Heading into Sunday's clash with London rivals Arsenal, there was a real sense that Chelsea were very much in the Premier League title picture, a fact only heightened by their subsequent courageous ten-man display at Stamford Bridge.
Just a few days on, however, and any slim hopes of ending the season at the top of the pile appear to have been extinguished, with this young Blues side now nine points behind the Gunners, following Wednesday's debacle at Elland Road.
Enzo-Maresca-Leeds-Chelsea
Up against a Leeds United side who remain in the relegation mix, Enzo Maresca's men appeared to wilt in west Yorkshire, lacking any of the fight which had been so evident at the weekend.
Despite brief hope of a potential fightback after Pedro Neto converted just after the break, following first-half goals from Jaka Bijol and Ao Tanaka, a deserved win for the hosts was sealed in almost comical fashion late on, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin the beneficiary of a Chelsea mess in their own box.
That 3-1 defeat will come as a real setback for those in blue, with Tosin Adarabioyo among those who could find themselves back on the bench for Saturday's trip to Bournemouth.
Tosin's dismal Leeds display in numbers
It was a moment to epitomise Chelsea's performance on Wednesday evening, with that man Tosin labouring on the ball inside his own area, before seeing his pocket picked by speedy substitute Noah Okafor.
The towering centre-back could only watch on in horror as Okafor's effort eventually squirmed its way through Robert Sanchez and into the path of Calvert-Lewin, with the Englishman passing into an empty net to wrap up a valuable three points for the Whites.
As for Maresca and co, the away side will be left to rue such a lifeless and abject display right from the off, with Tosin no doubt having been central to that, not just for his moment of madness alone.
Tosin vs Leeds
Stat
Minutes
Touches
Pass accuracy
Possession lost
Key passes
Aerial duels won
Ground duels won
Dribbled past
Error leading to goal
Stats via Sofascore
Indeed, while the former Fulham defender did win eight of his ten aerial duels, as per Sofascore, he only successfully won one of his four ground duels, having endured a torrid time up against the lively pairing of Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha.
Part of a defensive reshuffle that saw Trevoh Chalobah and Benoit Badiashile line up alongside him, the 28-year-old looked all at sea, in truth, having notably squandered possession ten times during his miserable 90-minute outing.
Having also been culpable in the build-up to the game's second goal, following his hospital pass into Enzo Fernandez, Tosin was Chelsea's headline maker for all the wrong reasons, with Maresca likely set to ring the changes for the clash with Cherries.
It would be unfair to suggest that the Blues' free transfer signing was alone in struggling at Elland Road, however, with that man Badiashile also looking distinctly underpar.
Chelsea's 4/10 flop now shouldn't start again
For all Tosin's woes on Wednesday night, it says plenty that it was actually his centre-back colleague who was hooked at the break, with Badiashile's return to the starting lineup proving to be short-lived.
Signed from Monaco back in January 2023, there is a question to be asked of why, in an era of BlueCo-led ruthlessness, the 24-year-old actually remains on the books in west London, having looked almost certain to be sold over the summer - as well as in the summer before that.
On what was just his fourth league outing of an injury-hit campaign, the left-footer was again far from at his best, showcasing just why he should well finally be moved on heading into 2026.
With the likes of Jorrel Hato waiting in the wings, it isn't as if Maresca is exactly short on options either, with Badiashile doing little to warrant another start.
As noted by GOAL's Tom Ritchie, who awarded him a 4/10 match rating, the Frenchman looked 'unsure on the ball', having struggled to contain the likes of Calvert-Lewin in that channel.
Calvert-Lewin
In all, the struggling defender only won a solitary duel prior to his swift exit at the break, with Maresca seeing his decision not to feature either Reece James or Malo Gusto backfire, as the makeshift defensive unit was overrun.
As for Badiashile, in particular, the £35m man - who has made just 60 appearances in total for the club to date - must surely be on borrowed time in a Chelsea shirt, with the trip to Leeds again showing why the west Londoners appear to be a far better side without him.
Benoit-Badiashile-Chelsea-Leeds
With January looming, a belated exit should be in order - Maresca simply can't attempt to rely on him again.
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