LEEDS REALITY CHECK: CHELSEA DEFENSE EXPOSED BY 3-5-2 FORMATION
With young defenders shining on loan, Chelsea faces a decision on selling Tosin next summer to make room and profit, despite Maresca's current selections.
After a big 3-0 win over Barcelona and a good 1-1 draw with Arsenal, Chelsea got a reality check Wednesday night.
They lost 3-1 to Leeds United, who are trying to avoid being relegated. Now, Chelsea is in fourth place in the Premier League, only three points ahead of Everton in 10th.
Enzo Maresca’s team had trouble getting through Leeds' defence, and their defenders, Trevoh Chalobah, Tosin Adarabioyo, and Benoit Badiashile, were really slow at moving the ball in the first half.
It got a bit better when Malo Gusto replaced Badiashile, and Pedro Neto came in for Estevao Willian at halftime, but Chelsea still couldn't make many good scoring chances.
Cole Palmer, who came off the bench, shot one wide, but Chelsea created less than 1 xG (expected goals), while Leeds had a huge 2.79.
Daniel Farke used a 3-5-2 formation, which did well against Manchester City on Saturday. The two forwards, Lucas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, gave Chelsea's defence a lot of trouble.
Jaka Bijol scored first for Leeds with a header in the sixth minute. Not long before halftime, Ao Tanaka made it 2-0 after Tosin passed poorly and Enzo Fernandez couldn't control the ball.
Neto scored for Chelsea after Jamie Gittens played well on the wing, but a mix-up in Chelsea's defence sealed the game in the 72nd minute.
After winning the ball back from Gabriel Gudmundsson, Gusto passed to Fernandez and then to Tosin. But Tosin's first touch was bad, and Noah Okafor stole the ball and passed to Calvert-Lewin, who scored into an empty net.
Chelsea might have a problem with transfers in 2026.
Tosin has played 80 minutes or more in nine games this season, and Chelsea has won 44% of those games. But in the 12 games where he hasn't played as much, their win rate is 67%.
Also, Tosin usually plays against weaker teams. He did start against Bayern Munich, but not against Liverpool, Tottenham, Barcelona, or Arsenal.
Tosin isn't the only reason Chelsea hasn't been doing great when he plays, but he's not as good as Wesley Fofana and Trevoh Chalobah. Fans think Josh Acheampong should start instead of Tosin because he's been playing well this season.
Maresca still thinks Tosin is important to the team, but with Mamadou Sarr and Aaron Anselmino doing well on loan, Chelsea might have a tough decision to make next summer about transfers.
Tosin will be 29 next September, and Chelsea might start to replace him soon. Since they signed him without paying a transfer fee, they could sell him for a low price next summer and still make a profit.
But Maresca keeps picking Tosin over Acheampong against weaker teams, which means he wants to keep him. So, Chelsea will face a big decision about Tosin next summer, especially since Dortmund wants to keep Anselmino after his loan ends.
The young player from Argentina has been doing great at Dortmund, and it might be smart for Chelsea to sell Tosin and bring Anselmino into the team.
Whether that happens depends on whether the team thinks Tosin is good enough for a team that wants to win titles.
LIAM ROSENIOR’S "DETAILED TALKS" WITH CHELSEA LEADERSHIP REVEAL AGGRESSIVE SUMMER TRANSFER STRATEGY
Liam Rosenior confirms no Chelsea players want to leave, including Enzo Fernandez and Cole Palmer, despite UCL exit.
Liam Rosenior is currently engaged in thorough discussions with Chelsea’s leadership about their plans for the summer transfer window. Interestingly, none of the players has approached him expressing a desire to leave.
After Chelsea’s exit from the Champions League last-16 against Paris Saint-Germain, speculation swirled around Enzo Fernandez’s future, while names like Cole Palmer and Moises Caicedo have also been linked with moves away since Rosenior took charge in January. Ahead of their trip to Everton, Rosenior addressed questions about possible departures if the team misses out on Europe’s top competition again. He also spoke about the ongoing efforts to bring new players in.
“We're having very detailed talks about where we need to strengthen,” he said, referring to conversations with the sporting director team, headed by Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart. “I’ve shared my thoughts on what’s needed, and we’re mostly aligned on the approach, which is encouraging. But the priority is also handling the present properly. It’s crucial to be in a good spot now. Planning is important, but so is winning in the moment. That’s why I’m here, and I’m having positive discussions with ownership and the sporting directors about it.”
Rosenior emphasised that key players like Enzo Fernández want to remain at Chelsea. After Fernandez’s recent interview with ESPN Argentina, where he was noncommittal about his future following the heavy loss to PSG, Rosenior reached out to him personally.
“Our plans don’t hinge solely on qualifying for the Champions League; there are many variables,” Rosenior explained. “We need to make the best of the situation we’re in and stay as strong as possible. I maintain a close relationship with the players; we talk beyond football about their families and their lives. I’m particularly close with Enzo and the others. Since I arrived, no one has told me they want to leave in the summer. The focus is really on improving together as a team and figuring out what it takes to win right now.”
When asked specifically if that applies to Fernandez, Palmer, and Caicedo, Rosenior was clear: “They love it here.”
WHY ENZO FERNANDEZ REFUSES TO COMMIT TO CHELSEA’S FUTURE PROJECT
Enzo Fernandez has sparked Chelsea exit fears after refusing to commit to his future following a 2-8 defeat to PSG.
Chelsea fans barely had time to process a brutal 8-2 Champions League thrashing by PSG on Tuesday when vice-captain Enzo Fernandez stirred things up even more. ESPN Argentina asked him about his future, and instead of assurance, Fernandez left everyone guessing about whether he’d still be at Stamford Bridge next season.
His answer? “I don’t know. There are eight games left, and the FA Cup. There’s the World Cup, and then we’ll see.” Not exactly what supporters needed to hear after a rough night. Honestly, Enzo, now’s probably not the best time for uncertainty.
People have been gossiping about Fernandez’s next move for a while now. Real Madrid and PSG keep cropping up as possible destinations, despite Chelsea sources insisting they won’t sell him. He’s locked into a contract until 2032, but if he pushes for an exit, who knows if that changes.
Fernandez holds a hefty price tag of £107 million; when he arrived in January 2023, it was a British record at the time. He’s backed it up this season, stacking up 12 goals, 6 assists, and playing more minutes than anyone else on the squad.
Still, Chelsea has been searching for someone who can play that No. 10 role where Fernandez has spent most of the season. Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers is on their wishlist, though nothing’s happened yet. Rogers, 23 and once a Manchester City academy kid, has been lighting it up at Villa lately. He signed a contract extension in November, but rumours about his future just won’t die.
Rogers is definitely on Chelsea’s radar. If Fernandez leaves this summer, and really, that’s still wide open; Rogers could be a target.
You can expect Chelsea to be busy in the market soon. They need a centre-back after missing out on Jeremy Jacquet in January. Douglas Luiz was briefly considered but wound up at Villa, so midfield is still in the mix. Plus, given their attacking troubles this season, they’ll be looking to upgrade up front too.
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