Let's start with the numbers. After 22 Premier League matches this season, Chelsea sit 10th in the table. They are 10 points off fourth-place Newcastle United, who occupy the final Champions League qualifying position, and haven't won in three top-flight matches.
It's why tomorrow's visit of Southampton is an important one for Graham Potter and his players. The Saints are bottom of the table and without a head coach. They've also lost nine of their previous 10 Premier League matches. In years past, the game would be a gimme for Chelsea.
"I've said before there's no point thinking about four months away," said Potter at his pre-match press conference. "We're focused on the next match which is Southampton. As we know from earlier on in the season, any game you play in the Premier League, it's always complicated, it's always tough. So we have to be ready for that challenge. We play at home and try to take the three points."
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Potter will still be without a handful of senior players: Edouard Mendy, N'Golo Kante, Christian Pulisic and Armando Broja are sidelined while Ben Chilwell and Raheem Sterling are doubts. Yet given the size of the Chelsea squad, there are still several options to choose from and football.london's Chelsea writers have picked their teams for the match against the Saints.
Adam Newson's team
Chelsea have had very little preparation time for Southampton's visit. Those who didn't start in Dortmund undertook a training session on Thursday and it was only this afternoon that the full squad was back on the grass at Cobham, something that is bound to influence Potter's selection.
Kepa Arrizabalaga will continue in goal with Edouard Mendy sidelined. That is one of the few certainties. At right-back I suspect Reece James will be handed another start, although I would be wary about playing him for the full 90 minutes given he is still on the way back to full fitness after injury.
It is tempting to rest Thiago Silva given the 38-year-old has played more minutes than any Chelsea player this season. Yet with a week to recover from Tottenham, the Brazilian should get the nod. Alongside him should return Benoit Badiashile, who wasn't registered to face Dortmund in midweek.
Ben Chilwell got 70 minutes under his belt at Signal Iduna Park and offered a reminder of his quality. However, given that was his first start for three months and he departed after sustaining a kick to his ankle, I wouldn't take any risks and would bring Marc Cucurella in at left-back despite his indifferent form.
Enzo Fernandez is guaranteed to start and, fitness permitting, I would bring Denis Zakaria into the double six. The Switzerland international wouldn't be expected to complete the full match given he has only just returned from a thigh issue but his skill set complements the Argentine star's nicely.
Another of the players not to feature in Dortmund, Noni Madueke, would be my pick to begin on the right of the front three. Joao Felix could then continue in his free role and on the left I would include Mason Mount, who has a habit of scoring goals against Southampton.
There's been much conversation around Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang since the Dortmund defeat but I don't expect him to start. David Datro Fofana is also an option and one I would be inclined to test from the start ahead of Kai Havertz, whose goalscoring form has been indifferent since the World Cup break.
Adam's XI: Kepa; James, Silva, Badiashile, Cucurella; Fernandez, Zakaria; Madueke, Felix, Mount; Fofana.
Scott Trotter
While Chelsea left Germany with a defeat, in terms of chance generation at least, Graham Potter can come away with some positives heading into Southampton. However, he knows against the Premier League's bottom-placed team there can be no excuses and the Blues will need to be more ruthless at Stamford Bridge.
Nevertheless, the combination play between Kai Havertz and Joao Felix can be seen as a positive and the latter appears to have singlehandedly improved Chelsea's creativity so should continue to lead the line.
Having the benefit of a rested midweek, Noni Madueke could come into the side with a point to prove, particularly given that Mykhailo Mudryk didn't set the pitch alight for second game in a row. Hakim Ziyech was solid enough against Dortmund, but it seems a start will be too soon for Raheem Sterling.
However, I think Mason Mount's previous form against Southampton could help spark some form. The 24-year-old has only scored more goals against Norwich in his career – and that is slightly deceiving given the hat-trick he scored against the woeful Canaries last season.
Enzo Fernandez is an easy pick as he continues to embed himself into life at Chelsea, and with no playing time for Denis Zakaria or Mateo Kovacic thus far on their return from injury, he seems likely to be partnered by Ruben Loftus-Cheek or Conor Gallagher. The former may bring more consistency to the side, though Potter has used the latter in tandem with Mount in the past.
Ben Chilwell seems unlikely to start after suffering a knock in the Champions League, and while Kalidou Koulibaly performed well, Benoit Badiashile should keep his place alongside Thiago Silva as they are flanked by Reece James and Marc Cucurella. Perhaps James will be due a shorter outing after his recent accumulation of minutes.
Scott's XI: Kepa; James, Silva, Badiashile, Cucurella; Fernandez, Loftus-Cheek; Madueke, Felix, Mount, Havertz.
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