That, my MBM friends, is your lot. Richard Jolly was at Elland Road, and his report has landed. Enjoy, and thanks for reading this live blog.
Leeds are represented on BT by Luke Ayling. “It’s a fair result, there weren’t many chances in the game ... we broke the press a few times ... it was one of those games ... each team got in good positions but the final ball was lacking ... a good point for us ... we’ve had quite a few injuries but I think it’s been the same for every team ... it’s been a long couple of years but that’s normal.”
Thomas Tuchel gives his verdict to BT. “The pitch was super hard to play ... we had a couple of chances to go 1-0 ahead, but they put pressure on you ... there were enough chances, but sometimes it is like this, I don’t want to be too harsh ... sometimes you miss some big chances ... as long as we have chances and don’t concede too many, the results will be there ... it is like this ... good goalkeeping, good defending ... it was very slippery, very bouncy ... the boys are disappointed which is a good sign ... we played a good game.”
Ben Chilwell speaks to BT. “People would have predicted goals ... they’re a difficult team to play against ... it was a tough game ... it wasn’t the best pitch to play on ... it was disappointing that we didn’t get the win ... I had a chance in the second half that I should have scored ... defensively we’re solid but going forward we want to score more goals ... we know that Mendy is going to make vital saves for us ... it’s tight between third and eighth and these games are the ones we want to be winning.”
Leeds remain in 11th place on 36 points, while Chelsea stay in fourth on 51. Should West Ham, Everton and Spurs win their games in hand, Chelsea will drop to seventh. A better result for Leeds on the whole, but Tuchel’s unbeaten honeymoon continues apace.
FULL TIME: Leeds United 0-0 Chelsea
It’s only the second goalless draw this season featuring Leeds. It’s four clean sheets in a row for Thomas Tuchel’s newly parsimonious Chelsea. A fair result, and a much better game than the scoreline makes it sound.
90 min +3: On 15 minutes, this MBM stated: “There is no way this game is going to end 0-0.” Pulitzer, please!
90 min +2: Rudiger forces a corner on the right. James takes. The ball brushes Werner’s brow. Leeds clear.
90 min +1: Raphinha romps down the left and tries to win a corner off Christensen. The ball ricochets back off his boot and out for a goal kick. He lashes the ball into the hoardings in irritation.
90 min: There will be three added minutes.
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89 min: Chelsea stroke it around without much in the way of verve. Christensen again tries to up the tempo, Beckenbauering his way down the middle, but his final ball forward is no good and snaffled by Meslier.
87 min: Phillips wedges a pass down the inside right. It should release Roberts, Chilwell having played him onside, but he can’t take the ball with him. For a split second, Leeds had an open route to goal.
86 min: Hudson-Odoi sashays infield from the left and looks for the bottom right. Easy for Meslier.
85 min: The play is extremely bitty, the whistle repeatedly blasting for offsides and minor transgressions. All of which gives us time to consider the suggestion of Justin Kavanagh: “Can I nominate Jock Spleen as manager for Millings angrymen XI?”
84 min: A bit of space for Chilwell, who romps down the left and hooks infield towards nobody. Meslier claims.
83 min: Chelsea ping it around again, but they aren’t quite as slick as they were earlier. All a bit aimless in the middle of the park.
81 min: Hudson-Odoi nearly makes an immediate impact, but he can’t latch onto a long pass down the middle. Meslier collects on the edge of his area.
80 min: That’s the second time this season Rodrigo has been sent on and subsequently hooked. It happened to him against Sheffield United, too. He’s gone straight down the tunnel.
79 min: A strange one this by Bielsa, who subs one of his subs. Off goes a confused Rodrigo, to be replaced by Klich. Meanwhile Chelsea sacrifice Mount for Hudson-Odoi.
78 min: Raphinha takes. A free header for Rodrigo, on the penalty spot. He heads downwards and straight at Mendy, who makes a meal of gathering, but eventually does so. What a chance that was.
77 min: Leeds win a corner on the right. They work it out to Llorente, just to the right of the D. His powerful sidefoot is deflected over the bar by James. Inches away!
75 min: Before the free kick is taken, the referee has a word with Alioski, who has just been booked and was subsequently spotted tugging at James. A stern lecture, no more.
74 min: The game takes a turn for the worse. All a bit shapeless, a tad scrappy. Christensen attempts to pick up the pace down the middle, and is clipped from behind by Rodrigo, who is booked for his trouble.
