John Terry criticises Chelsea after Leeds defeat
John Terry has claimed Chelsea are “clearly not good enough” to compete for the Premier League title after the Blues lost 3-1 to Leeds midweek, reports BritPanorama.
Leeds took control early in the match with Jaka Bijol scoring his first goal for the club, followed by Ao Tanaka, who netted a stunning strike just before half-time. Chelsea responded shortly after the break with a goal from substitute Pedro Neto, but Dominic Calvert-Lewin quickly reinstated Leeds’ two-goal lead, allowing the Yorkshire side to break a four-game losing streak and relieve some pressure from manager Daniel Farke.
Terry expressed his frustrations in a social media post, highlighting the intensity Leeds brought to the match. “What a poor performance that was,” he remarked, noting that Chelsea failed to match the aggression of their opponents. He pointed to a lack of readiness in the first half, stating, “You either have to match them or you go and take the sting out of it completely and we certainly didn’t do that.”
Despite Chelsea’s previous strong performances against Barcelona and Arsenal, Terry warned that inconsistency could undermine their aspirations for the season. “We can’t follow two unbelievable performances… it’s certainly not going to make you title contenders at the end of it,” he said.
Moreover, Terry blamed Chelsea’s inexperience for their failure to adapt to the challenging environment at Elland Road, urging the team to show more fight in upcoming fixtures. He noted, “You need to earn the right to play… we didn’t do that and that’s going to cost us.”
Manager Enzo Maresca’s squad rotation was also a point of contention for Terry, who suggested a more stable selection might be necessary moving forward. “Maybe that’s an opportunity for the manager to look at the squad and go, ‘Rotation is not for me going forward,’” he added.
The defeat comes after Chelsea’s impressive performances, reflecting a stark contrast in form that has left the club struggling in the title chase. As they prepare for a challenging run of fixtures, including an away game against Bournemouth, questions linger over their consistency and tactical decisions moving forward.
In the competitive landscape of the Premier League, Chelsea’s struggles serve as a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change. As the team grapples with internal critiques and external expectations, maintaining focus may prove to be their toughest challenge yet.
