mysteron_Voice) August 21, 2022
75 mins: Havertz is still on the pitch. Who knew?
73 mins: ELLAND ROAD IS BOUNCING! Leeds look confident and keen on a little bit of showboating. Rodrigo has just tried a 40-yard through ball to show off his range of passing. What a day this is for Leeds.
71 mins: I am not sure there is any way back for Chelsea now. Tuchel looks ruddy miserable in the dugout.
Sinisterra is on for his home Leeds debut.
I think he is the man made to calm things down in the big matches. He is certainly not used to being harassed like this.
Is Jorginho playing in the wrong league @Will_Unwin? Every time I see him, the game goes past him. No use playing a man to control the tempo if the kids keep nicking his baton.
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) August 21, 2022
GOAL! Leeds 3-0 Chelsea (Harrison 69)
Leeds work it through the Chelsea defence; James lifts a cross in from the left, it bounces off Rodrigo and Harrison reacts quickest to divert the ball home from close range.
Updated
67 mins: Sterling tries to lead a break but he runs into Adams and the referee gives nothing.
65 mins: James drives towards the box and drives a low shot towards goal from 25 yards, it skips off the surface and Meslier does well to fingertip the ball wide.
63 mins: It looks like the Chelsea changes are coming too. Pulisic is stripped and ready for action. He will be joined on the pitch by Ziyech.
Adam Kline-Schoder emails: “Re the best American to play in the Premier League: I’ve always been impressed by the American goalkeepers - Tim Howard, Kasey Keller, etc. Too bad they keep getting overlooked. Ah well; always a bridesmaid and never a McBride, eh?”
There’s been no shortage of good American goalkeepers down the years.
61 mins: Sub for Leeds with Forshaw coming on for Roca. The Spaniard has worked hard in midfield today. Marsch must want some fresh legs in there to keep up Leeds’ high tempo.
59 mins: They have just shown Havertz on the screen to remind me that he is playing. I am not sure I have mentioned him once.
57 mins: Aaronson clips a cross to the back post for Harrison to attack. Despite sprinting at full pelt, the winger is beaten to the ball by James who turns it behind for a corner.
Down the other end … Gallagher spins inside the box but sees his shot deflect inches wide.
Everyone who has emailed about the best American in the Premier League says Clint Dempsey, so he wins.
55 mins: Chelsea have looked brighter in the opening 10 minutes of the second half but without offering the requisite threat to get back into the game. I suspect we might see Hudson-Odoi or Pulisic on soon to add greater width.
53 mins: A Loftus-Cheek shot deflects into Gallagher’s path in space in the area, he takes a touch and should score but Meslier is quickly out to spurn the chance as the offside flag goes up.
Updated
51 mins: Chelsea struggle to clear a Leeds corner but when they eventually do, Sterling leads the counter and slips a pass into Mount’s path but his shot is straight at a defender.
49 mins: Another chance for Cucurella. Chelsea get the ball into the box - Mounts lays it into the path of the Spaniard but he swings his right boot at it and sends his shot over.
47 mins: Chelsea are now playing with a back four so there has been a tactical change but the personnel have remained the same. James at right-back, Cucurella left with Loftus-Cheek pushed into midfield alongside Jorginho, and Gallagher is further up the pitch. Looks like a 4-2-3-1, I would say.
Ezra Finkelstein asks: “On the topic of Americans in the Premier League, who was the best Yank to play here?”
Second half
Here we go again!
(No changes)
Michael Driscoll says: “I’m from the same part of the US as Brendan Aaronsen (South Jersey, the happy half of the Garden State). He has a younger brother who also came up through the Philadelphia Union youth academy (one of the best among MLS), and he plays for the Union now. This kid is legit.”
I have heard his brother Paxten might be better than Brenden. We shall see …
It might be extreme to sub a goalkeeper but I do wonder if being allowed to make five changes during the match might mean we see more goalkeeper changes mid-match …
Mendy and Gallagher need to be substituted. Mendy is really tired and weak
— Mikky (@Mikky56387289) August 21, 2022
Some half-time reading from the main man Nick Ames.
