Match Report: Chelsea 3 – 1 Southampton

Article by Chelsea Correspondent Robert Wake

Stamford Bridge, 1st December 2013

Chelsea fought back from a disastrous opening to claim all three points, and move into second place in the table at Stamford Bridge on Sunday evening.

Southampton recalled fit again Dejan Lovren for Jos Hooiveld, while somewhat surprisingly, Dani Osvaldo was preferred to Rickie Lambert. Following the dismal showing in Basel in midweek, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho made four changes, Lampard, Mikel, Willian and the injured Eto’o making way for Essien, Hazard, Mata, and Torres in a return to the 4-2-3-1 formation.

Southampton kicked-off, and were gifted a goal after just 13 seconds. Nathaniel Clyne’s clipped ball into Chelsea territory fell to Michael Essien, making his first Premiership start of the season. The Ghanaian attempted a volleyed clearance, but the ball skewed off his boot, looping over Chelsea’s bemused central defenders, and invitingly into the path of Jay Rodriguez who calmly slotted past a helpless Petr Cech. Stamford Bridge was stunned, save for the visiting supporters who taunted Mourinho with taunts of “You’re not special anymore”. They would be made to eat their words later in the afternoon.

Chelsea huffed and puffed in search if an equaliser, but only created a couple of decent openings; Artur Boruc parrying an Oscar shot, and then acrobatically turning away Torres goal bound header. Chelsea had to make an enforced change before the break with Frank Lampard replacing the injured Oscar on 42 minutes.

At half-time, Mourinho made a change in both personnel and critically, formation, replacing the ineffective Essien with Demba Ba and setting up in an orthodox 4-4-2 formation, with Ba lending a physical presence to Torres up front, with Hazard and Mata deployed as conventional wingers. The change enabled the home side to get on the front foot, denying The Saints the opportunity to play out from the back as had been the case during the first-half. Ten minutes into the second period, Mata’s far post corner was headed down by Branislav Ivanovic, Ba prodded against the post from close range, and Gary Cahill twisted in mid air to nod the rebound into an unguarded net as Boruc was caught up in the netting like a fly in a spider’s web. The unfortunate Boruc had damaged a hand in his efforts and had to be replaced by Paulo Gazzaniga immediately after the equaliser. Chelsea were now in the ascendency, and swarmed forward utilising Ramires’ energy from midfield and the width that had been missing during the first-half.

Chelsea were ahead on 62 minutes. Mata’s initial corner was cleared back out to the recalled Spaniard. Mata’s pinpoint cross was glanced home at the near post by Chelsea Captain, John Terry on the occasion of his 593rd Blues appearance, taking him into 4th place in the all-time appearance makers for the Club. Chelsea continued to press, and could have made the game safe when the impressive Ba shot narrowly wide, before the same player, eventually rubber-stamped Chelsea’s comeback, sliding in Ramires’ left wing cross, after the tenacious Brazilian had made yet another lung-bursting run from midfield.

Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Essien (Ba 46), Ramires, Hazard, Oscar (Lampard 42), Mata, Torres (Mikel 83)

Goals: Cahill 55, Terry 62, Ba 89

Southampton: Boruc (Gazzaniga 58), Clyne, Fonte, Lovren, Shaw, Wanyama, Schneiderlin (Lambert 67), Ward-Prowse (Davis 63), Lallana, Rodriguez, Osvaldo

Goal: Rodriguez 13 seconds

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