Match Report: Chelsea 6-3 Leeds United, Carabao Cup 3rd Round

 

If you want goals, Stamford Bridge is very much looking like the place to be this season. A sensational second half from Chelsea saw a hat-trick of assists for Morgan Rogers, first goal for Valentin Barco and braces for Cole Palmer and Danny Welbeck.

Chelsea's five games in all competitions this season have thus far produced 26 goals, an average of 5.2 goals per game.

Not all in Chelsea's favour of course and the nature of the two halves demonstrate why Chelsea fans can't get too carried away after their win over long-time rivals Leeds United.

In the first half, Chelsea were abysmal. Toothless in attack and struggling at the back. There were early warning signs when Mike Penders was forced into a sensational double save from close range so it was no surprised when a few minutes later Leeds took the lead. A corner from the right found Tarik Muharemovic at the back post and his header from a tight angle glided across the goal into the far corner.

The second half was something else for Chelsea although it probably couldn't have started much worse. Just three minutes into the second half, Leeds were 2-0 up. A ball squared back in the box found Brenden Aaronsen near the penalty spot and he calmly slotted it in.

Chelsea had brought on their big guns now though: Morgan Rogers, Cole Palmer, Reece James and Pedro Neto had all been brought on at half-time. The difference in attacking threat was clear for all to see.

It took a penalty to bring Chelsea back into it though, Dan James bringing down Pep Chavarria in the box in 53rd minute. 'Cold' Palmer stepped up to put his penalty beyond Leeds goalkeeper Michael Zetterrer's reach. 

Two minutes later, Palmer got his second. Collecting Rogers ball from the right just inside the Leeds area he curled an effort into the bottom left corner.

The turnaround was complete in the 60th minute however when Palmer played a through ball that was poked on by Rogers into the path of Neto who finished with an effort similar to Palmer's second goal.  0-2 down to 3-2 up within seven minutes.

Then it was Danny Welbeck's turn to shine. On 64 minutes, Rogers completed his hat-trick of assists with a low pass into the box, collected by Welbeck who turned and fired low into the bottom right corner. His first Chelsea goal

It wouldn't be Chelsea though if there wasn't some tension and that seemed to be the case when Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored a third for Leeds but that was lifted in the 80th minute when Valentin Barco arrived at the back post to smash home his first Chelsea goal. The seal on the victory was added in injury time when Welbeck got his second, albeit fortuitously deflecting Barco's mishit shot from the edge of the box into the Leeds goal.

A special mention to Reggie Watson, the 16 year old making his first Chelsea start. He didn't have the greatest of halfs but it is a sure sign of faith from Xabi Alonso he was willing to start him in what is always a fiery fixture.

Six goals in one half for Chelsea is a message of the attacking quality they possess but the less said about the first half the better.

Line-up: Penders 6, Colwill 5 (Fofana 76', 5), Lacroix 6, Acheampong 5, Chavarria 5, Barco 7, Watson 5 (James 46', 6), Gusto 4 (Rogers 46' 9), Gittens 6 (Palmer 46', 8), Estevao 6 (Neto 46', 7), Welbeck 7

Unused subs: Hato, Pedro, Martinez, Quenda

Match Report: Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea

 

Same old, same old for Chelsea, will they ever beat Arsenal again?

After a blistering start, Chelsea yet again left the Emirates Stadium empty handed after goals from former player Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard for Arsenal.

It was Chelsea however who took the lead. Inside just two minutes, following some head tennis the ball dropped to new signing Morgan Rogers on the edge of Arsenal's penalty area and he volleyed first time low into the bottom left corner of the goal just beyond David Raya's reach.

That lead would last just 23 minutes, when Kai Havertz (who has a complicated Chelsea legacy) collected the ball on the edge of the box and similarly to Chelsea's goal, his shot into the bottom right corner was just out of goalkeeper Emi Martinez's reach.

Chelsea needed a big second half but it started badly when after five minutes they found themselves behind, Martin Odegaard finishing off a sweeping Arsenal move in the box. Though Chelsea fans will point out a foul on Rogers in the build-up when Ezri Konsa literally lifted him off his feet.

Chelsea fans will feel aggrieved about many decisions that went against them and it will do little to relieve the feeling Arsenal get an easy time from officials. Gabriel could have received a red card for a boot to Martinez's head following a goal mouth scramble. Rogers was fouled by Declan Rice in the build-up of a Chelsea attack, yet it was Rogers who was booked for his reaction.

Arsenal fans however will no doubt point to Califiori's disallowed goal when Gabriel was adjudged to have been offside.

The positives for Chelsea were they did create good chances most notably in the first half. David Raya in the Arsenal goal made good saves from Cole Palmer, Reece James and Estevao. Pedro Neto also had an effort that hit the post.

The concern for Chelsea as ever is the defence. They never looked comfortable at the back and after Chelsea took the lead, it looked inevitable Arsenal would equalise. Jorrel Hato in particular had a horrid time trying to guard Chelsea's left flank.

In three premier league games this season, Chelsea have scored eight goals but they have conceded seven. If they can't tighten up at the back, it will be another long season for the Blues.

Chelsea Team: Martinez 6, Fofana 5, La Croix 7, Acheampong 6, Neto 7 (Estevao 81') , James 6, Lavia 6 (Gusto 60', 5), Hato 5 (Chavarria 60', 6), Palmer 6, Rogers 7 (Welbeck 87'), Pedro 5

Unused Subs: Barco, Gittens, Penders, Colwill, Quenda