Closed Chelsea 1-1 Southampton

[Gappy 130]

to me Cuadrado was a joke if he play like this better bring Schurley back

[Laylabelle 9,296]

I don't know what you're watching if you thought that was our typical performance given how we've played recently.

Boys turned up in the second half and gave it their all.

second half maybe but first half was dire.

Just seems as late we take a lead and sit back until the other lot score.

don't often look convincing and didn't first half today either.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Great effort by the boys in the second half. That was the best 45 min I've seen them play in I don't know how long. Fair enough, Southampton's energy level dropped after that first half but still. The ball was moved around quickly, they played with intensity, the players were moving. This resulted in space to operate in and all of sudden, the opposition defence was put to work. Chances were being created and the team looked like scoring. Unfortunately, the ball wouldn't go in.

Fair play to Southampton for some solid defending and Forster for some fine goalkeeping. It was frustrating, but it happens. After all those poor matches (for me anyway) I've had to endure for so long now, I'll take that 2nd half performance and hope for more of that in the coming games. Play like that and winning the league should be no problem with this lead.

My man Hazard really turned it up in the 2nd half. What a gem. Fabregas was still sloppy and too easily passed by, but he showed some positive stuff as well. Diego was good too.

Schneiderlin was fantastic. For Mourinho's approach, he would make a fine signing. I find it hard to say how good he actually is, how he'd do at an elite club. But he would definitely make a great squad option. One thing's for sure, I'd much rather have Schneiderlin in the middle than Mikel or Ramires in the big games.

Spot on on every single point here, exactly how I saw the game.

On Schneiderlin as well, he would be a fantastic signing, I agree. He'd be the perfect squad player in midfield for us. Ideal replacement for Matic and a midfield three of Schneiderlin - Matic - Fab would also be very good in big games.

[zolayes 14,489]

Good performances from Courtois and Hazard... 2 out of 14... although Remy not given enough time so call it 2 out of 13

[cosmicway 1,252]

Schurle was certainly better than Cuadrado (from what we see from him so far).
Hazard's main preoccupation is outside the box.

That leaves Costa who does n't look the player to create the miracle -like Bayern's Miller does for ex. He is a reliable one, if found in the right place at the write time but he can't pull things out of the fire I 'm afraid.
Willian is a little fellow. How can he score ? Only with his long range shots.

It's the pattern, weeks now. No goals, dried up.

The first half in which Southampton should have scored four is a different story. The defense was at sea. No person to person marking whatsoever. That was put right in the second half even though Southampton managed to create some more dangers.

[The Skipper 20,593]

I'd be embarrassed if I were those players after that first half presentation. Embarrassed. Mourinho didn't change the system, only got Matic out of the match because he was a second away from a second yellow and being sent off. Ramires did exactly the same job. There was no difference in how we played, except the players actually gave a fuck in the second.

I disagree, there were clear changes in our approach in the 2nd. We increased our tempo, played a much higher line, Fabregas was allowed to push forward a lot more and we weren't as compact as we were before. We pressed a lot more as well. These are all the changes Mourinho made for us in the 2nd. It wasn't purely the players. I commend him for that.

[cosmicway 1,252]

Interesting to see what jose will say about the penalty they got, It was not a penalty! 100%

Against Ivanovitch it was more of a penalty.

[LukakutoStamford 779]

What the hell are you talking about ? We dominated the second half and should have scored 3 -4 times easily. Southampton didn't do anything

Matic should have been sent off for a second yellow as Dean was pulling out the card and realized Magic was already on yellow.

Southampton was still terrorizing the back line creating chances.

[Special Juan 27,102]

Sadness is all over me right now, failing to punish what Burnley did has really annoyed the shit out of me. I know it's a point but I'm fucking greedy and wanted the full three.

Really thought we played flat, without zest and it took the crowd to get at them for the lads to come and out and show a half decent 2nd half.

The lads looked fucked and void of ideas.

[Barbara 15,149]

I also think the sale of Schurrley and the addition of Cuadrado mid season was a huge mistake!

I said it many times, but as I'm a Shirley fangirl - I don't even deny it - people thought it was just my feelings for him. Cuadrado is a waste of space, money and when we have Oscar and Willian contributing negatively or with nothing in our attack, we look to the bench and see Cuadrado instead of Shirley, I understand why the Brazilians start every match.

