Closed Chelsea 1-1 Southampton

[stroey 2,525]

Dp

[coolhead23 1,146]

Wasnt a champions performance at best an average one ... we really need to step up in distribution of passes in the final third, for a team that has so much quality we are too slow (it was a better display today in the second half) ... I feel there is sense complacencies getting into the players mind or maybe it is fatigue or lack of motivation or maybe something mysterious ... it needs to be taken care of because at times it looks like we are going down by our standards.

[Liquidator 5,176]

Don't understand why people are happy because we played well in the second half. If we bothered to turn up in the first half we may have got a second goal and won the game.

Not entirely the players' fault though. Why we are playing an almost identical team to one which played 120 minutes vs psg is beyond me. Good bringing Remy on with 15 minutes left. Probably 15 minutes too late. Cuadrado still seems incapable of communicating with our players and ran around like a horse on LSD. Don't get me started on Oscar as well.

[thekid9 418]

What the hell does Mo see in Gary Cahill?

He didn't win a single header all day, or 1 on 1, he blocked one shot that was all he did! was out of position for the penalty.

ZOUMA
ZOUMA
ZOUMA
FUCKING KURT ZOUMA!!!

[Starman60 1,343]

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'm bloody tired of those guys being so nonchalant, careless and just entering the pitch to make it count as 11 players. The second half presentation came probably after a wakeup call by Mourinho in the break, and it shows it can't be physical. There's no rational, believable way to explain players aren't performing because they're tired because they're overplayed when after 45 minutes they finally play.

Also, we criticize Mourinho for the lack of rotation. What has Cuadrado done? Remember Ramires midweek? Except Zouma - who definitely has a case - and Luís who's moe suitable for games at home, who else can Mourinho rotate in this team? Remy and Drogba didn't show to be any better than Costa (actually Costa was one of our best players there today imo), we don't have options for the AMs (there's no questioning about how bad Oscar has been and how useless Willian is in the attack). Who's to replace Cesc - the worst by far imo today. At least Oscar improved some in the second (even if he missed two goals he should have scored) as did Willian and Hazard ran the show as usual. But Cesc was just as lethargic, slow, soft and uninspired as he was in the first. Maybe slightly better because Ramires really improved our midfield.

So I'd love for the people blaming Mourinho to tell me what system or players he can employ that would have changed how we played the first half. I don't think Zouma would have changed our overall performance - he isn't a midfielder, where the problem basically resided - and Luís could have brought some impact, but even then, I don't see something eye catching they would have brought when we were just easily outplayed in the midfield by Saints - who completely dominated the match after scoring.

We're lucky to be six points ahead of City - and seven ahead of Arsenal. I'd be surprised if our lead at the end of May is bigger than 3 points.

Couldn't have put it better myself. Well written intelligent piece Barbara

[iseah100 5,612]

Players are getting frustrated. Namely, Cesc, Hazard and Costa.

[Laylabelle 9,300]

Just glad we did turn up second half.first all over the place.

[GoranZg 56]

The Brazilian duo (Willian and Oscar) are the weakest link in the team. Brazil's complete capitulation at the 2014 World Cup was prove enough of their genuine lack of quality and more importantly mental strength. The minute things start going wrong, they'll simply collapse on you as demonstrated by Germany's 7-1 riot of Brazil, Brazil's worst defeat in their footballing history.

Both need to go. Hazard is the only world class player in the team.

Exactly. Oscar has his shiny moments, but his key passes or deadly shots are as rare as group sex amongst pandas. And he is our 'behind a striker guy'!

As for Willian, I honestly can't remember the last time he used his speed to leave player behind or had a successful dribble (not to mention his vision). Sometimes I'm not sure if he is a football player or customs officer. Each time he gets the ball, you just know he is going to have it three second more than he needs to.

[Stats 6,982]

The second I saw Dean was the ref I knew we were not going to win the game, he is one of the worst ref in the UK, shocking decisions, so typical he would help Southampton to a pathetic penalty.

We need to be better than them and still get a result, we got screwed last season out of the league and I see it happening again.

We must not implode

Disagree completely. Ref was at fault. Matic should have got sent off but he never did so he helped us there and that was a penalty to Southampton. Matic caught Mane first. Southampton should be more aggrieved at the ref than we are. Not the best performance but a good point when you think about it considering City lost yesterday. Arsenal, I am not worried about.

[boshman 1,073]

The second I saw Dean was the ref I knew we were not going to win the game, he is one of the worst ref in the UK, shocking decisions, so typical he would help Southampton to a pathetic penalty.

We need to be better than them and still get a result, we got screwed last season out of the league and I see it happening again.

We must not implode

Really don't think you can blame the ref on this one. It was our shocking 1st half performance that cost us. If we showed the same intensity, desire and pressed as well as we did in the 2nd half, the game would have panned out a whole lot different.

Going forward I think if we play for the remainder of the season as we did the 2nd half we should be fine.

Oscar needs to be removed from the 1st team urgently. Zouma HAS to be JT's partner for the remainder of the season.

Passing HAS to improve. I can't remember seeing a Chelsea side give the ball away as much as I did today. In particular Fabregas who really needs to pull his finger out.

Forget the 1st half. Concentrate on what we did right in the 2nd and move on to Hull. We have a point better advantage at the top than we did on Friday.

[Supermonkey92 1,428]

Courtois

Bane zouma Terry Luis

Ramires matic

Willian cesc hazard

Costa

I hope this is the team we play for the rest of our home games.

Bane because I know jose will never drop him, it's easier not to dream when you know the chance is zero

I actually think cuadrado should be given a run of games, how many players can come to a new team, different country and get 10 mins every 5 games?

Home games because there's no way jose will play that away

[borriske 330]

I know it's not a completely fair comparison and for a long time i really believed in oscar, but...

[edetarod 2,155]

our home results have simlpy not been good enough since the man city game

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Its amazing how some of the posters are quick to bury the non-Brazilian Cuadradob who has barely got minutes while the Brazilian players continue to dish out piece of shit performances without fail. Fucking pathetic. I wonder if some of these "fans want what's best for our club.

[xPetrCechx 13,548]

Your are Attacking Cuadrado who barely played here?! You need to attack The world class player named oscar, who is here nearly 3-4 years? and atill nothing!

[Supermonkey92 1,428]

Its amazing how some of the posters are quick to bury the non-Brazilian Cuadradob who has barely got minutes while the Brazilian players continue to dish out piece of shit performances without fail. Fucking pathetic. I wonder if some of these "fans want what's best for our club.

Couldn't agree more. So cuadrado attempts to dribble around the box and messes up...... Well Oscar doesn't make those mistakes! Sure not he's never near the box and never tries to dribble!!

Willian likes to dribble back towards the defence and then in the middle for a lovely little 5 yard pass.

[iseah100 5,612]

Its amazing how some of the posters are quick to bury the non-Brazilian Cuadradob who has barely got minutes while the Brazilian players continue to dish out piece of shit performances without fail. Fucking pathetic. I wonder if some of these "fans want what's best for our club.

Brazilians get a pass. Ramires. Oscar. Willian. Idk.

[LukakutoStamford 779]

Dean wasn't pulling out a second yellow at all. He reached for his breast pocket, but his cards were in his shorts.

I'm guessing you've never been a referee as referees carry their yellow card in their breast pocket and red in their shorts