At one stage, it looked like Chelsea were going to secure at least a point against Leeds United on Wednesday.
Leeds went into the break 2-0 up, but Chelsea substitute Pedro Neto halved the deficit with a nice finish early in the second half.
However, Tosin Adarabioyo made an awful mistake that Leeds were able to capitalise on to make the final score 3-1.
Was Tosin Adarabioyo really that bad against Leeds?
Here’s what the stats say…
Minutes: 90
Tackles (won): 1 (1)
Interceptions: 1
Clearances: 12
Recoveries: 2
Aerial duels (won): 10 (8)
Accurate passes: 95/104 (91%)
Via Sofascore
Tosin Adarabioyo of Chelsea looks on prior to the Premier League match between Leeds United and Chelsea
Photo by Chris Lee – Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
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Chelsea fans were not happy with Maresca and Adarabioyo, with some now calling for the latter to be sold. With that in mind, here are three defenders who could replace the 28-year-old today.
Leeds United v Chelsea - Premier League
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Josh Acheampong
Josh Acheampong may be nine years Adarabioyo’s junior, but the Chelsea academy graduate is almost as tall as his teammate.
Acheampong stands at 6’3″, yet he is still a very technical defender who is able to play out from the back. Maresca thinks Acheampong can even play in midfield.
If Adarabioyo is sold at some point, handing Acheampong more minutes could be the way to go.
Aaron Anselmino
Aaron Anselmino does not have Acheampong and Adarabioyo’s height, but he is showing a lot of promise as a central defender at Borussia Dortmund.
He scored in Dortmund’s 2-1 win against Bayer Leverkusen last Saturday and has really impressed Niko Kovac.
Enzo Maresca continues to overlook Josh Acheampong. Do you agree with his decision?
Josh Acheampong of Chelsea FC arrives at stadium
Photo by Francesco Scaccianoce – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images
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According to Kovac, Anselmino is a “true professional” who has not neglected the art of defending in an era where centre-backs focus more on build-up play.
Mamadou Sarr
Finally, there is Mamadou Sarr, who is another big centre-half like Acheampong and Adarabioyo.
The 20-year-old is physical but still good on the ball, making him a suitable fit for Maresca’s style. As per FBref, Sarr’s average pass completion rate is 94.2%.
Chelsea will not be in a rush to offload Adarabioyo. He is the most experienced pro in their dressing room and had some really good games last season.
However, if they do decide to sell the former Fulham man, perhaps Sarr, Anselmino or Acheampong could take his place.
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