72 min: Rudiger has a dig from distance. The ball dips towards the bottom right, but that’s an easy parry for Meslier.
71 min: Alioski is booked for arriving late on Werner. Ayling is back up and running, incidentally.
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70 min: A glorious spin by Roberts out on the left touchline, wriggling away from a couple of blue shirts, seemingly having no space whatsoever to work with. Nothing comes of the resulting raking pass down the flank for Raphinha, but what skill!
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69 min: While the physios work their magic on Ayling, Chelsea send on Werner and James for Pulisic and Ziyech.
67 min: A daft injury to pick up, this. The whistle goes, the game obviously stopped, but Ayling decides to continue dribbling down the middle. He clatters into Rudiger, and takes a whack to his knee. A sore one, by the looks of it. On comes the doc.
66 min: Costa’s first act is to breeze past Chilwell and instigate some bedlam in the Chelsea box. Raphinha tries to sweep into the bottom left, but his effort is deflected wide. Nothing comes of the corner.
64 min: Leeds make their second change of the afternoon, replacing Harrison with Costa. On the subject of their enforced first, here’s Giancarlo M Sandoval: “The importance of Bamford’s pressing cannot be overstated. He defends and creates spaces from the front and Leeds have looked a bit defanged by his absence.”
62 min: Havertz rolls inside from the right. Mount dummies, allowing the diagonal pass to release Chilwell down the inside-left. Chilwell enters the box and must surely score, but suffers a rush of blood and slices a weird effort way wide left.
60 min: A free kick for Leeds out on the left leads to a corner on the right. It’s only half cleared, the ball dropping to Alioski, whose tame shot pinballs softly before the danger is properly dealt with second time around.
59 min: Pulisic tries to thread a shot into the bottom right from a tight angle, but it’s easy pickings for Meslier.
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58 min: Mount saunters infield from the left and is awarded a very cheap free kick upon being brushed by Ayling. Nothing comes of the set piece, which means we’re spared any confected outrage. Speaking of which ... “If we can broaden Mac Millings XI out to involve argy-bargy and controversy, Imre VARadi will surely be the first name on the team sheet.” Simon McMahon at full stretch there.
56 min: A couple of Leeds corners waste our time.
55 min: Raphinha has been quiet, but he nearly scores here. On the penalty spot, with his back to goal, he spins and aims for the bottom right. Mendy, having anticipated a shot towards the bottom left, adjusts and sticks out a strong hand. What reflexes!
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54 min: Space for Kante in the Leeds box on the left. He elects to cross when he probably should have shot. Leeds clear.
53 min: Rudiger sends Chilwell tearing down the left. Chilwell sends in a cross that nearly replicates Paul Konchesky’s freak goal in the 2006 FA Cup final for West Ham, but the ball ends up with Ziyech on the other flank. He crosses. Havertz contests at the far post but can’t convert.
51 min: Chelsea are dominating possession again, while Cian O’Mahony thinks Millings’ XI should be “managed by Giovanni Scrappatoni”.
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49 min: That was really strange defending by Leeds, with everyone bar Llorente running away from Havertz, leaving the Chelsea man a clear path to goal. Havertz should have done better, given the gift, but full marks to the keeper. Meanwhile Leeds go up the other end, Roberts sending a pea-roller into Mendy’s arms.
48 min: Azpilicueta races down the right and finds Havertz infield. Leeds generously open up a route to goal, and are indebted to Meslier, who tips the resulting drive over the bar. The resulting corner leads to nothing.
46 min: The rain’s stopped, and the sun’s out. A typical spring day in God’s own county.
Chelsea get the second half underway. No changes. Speaking of substitutions, here’s Richard Hirst: “Congratulations to Mr Millings, but it seems inappropriate to have Trevor Brooking in such a team. Can we put Alan Brawl in midfield instead?”
Half-time entertainment, courtesy of Mac Millings. To commemorate that 1970 FA Cup final replay, please allow me to present my all-time Argy-Bargy XI:
- Edwin van der Scars
- Clashley Cole
- Matthijs de Confligt
- Jaap Stramash
- Tussle Osman
- Mats Pummels
- Affray Wilkins
- Trevor Donnybrooking
- Alessandro Altobellicose
- Contretemps Finney
- Gabriel Combatistuta
No room in goal for Alan Roughhouse?
