Lampard lashes out as Chelsea fall short

FRANK LAMPARD did not enjoy the cold turkey. After the euphoric high of the victory at Tottenham, another crushing home defeat was hard to swallow. Southampton came with a plan, followed it to perfection and beat Chelsea for the first time in ten attempts thanks to goals by Michael Obafemi and Nathan Redmond. It continued the festive revival for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s team and the Saints have eased a little further clear of relegation peril. For Lampard’s young team, however, it marks a third defeat in four Premier League home games. They have been beaten by West Ham, Bournemouth and Southampton without scoring. ‘You can’t have near-on 70 per cent of possession and control and not do more,’ fumed Lampard. ‘Not hit better crosses, not hit better final passes, not get more clear chances at goal. ‘We have to work. Players have to go one-v-one. If you’re an offensive player, play around the corner, join, mix up your game and break defensive lines because teams aren’t stupid. They are well organised. People are coming here and respect us as Chelsea because they are setting up in that way but we are not playing like the Chelsea that can break that down.’ Hasenhuttl plotted their downfall without top scorer Danny Ings for much of the match and Saints have won four of their last six games with their confidence levels restored. ‘We played Chelsea off the park,’ said midfielder James Ward-Prowse. Southampton broke out of defence with great pace and purpose and scored two wonderful goals. The first was a delicious curling shot by Obafemi after Callum Hudson-Odoi had been crowded out and dispossessed on halfway. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg swept a pass forward to the teenage striker, who slipped away from Fikayo Tomori and accepted the invitation from Kurt Zouma when he backed off and allowed him to go for goal. Hasenhuttl performed a celebratory jig on the touchline. Chelsea improved in the second half but they did not create clear openings and Saints remained solid and proved even more dangerous on the counter-attack. It was Redmond who extended the lead with a finish from close range following a long passing move and an inadvertent assist from N’Golo Kante as he tried to win the ball from Stuart Armstrong. ‘This was by far the best performance of the season and the best since I’ve been here,’ said Saints boss Hasenhuttl.