Half-time: Leeds 2-0 Chelsea
What a half from Leeds. They started off with an incredible intensity to let Chelsea know they were in for a game. When the tide did start to turn in Chelsea’s favour, Leeds saw the danger signs and upped the tempo once more. Admittedly, the Mendy howler really helped Leeds but, overall, they deserve their lead. Chelsea look rattled and I suspect will make some half-time substitutions.
Updated
45 mins: Two minutes added on.
43 mins: Roca is on the deck after being caught in the back of the head. It allows Sky to take a good look at how hard Aaronson has worked. His heat maps implies he has covered 97% of the pitch already.
41 mins: I say that and then Loftus-Cheek does some fine work on the right, showing skill to get to the byline from where he pulls the ball back to Cucurella in space but he reminds everyone why he is a defender by trade with an unconvincing shot that dribbles wide.
39 mins: Just when I thought Chelsea were in control, Leeds turn it around thanks to their intense work across the pitch. Chelsea might need to make some half-time changes at this rate. I would advise Koulibaly and Loftus-Cheek are the ones to go off.
GOAL! Leeds 2-0 Chelsea (Rodrigo, 37)
Elland Road is bouncing and Chelsea are on the rocks. Sterling is booked for some sort of infringement involving Roca on the edge of the box. Very soft.
Harrison whips in the resulting free-kick and Rodrigo beats James to the ball to flick it across Mendy for the second. OOOOOOOOF!!
Updated
35 mins: Lordy that is thick. Koulibaly, who has already been booked, goes through the back of James. Chelsea are wound up and feeling the pressure. Tuchel might need to calm his players down here.
GOAL! Leeds 1-0 Chelsea (Aaronson, 33)
A SHOCKER FROM MENDY! Elland Road erupts after Mendy receives a backpass and takes far too many touches before trying to go past Aaronson, who dispossesses the goalkeeper and taps into an empty net. That is stupid from Mendy.
Updated
32 mins: Rodrigo is penalised for a shoulder in James’ back, much to the Spaniard’s chagrin. He storms over to Stuart Attwell to express his displeasure but it does not change the referee’s mind.
Rodrigo channels frustration with a vicious shot from inside the area but it is straight at Mendy, who holds on.
30 mins: Aaronson sends an outswinging corner into the box, it lands on Llorente’s head but he is underneath the ball and sends his effort well over.
28 mins: Chelsea are starting to control this game, I feel. They have seen off the early intense press from Leeds and are looking to turn possession into chances.
26 mins: Struijk is penalised for fouling Loftus-Cheek after getting too close to the Chelsea man. That is becoming an intriguing duel on the far side. I imagine at least one of them will be booked before the final whistle.
24 mins: Elsewhere: West Ham 0-1 Brighton (Mac Allister, pen)
22 mins: Chelsea break on Leeds, with the ball reaching Mount around 25 yards from goal; the England midfielder dribbles forward and takes aim from the edge of the area but Meslier gets down to his left to turn it behind.
“This is MarschBall,” emails Jeremy Boyce, “very similar to the BielsaBall we all loved. The test is, does he have a plan B, Bielsa was plan A all the way, a great plan but you need the players to make it work.”
Plan B might still be waiting to be signed in the transfer market.
20 mins: Koulibaly is inside the Leeds half and decides he has a cunning plan. Sadly, Baldrick has helped him concoct it and he just pings the ball straight into Meslier’s arms. Tuchel is rightly fuming.
Down the other end, Rodrigo latches onto a ball that ricochets into his path but he drags his shot wide from just inside the area.
18 mins: Chelsea ping a few dangerous passes around their own box. They are toying with the Leeds press but it is eventually their downfall as the home team win the ball back, only to see their counter ended by the offside flag.
16 mins: That is a warning for Leeds. Sterling has roamed into space on two occasions in this match and the need to keep an eye on him.
15 mins: No goal! Sterling receives a pass from Cucurella, he takes a few touches and then curls the ball into the bottom. Luckily for Leeds the flag is raised against Sterling and VAR agrees.
Updated
12 mins: Leeds under Marsch certainly get in the faces of opponents. Chelsea have looked a little rattled by the closing down they are witnessing.