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HALF TIME: Leeds United 0-0 Chelsea
Just enough time for Havertz to steer a weak shot from a tight-ish angle on the right into the arms of Meslier, and that’s the end of a very entertaining first half. Chelsea have dominated, and yet Leeds have still had a goal disallowed and hit the bar. That’s Bielsa’s Leeds! More of it soon.
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45 min: One corner leads to another, which leads to a throw deep on the right that leads to another throw deep on the right. Chelsea eventually clear their lines. There will be one additional minute.
44 min: ... except that’s not how Leeds think, is it. Harrison makes his way down the left, his attempted cross deflected out by Azpilicueta for a corner.
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42 min: Chelsea line up on the edge of the box. Pulisic delivers. Meslier flicks clear. Chilwell curls from the left. Meslier claims confidently. Leeds could do with hearing the half-time whistle.
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41 min: This is being played at 101 mph. Leeds snapping into every challenge. Alioski goes a bit too far and knocks over Ziyech. This will be a free kick, out on the right, in a very dangerous position.
39 min: Mount has a rake from the best part of 30 yards. Straight at Meslier, who claims at the second attempt.
37 min: Mount sprays diagonally towards Ziyech on the right. A wonder pass that drops to his team-mates feet. He’s momentarily free, but Phillips comes across to cover. Corner. Rudiger meets the set piece, but can’t get anything meaningful on it, and the ball dribbles into the arms of Meslier.
35 min: Bamford can’t continue, and is replaced by Rodrigo. A look of sheer frustration on Bamford’s face. He had been looking forward to playing against his former club.
34 min: Chilwell drops a shoulder to make space down the inside-left channel and fizzes a low shot inches wide. He claims a deflection that might not have happened, but gets the decision anyway. Nothing comes of the resulting corner, so it doesn’t make any difference.
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32 min: Bamford banged his hip in an aerial challenge with Rudiger. After a quick bit of physio, he’s going to try to run it off.
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31 min: Phillips looks to have completely recovered from that early knock, but now Bamford goes down. Chelsea knock the ball out so he can get some treatment.
29 min: The corner is beyond useless, beyond everyone.
28 min: Christensen intercepts a Dallas pass in the middle, then sends Kante away. The midfielder drives down the centre of the pitch and looks for the top right. His effort is deflected away for a corner.
27 min: Something of a lull, albeit one decorated by plenty of pretty Chelsea triangles.
25 min: It’s lashing down now, and according to the good folk and true of BT Sport, most of the rain is being directed by the wind straight into poor Mendy’s face.
23 min: Roberts picks up the first booking of the afternoon for an ersatz tribute to the ghosts of 1970. Jorginho was his victim.
22 min: Another fine defensive header by Rudiger, horizontal this time as he dives to clear Harrison’s cross, and this time Chelsea launch a counter. Ziyech and Pulisic again combine down the right, the latter crossing, Meslier claiming. The offside flag goes up belatedly.
20 min: Dallas curls in dangerously from the left. Bamford hovers, but Rudiger heads clear. This match continues to flow as rain begins to fall.
18 min: Ayling takes an accidental whack in the mouth, Mount fighting for possession with elbows out. A brief pause and he’s good to go again, no hard feelings.
17 min: Mendy got a fingertip to that, you know. A fingernail perhaps. A fine save. Leeds have now hit the woodwork at both ends. What a team.
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15 min: Roberts, just to the left of the Chelsea D, spins and attempts a curler towards the top right. His effort slams off the bar and away. This is preposterous. This is Leeds! There is no way this game is going to end 0-0.
14 min: Ziyech drives down the right and releases Pulisic, who whips another low cross into the danger zone. Meslier gets a hand on the ball, and Ayling clears without resorting to classic circus tricks this time.
12 min: Chelsea are looking dangerous with every attack. They’ve enjoyed 71 percent of possession so far.
10 min: This is absurd! Pulisic and Havertz try to work space down the inside right. Ayling attempts to hoof clear, but accidentally hits Llorente, standing next to him. The ball balloons backwards, over the stranded Meslier ... then off the crossbar and into the keeper’s arms! So close to a bleak farce for the ages.
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9 min: A textbook example of end-to-end football, right there. A mere 17 seconds separated Havertz’s miss with Roberts’ disallowed goal.
