The Match Report- Southampton 1-1 Chelsea
Another goal for Mason Mount on the South Coast however, it was not enough to claim all three points as Thomas Tuchel's side had to settle for a share of the points at St Mary's
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| Mason Mount celebrates equalising from the penalty spot for Chelsea against Southampton |
Despite controlling the majority of the game, Chelsea fell behind in the first half as Takumi Minamino managed to escape through the Blue's defence to give the hosts Southampton a lead which lasted for 20 minutes.
Mount remained lively throughout the game, taking inspiration from playing for local rivals Portsmouth, and won Chelsea a penalty from which he scored the equalising goal. The man at fault for Chelsea's penalty was Danny Ings who went to ground whereas a more sensible defender would have stayed on his feet, with their being little reason to argue against the decision.
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| Danny Ings brings down Mason Mount to give Chelsea a penalty |
With plenty of time in the game remaining, both teams had opportunities in which to snatch the winner. Southampton went closest when a Jannik Vestegaard header hit the crossbar, whilst Reece James somehow skied over the best opportunity for Chelsea. The point leaves Chelsea in fourth place ahead of the rest of the remaining fixtures this weekend.
Four changes made by Chelsea
The returning quartet for Chelsea consisted of Edouard Mendy, Reece James, Kurt Zouma and N'Golo Kante, the latter duo both making their first appearances under Thomas Tuchel. As a result Kepa Arrizabalaga, Andreas Christensen, Jorginho and Callum Hudson-Odoi all dropped to the bench.
Tammy Abraham who had been forced off as a result of a injury sustained to his leg, was deemed fit enough to lead the attack for Chelsea.
For Southampton there were two changes made from the 2-1 home defeat to Wolves with both Kyle-Walker-Peters and Stuart Armstrong unavailable due to injury. Former Chelsea players Ryan Bertrand and Oriel Romeu both started for Ralph Hassenhutl's side.
Chelsea fight for a way through
Before kick-off nine places separated both teams as Southampton got things under way on a fairly warm but breezy lunchtime by the Solent, with Southampton having failed to win at St Mary's ever since their surprising victory over Liverpool just a few days into 2021.
Since then, though the Saints have lost six consecutive games in the league for the first time in their history and more often so against Chelsea at home which is more than any other premier league side, all the signs which presented a very unfavourable outlook for the hosts.
It was almost the perfect beginning for Chelsea as Marcos Alonso who had scored twice on the South Coast last season against Bournemouth, flashed a shot across Alex McCarthy's goal.
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| Marcos Alonso fired wide for Chelsea with a rare chance early in the first half |
The chance came as a result of a quick and precise move from the middle to the right hand side, through Timo Werner then Mason Mount and then out to Reece James, who picked out Alonso at the far post. The Spanish wing-back had lots of time to judge the flight of the ball but was unable to get his volley on target.
Hosts spring a surprise
That opportunity for Alonso was one of the few opportunities in the first 15 minutes of the game as the Southampton back-line pushed up high and congested paly more into the central areas. Chelsea's deftness of touch and clinical passes was missing in the final third, ensuring that the hosts goalkeeper Alex McCarthy remained untroubled. McCarthy's first save came after the half hour mark, with a routing stop low down from an Antonio Rudiger shot, with the German defender trying his luck from distance more from hope rather than expectation.
The premier league is one of the most toughest competitions in the world because danger is a reality which is ever present and Southampton delivered the breakthrough after 33 minutes with not only their first attempt on goal but with their first venture into the Chelsea box.
A defence-splitting pass from Moussa Djenepo found the run of Takumi Minamino in-between defenders Cesar Azpiliqueta and Kurt Zouma and the Japanese international did the rest with a clever feint to deceive the sliding and onrushing Edouard Mendy before applying a simple finish into the back of the net.
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| Takumi Minamino celebrates opening the scoring for Southampton |
New territory for Chelsea under Tuchel
For the first time under Thomas Tuchel, Chelsea were behind in a game and needed an immediate response. Chelsea almost equalised within minutes of the second half as Timo Werner was fouled some 30 yards from goal.