Also too bad that yellow for Cesc didn't come. He wasn't good for even that today, as he never challenged/tackled/pressed any Saints play at all, let alone with enough force to draw a yellow.

[longguilol 14]

Why the fuck is Mourinho not rotating the squad? I'm tired of his shit house negative mentality.

[didierforever 7,349]

poor first half, great second half. on any other day, we could/should have won the match easily.

courtois - kept us in the game in the first half.

IVA - good assist but dire in defence.

GC- decent game. covered well for iva who was no where,

JT - got owned by LONG time and again.

azpi - solid performance.

matic - horrible. absolutely horrendous. lucky not to be sent off.

cesc - another horrible performance. only time he started playing is when soton dropped off and just played for a point. the number of times he lost the ball was troubling.

willian- decent game. but not a goal threat.

oscar - HHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH... what a con artist. all this time he has somehow made us believe us that he is a PRO football player.

hazard - influential in the first 10 mins, then slept off. but as soon as oscar was told to fuck off on the wing and hazard played central, we were a 100 times better,

costa - MOTM.

subs -

rambo - when he came on, i thought we were dead, but changed the match. did everything matic usually does. covering for the defenders, spreadin the play, breakin the play, getting the ball back,

juan - very poor

remy - should start next match on the RW with willian in center.

[Laylabelle 9,296]

Need to repeat the second half against hull not go back to playing shite

[Magic Lamps 11,449]

WE were always gonna limp towards the finish line. No need to be upset. We tried but we simply are no better than a draw vs Southamtpon. This was one of 5 draws we can allow ourselves and still win the title. I just don't get why we keep playing Oscar and Fabregas who are both shit in the 2nd half of the season. We pay the price for our lack of depth and genuine quality in the squad. Willian Oscar are no better than Mane or Tadic just more expensive. Until we start playing some tactically astute football and our fringe players growing some balls this limping towards the finish line will continue

[DYC. 7,542]

Spot on on every single point here, exactly how I saw the game.

On Schneiderlin as well, he would be a fantastic signing, I agree. He'd be the perfect squad player in midfield for us. Ideal replacement for Matic and a midfield three of Schneiderlin - Matic - Fab would also be very good in big games.

He would definitely add some much needed physicality in midfield. And I love how he was very comfortable applying pressure. Great age as well. I would be happy if he was signed in the summer.

[iseah100 5,612]

If we bottle the league, Jose is in serious trouble. Wtf.

[Gappy 130]

Why the fuck is Mourinho not rotating the squad? I'm tired of his shit house negative mentality.

Do you really want ramires / mikel / guadrado / drogba to be the first squad ?

[Barbara 15,149]

I disagree, there were clear changes in our approach in the 2nd. We increased our tempo, played a much higher line, Fabregas was allowed to push forward a lot more and we weren't as compact as we were before. We pressed a lot more as well. These are all the changes Mourinho made for us in the 2nd. It wasn't purely the players. I commend him for that.

but was that a consequence of them actually turning up to play or what? Tactically you can't say we changed... it was the same approach, but they actually showed up to play. This is a Mourinho team, do you think he doesn't instruct the team or drill it to always be compact? Do you think he was the one responsible for us bypassing the midfield in our transition, for the players not being able to keep the ball or for them being too soft when trying to dispossess Saints' players?

I think we'll never know if Mourinho really just tells them to watch the opponent play or if they just choose to do it by themselves. The second half was a resemblance of what we used to do earlier in the season (not to the same level, but at this point in the season, it's hard to play with that intensity). The second half the team looked exactly like Mourinho describes what he wants from the team.

If you choose to keep giving the players - especially Fabregas - a green pass for the shitty performance they keep piling up and put all the blame on Mourinho, be my guest. I put it 60% on players not turning up at all and 40% on Mourinho for not being harsh enough on them, for not being more daring with Zouma and Luís at home and for allowing Schurrle to leave and get frigging Cuadrado as a backup - with Salah also gone. That was a stupid winter window through and through, but as WHS said the other day, he doesn't sign or offload players on his own, so the board takes part of the blame as well. I still don't see him being at fault when we played well until minutes before Saints scored at mark 19 and then just walked in the pitch.