We put the EverythingLUFC ratings out on Instagram after every game — from now on, they're landing here on the blog too, so we thought we'd start with the maddest one of the lot: Chelsea 6-3 Leeds United, Carabao Cup third round.
For about an hour it read like a completely different scoreline. Then Chelsea's bench turned it into an avalanche. The ratings below tell that story about as well as anything could — a solid first half, a collective wobble after the break, and a front-footed final twenty minutes once the subs got involved.
STARTING XI
Michael Zetterer — 3
A smart first-half save aside, six past him doesn't read well on paper — a couple of those he'll want back.
Dan James — 5
Busy in behind for long stretches, but gifting away the penalty is the moment that shaped the night.
James Justin — 5.5
Some proper tackles early on, caught up in the second-half unravelling like everyone else.
Jaka Bijol — 4.5
A yard off the pace all evening, slow to react when it mattered.
Tarik Muharemovic — 6.5
Nodded Leeds in front early on and had his moments, for all that the back line came apart around him.
Melvin Bard — 6.5
A composed full debut — tough patches, sure, but a big hand in the build-up to the third.
Ethan Ampadu — 6.5
Assured on the ball and superb in the build-up to the second, before the counter-attacks started catching him out.
Sean Longstaff — 5
Should have had one before the break and never really got into the game after.
Harry Wilson — 5.5
Delivered the cross for the opener, then faded out of it completely.
Brenden Aaronson — 4.5
Took his goal well; everything else about the performance was a struggle, too sloppy in possession.
Lukas Nmecha — 4.5
A lovely flick to tee up the second was about the extent of it — hold-up play never clicked.
OFF THE BENCH
Anton Stach — 5
Brought some physicality on without shifting the game much.
Ao Tanaka — 6
Injected a bit more urgency after the break.
Noah Okafor — 7 ⭐ Star man
On for five minutes and immediately Leeds' best outlet — assisted the third, should have had a penalty of his own, and kept putting good balls into the box.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin — 6.5
A clinical finish and a real presence in the build-up to it.
Gabriel Gudmundsson — 5.5
Carried the ball well when he got it; will look at the fifth goal and wonder if he could have done more.
Star man, by a distance: Noah Okafor, on for five minutes and immediately the best player on the pitch. If ratings like that don't earn a start next time out, nothing will.
Ratings will be dropping here after every Leeds game from now on — have a read, have a brew, and let us know who you'd have rated differently.
