HUGHES TELLS SOUTHAMPTON TO TOUGHEN UP OR FACE THE DROP
MARK HUGHES now knows he must turn his Saints into sinners if they are to avoid Premier League relegation. He found out the hard way on Saturday as Southampton squandered a two-goal lead in his first home game in charge, Chelsea fleeing St Mary’s with three points after showing all the cunning and guile their opponents lacked. The margins were fine, but they were there for all too see. Where Shane Long got straight to his feet when hauled down by Andreas Christensen inside the box, Marcos Alonso went to ground under the hint of a challenge to earn the free-kick that led to the winner. Where Eden Hazard was shown too much respect as he drove at the hosts’ defence, Gary Cahill took one for his team-mates with a wild lunge that took the sting out of a stoppage-time attack down the right. The need for Southampton to be that little more streetwise in their last five games is crucial, not least after they found themselves cut five points adrift of safety by Saturday evening. And Hughes is aware that lessons in football’s dark arts may be required to avoid further heartache come the end of the season. ‘It was difficult,’ he said after watching the second-half turnaround. ‘It was that case of thinking, “Come on guys, you need to understand what’s happening here”. Maybe at times we are a little bit honest. Sometimes you have to have the ability, some would say it’s a skill, to knock people over in the right areas of the field. The top teams do it — Manchester City do it, Chelsea do it — just to be able to stop the game and give yourself time to regroup.’ Of his players’ honesty, Hughes can be sure. Like fellow
manager Paul Lambert, the Welshman has been sorting the wheat from the chaff this week. Stoke have banished Jese and Saido Berahino from the first team in order to improve harmony, and a similar process is being undertaken on the south coast. ‘I am starting to learn what leaders and what kind of leadership group I have got within the club,’ Hughes added. ‘I have got strong characters. Maybe the starting line-up needs more of those. Clearly I am getting to understand who the guys are that are going to help us and who are not willing to put their bodies on the line, and that’s good from my point of view.’ It is necks rather than bodies on the line at Stamford Bridge. Antonio Conte is incarcerated in the managerial equivalent of death row, waiting for his inevitable sacking. This stay of execution only served to irritate the Italian, who headed straight down the tunnel at full-time as he struggled to get over the idle performance delivered by his players in the first half. ‘I think it’s not a problem of formation or about your choice of starting eleven,’ he said. ‘It’s important in every game to have the right passion, the right enthusiasm, the right spirit.’ One thing that did go right was the introduction of Olivier Giroud. The Frenchman’s two goals were his first for the Blues in the Premier League and his first since netting for Arsenal at the same ground. The striker had an Alonso cross to thank for getting him off the mark. It could have been very different though had officials spotted the defender’s dangerous challenge on Long in the first half. This, of course, coming in the week that Premier League clubs voted to postpone the use of VAR next season. For now, Hughes will have to rely on those dark arts to get his side out of trouble. SOUTHAMPTON (3-4-2-1): McCarthy 5.5; Bednarek 6.5 (Gabbiadini 90min), Yoshida 6, Hoedt 6; Cedric 5.5, Romeu 6.5, Hojberg 6.5, Bertrand 7; Ward-Prowse 6 (Austin 79), Tadic 6.5 (Sims 83); Long 6. Subs not used: Lemina, Boufal, McQueen, Forster. Scorers: Tadic 22, Bednarek 61. Booked: Hojbjerg, Ward-Prowse, Bertrand, Romeu, Long. Manager: Mark Hughes 7. CHELSEA (3-4-3): Courtois 6.5; Azpilicueta 5.5, Christensen 6, Cahill 6; Zappacosta 5 (Pedro 61, 6), Kante 6.5, Fabregas 6.5, Alonso 6; Willian 6.5, Hazard 7.5 (Moses 86); Morata 5 (GIROUD 61, 8). Subs not used: Caballero, Barkley, Bakayoko, Emerson. Booked: Hazard, Cahill, Willian. Scorers: Giroud 70, 78, Hazard 75. Manager: Antonio Conte 7. Referee: Mike Dean 6. Attendance: 31,764.