CRISIS FOR SARRI
Chelsea draw a blank as Willian
CHELSEA started the day by splashing out £58million on one of the world’s most in-demand young strikers and ended it with a gathering injury crisis and a critical shortage of options up front.
Maurizio Sarri learned a little more about the peculiarities of management at Stamford Bridge on a day when his team were unable to find a way past Southampton and his injury problems deepened when Willian limped out in the first half.
The Chelsea manager went into the game without Olivier Giroud, who twisted an ankle against Crystal Palace on Sunday. Pedro and Callum Hudson-Odoi were nursing hamstring injuries.
As ever, they have a wealth of talent out on loan, including strikers Tammy Abraham and Michy Batshuayi. And, as of yesterday they have Christian Pulisic, who was signed from Borussia Dortmund and immediately loaned back until the summer.
Chelsea will continue the quest to sign a centre forward in this month’s transfer market but there were times last night when they could have used fresh ideas.
Southampton came to defend and did it well, even though the point saw them drop into the bottom three at the expense of Burnley. They were hard to break down and when Alvaro Morata found the net his goal was ruled out for offside. It was tight but replays showed it was a good decision.
Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl, after a sobering defeat at home to Manchester City on Sunday, made eight changes to his team including a Premier League debut for Angus Gunn in goal and a place at right wing-back for Yan Valery, 19, up against Eden Hazard.
Gunn would have been reassured by a solid save made in the opening exchanges to deny Morata, who was back after injury and starting his first league game since a defeat at Wolves a month ago.
Morata drifted free between Maya Yoshida and Bednarek to meet a long ball, clipped forward by Cesar Azpilicueta, but was unable to generate enough power in his header to trouble the 22-year-old goalkeeper.
Gunn was alert to sprint from his penalty box and beat Hazard to another pass as Southampton grew more comfortable and confident. Chelsea became increasingly frustrated and he home crowd began to grumble with impatience as the visitors offered a threat on the counter-attack.
Danny Ings flashed a header over from a cross by Cedric Soares, who was recalled by Hasenhuttl to play as a wing-back on the left.
Sarri’s team summoned a response before the interval. Bednerak was booked for chopping down Morata on the break and Gunn made another fine save, this time spreading his frame and taking the full force of Hazard’s effort in the side of his head.
Willian was injured in a challenge by Yoshida and forced off before half-time. The Brazilian was replaced by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who lifted the tempo when he marked his introduction with a couple of jinking dribbles.
Shane Long replaced Ings for Southampton at half-time and Kepa Arrizabalaga produced the first save of the second half, diving low to his left to push wide a drive from range by Stuart Armstrong.
In search of a solution, Sarri sent on Cesc Fabregas to make his 500th English club appearance.
Morata’s goal was ruled out and Southampton found more spaces on the counter attack as Chelsea took more risks. James Ward Prowse smashed a free-kick into the wall from the edge of the area while Gunn saved again from Morata and there was a loud pen- alty appeal when Alonso tumbled a little too easily under a challenge from behind by Long.
Hasenhuttl punched the air at the final whistle. Sarri turned and stalked straight down the tunnel.
CHELSEA (4-3-3): Arrizabalaga 6; Azpilicueta 6, Luiz 6, Rudiger 6, Alonso 6; Kante 6, Jorginho 6, Barkley 6 (Fabregas 68min, 6); Willian 6 (Loftus-Cheek 37, 6.5), Morata 6, Hazard 6.5. Subs not used: Caballero, Zappacosta, Emerson, Ampadu, Christensen. Booked: Rudiger. Manager: Maurizio Sarri 6. SOUTHAMPTON (3-4-2-1): Gunn 7; BEDNAREK 7.5, Yoshida 7, Vestergaard 7; Valery 7, Romeu 7, Ward-Prowse 6.5, Soares 6; Redmond 6 (Stephens 90), Armstrong 6 (Austin 89); Ings 6 (Long 46, 6). Subs not used: McCarthy, Slattery, Ramsay, Elyounoussi. Booked: Bednarek, Romeu. Manager: Ralph Hasenhuttl 6. Referee: Jonathan Moss 6.5. Attendance: 40,668.