Leeds United were left frustrated at Wembley on Sunday after a narrow FA Cup semi-final loss to Chelsea, falling just short of a place in the final.
Daniel Farke’s side couldn’t make their chances count, as their bid to reach a first final in 53 years ended in a tight defeat at the national stadium.
A first-half goal from Enzo Fernández proved decisive, sending Chelsea through to face Manchester City in next month’s final.
Still, the way the second half played out left a sour taste for Leeds players and supporters, with Chelsea using a bit of gamesmanship to break up the rhythm and see the game out.
However, Ally McCoist and Andy Townsend have lamented the lack of something more from Leeds in their performance at Wembley.
The talkSPORT pundits identify the key Leeds problem vs Chelsea
Ally McCoist and Andy Townsend were discussing Leeds’ defeat at Chelsea on talkSPORT Breakfast this morning, and they identified a big problem in the performance from Daniel Farke’s side.
Townsend has pointed out that in their win over Manchester United, Leeds’ energy and work rate were the highlights of their performance at Old Trafford.
He didn’t see that from Leeds against Chelsea, and McCoist added that they needed more energy and aggression against Chelsea at Wembley.
Townsend conceded that Wembley and the heat contributed to Leeds’ lack of energy, but feels they could have really unsettled Chelsea if they had a bit more about them.
He said, “The only thing with Leeds was that when I watched them against Man United, where they had that really hard running game on the night, Man United found it difficult to cope with.
“I didn’t quite see that [against Chelsea].
“Wembley is a killer for that, and it was hot; however, if they had something, perhaps a little bit more of that.
Ally McCoist added, “A little bit more energy, positivity, aggression and movement.”
Townsend insisted, “If they had more of that, it could have really unsettled Chelsea.”
The Whites cannot afford to dwell on the defeat
Ethan Ampadu admitted Leeds weren’t good enough in the first half, and there will be frustration at having been tactically outplayed by a struggling Chelsea side that came into the game on the back of five straight Premier League defeats.
That said, there’s no time to dwell on it. Leeds are still not mathematically safe and need a few more points to confirm their Premier League status.
Next up is a home clash with Burnley at Elland Road on Friday, where they’ll be looking to get the job done in front of their fans.
Even so, the players deserve credit for guiding Leeds to their first FA Cup semi-final since 1987, and if they secure survival, they’ll have achieved their main objective for the season.
