'It worked' - What Chelsea weakness Leeds United exploited in 2-2 draw fightback
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Leeds United striker Lukas Nmecha has highlighted Chelsea's weakness that they managed to take advantage of in Tuesday's 2-2 Premier League draw.
The Blues dropped two points at Stamford Bridge in mid-week despite being in control for the majority of the game.
Chelsea will have rued missing three big chances in the game, but it was their defence that let them down the most.
There were fewer than 25 minutes to play, and all they had to do was keep a two-goal lead.
Nmecha, who scored Leeds' first goal, highlighted how difficult it was to face Chelsea in the first half.
"In the first half, we didn't feel like we got close," Nmecha told TNT Sports after the game.
"They were really good in midfield, overloading areas. We tried to press them all over the pitch, but they have really good players - they find really good solutions.
"But we kept going, and we got our rewards."
Leeds clearly deserved some credit for their determination when they were two goals down, but as Nmecha pointed out, it was easier to have that belief when facing a relatively inexperienced team.
"They're very talented, but they're still a young group," the Germany international responded when asked about Chelsea's weakness.
"So we kind of tried to use the momentum to, like I said, just smother them, and it worked.
"At the end, for the last 10-15 minutes, we just had to grit it out, and we did."
Full-time at SB.#CFC | #CHELEE pic.twitter.com/YYXCWtz9qH
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 10, 2026
Chelsea currently have the youngest squad in the Premier League, with an average age of 23.4.
This would not have been a problem if, despite the young squad, they consistently showed they could put the game to bed when needed.
This is not the case, and the rest of the league are aware of it.
The Blues have dropped 17 points from winning positions in the league this season, the fourth-worst in the competition.
Chelsea have been in winning positions 19 times this season and only won 12 of these, drawn four, and lost three.
This is obviously something that Rosenior must address, because Chelsea cannot afford to wait for their players to naturally gain experience in a few years if they are to compete for trophies soon.
Gerry Crisandy is a freelance writer who has covered Chelsea for many years. His work has been published on The Chelsea Chronicle and Pride of London. He grew up idolising Michael Ballack and is a firm believer in expected goals.