BLUNT BLUES PUL UP SHORT
Sarri looks like he needs some Christian add right now
TOO LATE Christian Pulisic, no turning back now.
To be fair to Chelsea, they‘ve signed the £58million man from Dortmund to freshen up a squad that, regardless of what happens this season, looks to have reached the end of its cycle.
New blood is needed with the old-stagers and many of the squad that lifted the title under Antonio Conte looking to have lost their sparkle.
No wonder some home fans booed at the final whistle. Chelsea are going backwards. If Pulisic was following this over in Germany he’d have probably turned over to watch their version of The Apprentice long before the end.
It is a long time since Stamford Bridge has been as quiet as it was for large periods of the first half.
Following his arrival during the summer, Maurizio Sarri initially banished the disillusionment that the club had been plunged into under Conte.
An 18-match unbeaten run in all competitions, between August and November, generated real belief Chelsea could even launch a surprise title challenge. Those heady days are long gone.
Chelsea not only need to finish in the top four to give Eden Hazard a reason to stay committed, they also the top four to attract that superior quality. This month they surely have to bite the bullet and bring in a new striker. Hazard is their top scorer in the Premier League with 10 goals this season. No other Chelsea player features in the top 20.
Hazard’s shoulders must be aching from carrying the team. No wonder Real Madrid still fancy their chances of landing him in the summer.
Chelsea’s best chances came from Hazard’s boot. Antonio Rudiger’s ball over the top found the winger in space and Angus Gunn, making his Premier League debut, took one in the face for his troubles.
Saints keeper Gunn stood up to Hazard again, parrying a drive from just outside the box.
Then a ball over the top from David Luiz almost released Hazard again.
Where was Alvaro Morata all this time, I hear you ask? Largely anonymous. It says much about his contribution that his team-mates repeatedly looked for Hazard instead.
Morata did have a couple of efforts on goal – the first when Yan Valery deflected his shot wide and another easily held by Gunn. When he did eventually get the ball into the net, in the 70th minute, he was flagged offside – a decision TV pictures suggested was incorrect. Chelsea are trapped in a run of fixtures stretching even the strongest of squads.
But this was all too easy, though, for a fragile Saints team that were there for the taking.
Instead they started to fancy their chances.
Danny Ings headed over the bar from Cedric Soares’s cross, while livewire Stuart Armstrong forced Kepa Arrizabalaga into palming away his long-range, curling effort.
Southampton were able to keep their first clean sheet in 11 games, ending a run that had been the worst in the top flight.
Ralph Hasenhuttl and his men were even able to survive an injury-time penalty shout when Long bundled Marcos Alonso over in the box.
It should have been given. But victory would have flattered Chelsea. Massively.