NOW IT’S A HOME GROAN AS BLUES STUMBLE
Lampard kids find it tough going on their own turf
THESE days it can be difficult to get the youngsters to leave home when they grow up. But Frank Lampard’s kids cannot seem to stand the place.
There was not a lot of festive cheer for the Chelsea boss and his players on an afternoon when they were comprehensively outplayed by Ralph Hasenhuttl’s vibrant Southampton.
This defeat made it the first time since 2011 that Chelsea had lost back-to-back home games and a team featuring a number of youngsters have been beaten in six of their 15 matches at Stamford Bridge this season.
What a contrast to last Sunday, when a battling Blues outfought Tottenham on their own turf.
Lampard must be baffled – and the need for reinforcements next month is now becoming obvious. His side were sluggish, sloppy and woefully lacking in invention.
By contrast, Saints have now won four of their last six games, easing the pressure on Hasenhuttl – who looked close to losing his job just a month ago.
Consecutive wins on the road have lifted them to 14th in the table. This victory, inspired by the wizardry of Nathan Redmond, was thoroughly deserved.
Lampard made three changes from the team that won so brilliantly at Spurs – but kept the same formation. This time though his tactics backfired.
Barely a chance was created against a Saints team missing leading scorer Danny Ings. Hassenhuttl had left him out, presumably looking ahead to tomorrow’s clash with Crystal Palace.
But that weakened forward line was still enough to cause Chelsea problems.
Callum Hudson-Odoi, making his first start since October 30, lost the ball while claiming a foul. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg picked it up and played a superb through-ball to the lurking Michael Obafemi.
Fikayo Tomori failed to cut out the pass, and Obafemi picked up the ball, swerved past Kurt Zouma, and curled a lovely shot into the top corner.
It was his first Premier League goal in just over a year.
The nearest Chelsea came to scoring was when Cesar Azpilicueta flicked on a Willian corner – but Saints goalkeeper Alex McCarthy pawed the ball away.
By then, Southampton’s Ryan Bertrand had been booked for time wasting and Lampard was moaning at the fourth official about the visitors’ delaying tactics.
Lampard made changes for the second half, bringing on Mason Mount in place of Zouma and switching to a back four. It made little difference, although Tammy Abraham went close with a shot which hit the side netting.
Saints kept creating chances on the break as Chelsea huffed and puffed – and they should have scored when Redmond got away, but Che Adams missed the cross.
Hudson-Odoi dipped a shot over the bar, but Saints’ well-organised defence was rarely stretched.
Again on the break, Redmond raced through the middle and should have scored, only for Kepa Arrizabalaga to rush out and save.
But there was no escape in the 73rd minute when Craig Armstrong cleverly beat his man, and N’Golo Kante inadvertently poked the ball into Redmond’s path.
This time the Saints winger made no mistake.
Christian Pulisic shot just wide as the hosts tried to get back into the game – but it was too little too late, although McCarthy was forced to tip a Mount free-kick over the bar.