Chelsea boss, Thomas Tuchel, refused to turn on his players after they were thumped 3-0 at Leeds United on Sunday.
Chelsea were overrun by Leeds as Brenden Aaronson, Jack Harrison and Rodrigo struck.
Tuchel later said, “I think we lost it in the first 20 minutes. We created enough chances, half chances, chances to be 1-0 or 2-0 up. Then we lost the discipline, the repetition in what we wanted to do and what we did ok in the first 20 minutes. Instead of 2-0, it became an even match and in that even match, we gave two goals away that were cheap and unnecessary.
READ ALSO:Transfer window: Blackburn boss Tomasson unsure of Brereton Diaz staying
“And then the game is almost done because you lift the spirit, the belief. In the second half we tried but it’s the same story: we had deliveries, half chances, shots, but we can’t score and we concede from a half chance.
“This has nothing to do with pressing, running less kilometres, nothing to do with the style of Leeds. We should not confuse these things.
“We were able to cope with the style, able to be the better team, able to be one or two goals ahead, but we give an own goal away and the set-piece has nothing to do with anything. From there it’s 2-0 and the belief for Leeds is on top level and our body language, even in the ten minutes before, was not what it was like in the last match.
“That’s how I felt it. It’s surprising because you can’t be frustrated when Leeds make you do mistakes, this happens. But I don’t see the connection that we lost due to the style of Leeds. We knew what was coming and the two goals that cost us the match has nothing to do with the style.”
He added: “I am not shocked. I am just analysing a match and there’s no time to be shocked. For 20 minutes, we did it. But then we did stuff that cost us the dominance and chance to create more chances. But still, we did not invite pressure or create chances. We were not under pressure or in chaos.
“I can see why you think this is the story but for me, it is not the story. We did not lose discipline or were all over the place. We didn’t lose discipline against the ball but with the ball we weren’t disciplined enough. We were not sharp enough after 20 minutes but it was not like we couldn’t cope with anything. It is the set piece and own goal that was the story today. To analyse bigger things is difficult.”