7 min: Christensen peals a pass down the right, hoping to release Ziyech. He nearly manages it, but Alioski is across quickly to cover. Chelsea come again down the same flank, Pulisic crossing low, Havertz unable to force home from close range. What a miss! Meslier gathers, then launches a counter. Bamford is set free down the right. He rolls into the middle, where Roberts slams home. But the flag goes up, Bamford having gone too early. Offside!
5 min: Chelsea establish an early modicum of control. Plenty of passing and probing. Leeds meanwhile do what they do, and press, press, press.
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3 min: Dallas clatters into Chilwell. It’s not exactly Hutchison on Bremner, but it’s a saucy one nonetheless. Just a free kick.
2 min: Leeds are kicking towards the Norman Hunter Stand in this first half. They’re quickly on the front foot, pressurising Azpilicueta down the left, but Rudiger clears. Then Phillips knocks into Mount, and looks to have rolled his ankle. An early concern for the hosts, but he hobbles on.
Leeds get the ball rolling ... but only after the knee is taken. There’s no room for racism. Kick it out.
No pre-match word from Marcelo Bielsa. All part of his enigmatic charm. Anyway, here come the teams! Chelsea troop down from the John Charles Stand wearing their royal blue, then Leeds emerge from the tunnel in all-while splendour. It’s a windy day in West Yorkshire. We’ll be off in a couple of minutes!
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Thomas Tuchel has a quick chat with BT, concentrating mainly on Kai Havertz. “He had an excellent match against Everton ... I was doubting the decision a little bit to start him, but he proved he has the physical capacity, he was impressive and decisive and that’s why we’ve decided to give him another game to keep the momentum.”
Leeds make three changes to their starting XI after the 2-0 defeat at West Ham. Pascal Struijk, Ezgjan Alioski and Jack Harrison replace Mateusz Klich, Helder Costa and the injured Liam Cooper.
Six changes for Chelsea from the side named ahead of the 2-0 win over Everton, and with Atletico Madrid coming up on Wednesday. Christian Pulisic, Ben Chilwell, Antonio Rudiger, Mason Mount, N’Golo Kante and Hakim Ziyech step up; Kurt Zouma, Marcos Alonso, Reece James, Kovacic, Timo Werner and Callum Hudson-Odoi all drop to the bench.
The teams
Leeds United: Meslier, Ayling, Llorente, Struijk, Alioski, Phillips, Raphinha, Roberts, Dallas, Harrison, Bamford.
Subs: Koch, Poveda-Ocampo, Casilla, Helder Costa, Rodrigo, Berardi, Klich, Shackleton, Jenkins.
Chelsea: Mendy, Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rudiger, Chilwell, Kante, Jorginho, Ziyech, Mount, Pulisic, Havertz.
Subs: Arrizabalaga, Alonso, Werner, Zouma, Kovacic, Giroud, Hudson-Odoi, James, Emerson Palmieri.
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire).
Preamble
To a certain generation, as well as the combat connoisseur, Leeds United and Chelsea can mean only one thing: the 1970 FA Cup final replay. Ding ding! Seconds out!
It’d be great if today’s game descended into this sort of wanton free-for-all degeneracy Nobody wants to see this sort of thing again, the children are our future after all. But let’s face it, Hutchisonian tackles and Bremneresque retaliations aren’t likely today. Chelsea have an aristocratic air about them right now, unbeaten in all 11 matches under Thomas Tuchel, while the modern Leeds are foppish aesthetes hell bent on nothing more dangerous than art for art’s sake. It’s probably better this way.
That final was over half a century ago, to be fair. This season’s corresponding fixture at Stamford Bridge is perhaps more relevant, a classy 3-1 win for Chelsea, although Leeds played their part and probably should have had a penalty to make it 2-2. Other than that, there’s no recent head-to-head form at Elland Road to speak of. To illustrate: Chelsea won here 5-1 in the League Cup in December 2012, when Neil Warnock was United’s manager, for goodness sake, while the last time Leeds beat their old rivals here was December 2002, the 16-year-old James Milner scoring just the second goal of his career in a 2-0 victory.
All of which is a long-winded way of saying that anything could happen this lunchtime, because ... well ... it’s Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United, isn’t it. Strap yourselves in, me old MBM pals. Kick off is at 12.30pm GMT. It’s on!
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