The set-piece was delivered y Marcos Alonso, as he swung the ball in towards the far post, where Kurt Zouma met it with a powerful header which Alex McCarthy managed to push around the post for a Chelsea corner. A check from VAR may have been involved for a potential offside, had it been required.
The first half-time team talk for Thomas Tuchel as a trailing manager in English football would have been focused more on sustaining attacks and applying more pressure on the Southampton defence, which had been let off lightly given the amount of possession Chelsea had throughout the first half. Chelsea returned for the second half with a change in the starting line-up with Callum Hudson-Odoi replacing Tammy Abraham in attack.
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| There was a first start in the premier league under Thomas Tuchel for N'Golo Kante |
Game turns with a mistimed tackle
The seaside showers greeted the players as they returned for the start of the second half, with Chelsea hoping to turn the tide in the contest for the remaining 45 minutes. Chelsea's shape for the second half was similar to the one which was deployed for the game against Tottenham, with both Callum Hudson-Odoi and Timo Werner both operating as split strikers and Mount remaining central.
Werner proved to be more of a handful down the left hand side with more direct and dangerous running, even though his final ball failed to find a team-mate inside the 18 yard box or provide a serious test to McCarthy. Nonetheless Tuchel's side were soon on level terms as Portsmouth born midfielder Mason Mount drew Chelsea level from the penalty spot.
It was Mount himself who was brought down in the area following a neat passage of play down the right hand side involving Callum Hudson-Odoi and Reece James. Danny Ings, who was trying to help out in his own box, was the guilty party as be brought down Mount in the area with a unnecessary sliding tackle.
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| Mason Mount slots away the penalty to score his seventh goal of the season |
Mount did the rest, as he took over penalty taking responsibilities from Jorginho and rolled the penalty kick to the opposite side of goalkeeper Alex McCarthy's dive to score his second goal in three games. For the boyhood Portsmouth fan it would have been it would have been a very special moment as he scored his second goal against Southampton at St Mary's in many seasons.
A chance to grab three points
Yet a point was not enough for Tuchel as he urged his players to cut their celebrations short and restart the match quickly in order to search for a winner in the final 36 minutes of the game. Suddenly, the intensity of the game was different as it balanced precariously on a knife-edge, with the risks and rewards increasing with every passing moment.
The contest proved to be one of not too many opportunities as the two energetic, front footed teams both battled for control and waited for the opposition to make a mistake. A set-piece could possible have decided it and Southampton almost restored this route when Vestegaard, who scored the late equaliser for Southampton at Stamford Bridge in the reverse fixture back in October, took aim with a header.
The corner was then recycled which found it's way back to Vestegaard, who was able to readjust to stoop low and be able to direct his header towards the far top corner. Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and the rest of the Chelsea players were only able to watch the ball as it looped through the air, onto the crossbar and away to safety.
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| Some resilient defending from Kurt Zouma in the Chelsea box |
Tuchel attempts tweaks but victory eludes Chelsea
Both Hakim Ziyech and Jorginho were introduced for the final 15 minutes, Callum Hudson-Odoi among those replaced having only entered the pitch after the half-time interval, as Chelsea's frustration for a goal continued.
Mason Mount remained at the heart of Chelsea's best play, with teasing crosses into the box but to no avail. It was Mount who infact managed to skip past Djenepo and reach the byline where he was able to find Reece James at the back post with a cross from his left foot, with James wasting the opportunity by blazing over the bar from eight yards out.
In the games final minutes the England international then hit a rising effort into the stands behind Alex McCarthy's goal and with that went the last remaining hopes for Chelsea to secure another victory in the premier league.
What's next for Chelsea
Chelsea return to action in the champions league on Tuesday. The opponents are Atletico Madrid in the round of 16, with the first leg played out in Bucharest. After that it's the visit of Manchester United to Stamford Bridge on Sunday 28th February.
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