10 mins: Koulibaly is turned by Aaronson, forcing the defender to pull him back to stop the attack. A yellow card is issued for his troubles. Leeds have had more possession in the opening 10 minutes, according to the stats. I am not sure many will have anticipated that.
Updated
8 mins: Aaronson almost slips a pass through for James to latch onto. The American looks brought for Leeds once more. I saw him play on the opening day when he showed great promise.
6 mins: Loftus-Cheek receives the ball in space inside the box but he takes too many touches when a shot seems the best option. In the end he is closed down, resulting in a Chelsea corner. Maybe a more confident player in front of goal would have fired a shot off. A golden opportunity missed.
Struijk is on the deck after coming off worse following a challenge with Loftus-Cheek. The Leeds defender catches an elbow from his opponent who does not try very hard to get the ball. There is no booking for Loftus-Cheek but Marsch and Tuchel share a few words.
4 mins: Leeds look up for the battle today. They are putting Chelsea under pressure wherever they are on the pitch. James has their first shot in anger of the day but it flies very high and well wide.
A well-worked move concludes with Harrison stinging Mendy’s palms soon after.
Updated
2 mins: A very good chance for Sterling. The forward finds space on the left, collects a pass and drives into the area, before cutting inside and taking aim but his shot goes the wrong side of the post.
Kick-off
Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go!
The players are in the tunnel and Elland Road is rocking.
Bright sunshine and a light breeze in Leeds. Do playing conditions get any better?
Marsch: “I think this team is different to the one at the end of last season. We are disciplined and we know how we want to play. We are confident.”
Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink does not think Raheem Sterling was well respected at City. He claims that Pep Guardiola was always thinking about letting the winger go, rather than making him an integral part of the team. Micah Richards, a man who knows City inside and out, disagrees.
I think it is actually four on the bench.
@Will_Unwin is that 5 English players in the team, 2 on the bench and a Welsh chap as well for Chelsea?
— Baldfat Limey (@baldfatlimey) August 21, 2022
Brian Deane is in the middle of the pitch at Elland Road and has been forced to discuss scoring the first ever Premier League goal 30 years ago. I am sure he has a few other anecdotes to trot out.
Updated
Cucurella starts for Chelsea. Sid Lowe has a look at the Spaniard’s journey to Chelsea.
Connor Gallagher gets a start for Chelsea and Loftus-Cheek will have another outing at right wing-back.
Patrick Bamford misses out through injury. It’s a blow to Leeds because his replacement James is very much a different player down the middle.
Starting lineups
Leeds: Meslier; Kristensen, Koch, Llorente, Struijk; Marc Roca, Adams; Aaronson, Rodrigo, Harrison; James
Subs: Klaesson, Hjelde, Drameh, Klich, Forshaw, Summerville, Sinisterra, Gelhardt
Chelsea: Mendy; James, Thiago Silva, Koulibaly; Loftus-Cheek, Gallagher, Jorginho, Cucurella; Mount, Havertz, Sterling
Subs: Arrizabalaga, Ampadu, Azpilicueta, Chalobah, Chilwell, Chukwuemeka, Hudson-Odoi, Pulisic, Ziyech
Preamble
It’s the Ken Bates derby! Leeds and Chelsea arrive at the third weekend of the season unbeaten on four points. The two clubs have seen big changes over the summer; Jesse Marsch enjoyed finally being able to put his imprint on the squad he inherited from Marcelo Bielsa. They play to the American’s style and look reinvigorated after the Argentinian’s spell put them in trouble last season and only a final-day win ensured survival.
Leeds last beat Chelsea in the Premier League way back in 2002 but there is a new-found optimism around Elland Road. The place was bouncing after they downed Wolves on the opening day and they will be eager to see their team test themselves against a supposed title-challenger, especially after they lost all 12 meetings with the top six last season.
Chelsea were pegged back by Spurs last weekend and the match ended with some argy-bargy between the two managers. Thomas Tuchel showed he is up for the fight and a summer spending spree, which is set to continue, is getting all the fans pretty ruddy giddy. Following the slip up against Spurs, Tuchel will be eager to get back on track against a team still finding their feet.
Kick-off: 2pm
