Credit: Imago

James Barker

Sun 26 April 2026 19:40, UK

Rob Green wants to see rules brought in that would stop the time-wasting efforts seen in Leeds United‘s FA Cup semi-final with Chelsea.

Indeed, it would prove to be a frustrating day all-round for everyone connected with Leeds on Sunday, as Daniel Farke‘s team fell to a 1-0 FA Cup semi-final loss to Chelsea.

After going a goal behind early on, the Whites huffed and puffed, but didn’t have the composure nor the quality to get back into the tie.

So, when it was time for referee Jarred Gillett to blow the full-time whistle, it was the blue end of Wembley that was celebrating seeing their team book a place in the FA Cup final.

Leeds’ defeat to Chelsea had its fair share of controversial moments and flashpoints though, with one of the biggest coming just after the hour mark.

What did Rob Green say about Chelsea time-wasting vs Leeds?

With 61 minutes on the clock, Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was instructed to go down in order for the Blues coaching staff to essentially call a timeout in the game.

That allowed Chelsea’s coaching staff to pass on some instructions to their players, whilst also killing any momentum Leeds were starting to build in the game.

Leeds players and staff reacted to Chelsea’s time-wasting ploy by standing amongst the Blues players to try and listen in on what was being said, resulting in some pushing and shoving which eventually calmed down.

What that did was send a clear message to the Blues that they knew what was going on there, and also made a bit of a mockery of the fact this sort of thing is continuing to happen.

And, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live via BBC Sport, former Leeds and Chelsea goalkeeper Green wasn’t best pleased with what he saw regarding this incident, and admitted that this is a trick that he and other shot-stoppers have been doing for a long time.

“As a former keeper having played for Leeds, it was a former plan as a keeper to go down. But it needs to be stopped,” Green said.

Leeds were growing in the game when Sanchez ‘timeout’ called

It’s not a stretch to say this piece of naughty, albeit still somehow perfectly allowed, bit of time-wasting cost Leeds the chance to get back in the game.

Indeed, at that stage, the Whites were looking more comfortable having switched to a back four, Anton Stach was looking threatening and Dominic Calvert-Lewin had just missed a big chance from a header.

Leeds were looking the more likely to get the next goal in the minutes leading up to the Sanchez stoppage, and it came right after the Whites were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the Chelsea box.

Had Farke’s side been able to carry the momentum they were building into that set-piece and the minutes that followed it, who knows whether that may have paid off in the form of an equaliser.

Either way, this deliberate act of time-wasting has to be put to an end ASAP, as it’s spoiling great games of football and particularly entertaining periods within them.