It was another crazy, chaotic and desperate night for Chelsea. They were horribly and ruthlessly exposed by a Southampton team with far more energy, spirit and desire.
Chelsea looked a team in utter disarray, searching for an identity which has been lost in a crazy soap opera of a summer with players coming in and out of Stamford Bridge’s revolving door transfer policy. No wonder Leicester ’s Wesley Fofana is next on the shopping list as the France defender’s imminent arrival will take the spending past the £250m mark.
They desperately need defensive reinforcements but the problem is they have already spent so much and still look a team a long way short of being the finished article. You could not possibly say at this stage whether Thomas Tuchel will be pushing for the top four - or trying to salvage a season after a scattergun approach in the transfer market.
Southampton were all too ready to take full advantage because any team which shows energy and fight, goes toe-to-toe with Chelsea has got a great chance of upsetting Tuchel’s men.
Towards the end, the home fans were chanting: “ Champions League - you’re having a laugh.” And it’s hard to disagree. Southampton did finish the game defending for their lives but it was only in the face of some pretty desperate attacks with Chelsea keeper Edouard Mendy piling forward as, despite all the money spent, goals are still a big issue.
Raheem Sterling has so far been the best buy and got his third goal in two games but he will not be able to score enough goals to save a team which looks rudderless in defence and short of legs in midfield.
Chelsea’s veteran defender Thiago Silva, who is 38 next month, showed his age in a back four, Cesar Azpilicueta was horribly exposed and, without N’Golo Kante, they lack energy and legs in midfield. They self destructed at Leeds earlier this month and it was more of the same at St Mary’s and yet maybe this was harder to understand because they took the lead - and then collapsed.
The travelling support must have left St Mary’s wondering what exactly this season holds while the home fans produced such a roar at the full time whistle and on nights like these there is such a buzz and energy around the Saints.
Sterling did put them ahead after 23 minutes when Kai Havertz and Mason Mount combined nicely, the ball fell to Chelsea’s N017 who first held off Romain Perraud and then finished neatly on the turn. It looked pretty comfortable for Chelsea - but they made life difficult for themselves. Azpilicueta first gave away a needless corner and then made a hash of a clearance to set up the equaliser.
The ball fell to Southampton’s Belgium under-21 midfielder Romeo Lavia and he smashed home a fierce drive and made a wonderful piece of history to make everyone else feel horribly old. Incredibly, Lavia was the first player born in 2004 to score in the Premier League.
Southampton grew in confidence and went ahead in first half injury time. James Ward-Prowse spread the ball wide to Perraud and his cross found Adam Armstrong whose shot flew home through a crowd of players to complete the turnaround at St Mary’s.
Remarkably, Southampton were closer to a third goal rather than Chelsea get an equaliser. Mohamed Elyounoussi saw a diving header heroically blocked by Marc Cucurella and then the Saints forward’s effort on the follow-up was saved by Edouard Mendy.
No wonder Southampton fans celebrated wildly at the end and Tuchel looked so frustrated.
