Southampton 2-2

Independent:

Rafael Benitez running out of time as Guardiola loss darkens mood
Chelsea 2 Southampton 2

Glenn Moore

Whatever Roman Abramovich's back-up was should Pep Guardiola resist his advances it surely cannot have been Plan B for Benitez.
Rafa may not be keeping the Stamford Bridge dugout warm for his compatriot any more, but the Spaniard's prospects of staying on himself receded even further tonight as Chelsea let slip a two-goal lead at home to Southampton.

Coming on top of home defeats to Queen's Park Rangers and Swansea the chants of "We don't want you here" that followed the interim first team manager down the tunnel were inevitable, especially after Benitez added to the enmity towards him by replacing Frank Lampard with Fernando Torres as Chelsea sought a winner, a decision greeted with widespread boos.

Stamford Bridge's lowest crowd of the league season had been more benevolent earlier as Demba Ba and Eden Hazard scored before the break, but Southampton, beaten 5-1 at home by Chelsea in the FA Cup 11 days prior, rallied to level through Rickie Lambert and Jason Puncheon.

"We didn't take our chances, we gave them hope they could score, and they did," said Benitez. "We have to be more clinical. The next game [at home to Arsenal] has to be totally different. We have to defend better as a unit."

Benitez added that his team lacked experience to deal with the pressure after Southampton scored, but said he had not brought John Terry off the bench as the captain "was not match fit". Terry, he indicated, was unlikely to start against Arsenal.

Nigel Adkins praised his own team's growing maturity and added: "The players have improved and found ways to pick up points." He had left Gaston Ramirez and Lambert on the bench, deploying Jay Rodriguez as a lone striker and Jack Cork in a holding role. Cork joined Chelsea at nine and stayed there for 12 years captaining the youth team and reserves and playing for England at every age level from Under-16 to Under-21. But he never played once for the first team, instead being sent on loan seven times before joining Southampton in 2011. That is how difficult it is for native talent to break into the starring XI at a club such as Chelsea.

The 23-year-old looked at home as Southampton began confidently, moving the ball patiently, but gradually Chelsea began to take control in midfield and the pressure grew. Nevertheless it was still a surprise when, in the 26th minute, they broke through. A poor clearance by Steven Davis was recycled by Lampard enabling Cesar Azpilicueta to cross. Oscar beat Jos Hooiveld to the ball and Ba volleyed his flck-on past Artur Boruc.

In the final minutes of the half Chelsea, seemingly galvanised by a Davis miss, successfully upped the tempo. Sliding passes behind the Saints back four to breaking midfielders they created a series of chances and after Lampard eschewed two and Boruc clawed away a Hazard effort, Ramires hit the bar and Hazard thundered in the rebound.

Chelsea seemed home and dry, if frozen, but 10 minutes into the second period Adkins brought on Lambert and, having pushed Gary Cahill to make space he headed in with his first touch after Nathaniel Clyne beat Hazard on the flank then crossed. It was the other young English full-back, Luke Shaw, who delivered the equaliser, sprinting away from Azpiliceuta before crossing to Puncheon, who had time to tee himself up before lashing a volley past Petr Cech.

Enter Torres, on the right wing. The gamble seemed to have worked as he took a pass from Juan Mata and advanced on goal, but then he shot wide of the near post and the boos began anew.

Man of the match Schneiderlin (Southampton).

Match rating 7/10.

Referee M Oliver (Northumberland).

Attendance 38,484.


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Guardian:

Southampton's Lambert and Puncheon knock Chelsea out of their stride

David Hytner at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea had been braced for the death of the slow-burning dream. They had come to consider Pep Guardiola, now Bayern Munich-bound and the ideal choice as their next permanent manager, as being beyond them. Instead the shock waves came from the latest home failure against a Southampton side that had looked finished as they trailed to fine first-half goals from Demba Ba and Eden Hazard.
Chelsea had won 87 of the 89 Premier League matches since 1992 in which they had been two goals to the good at the interval yet they surrendered here, as the Southampton manager, Nigel Adkins, made attacking changes and enjoyed almost implausible reward. After his first substitute, Rickie Lambert, had reduced the deficit, his team prolonged their recent encouraging sequence with a dramatic equaliser on the counter, which was smashed home in emphatic style by Jason Puncheon.
Rafael Benítez had bemoaned how visiting teams had frustrated Chelsea at this stadium by sitting deep and packing numbers behind the ball. Yet this was a twist to his burgeoning frustration. The Southampton left-back Luke Shaw was deep inside his own half when he began the surging run that led to Puncheon's late goal.
It was difficult to forgive the manner in which Chelsea caught a sucker punch when in control and the home crowd was in no mood to do so. They had responded badly to Benítez's decision to replace Frank Lampard with Fernando Torres in the 80th minute and, after the Spain striker, playing towards the right flank, had laboured and snatched at his one chance, the full-time whistle brought another round of boos, together with the reminder for Benítez that he is not wanted here.
This was the night when Chelsea were supposed to put daylight behind them in third place but the lowest home league crowd of the season departed with further fuel for their grievances. Benítez has overseen only two Stamford Bridge wins in seven games in all competitions.
Southampton created little but they were rewarded for their refusal to accept the seemingly inevitable and their determination to stick to their game plan, which involved only one up front, staying compact and not chasing the game when they trailed to leave themselves exposed. Adkins remarked that this had seen Aston Villa undone here by an 8-0 scoreline while he also had the experience of the 5-1 FA Cup defeat by Chelsea at St Mary's Stadium on the Saturday before last.
Even so, it was remarkable that Chelsea were unhinged by Shaw's burst and Puncheon's spectacular left-footed blast because their comfort had been marked for long spells. Lambert's goal, two minutes after his introduction, had been a dreadful one to concede and it felt as though Chelsea had been lulled into false security. Nathaniel Clyne looked to have been slide-tackled by Hazard, only for the Chelsea winger weakly to allow him to wrest back possession, maraud further forward and cross. Lambert dropped off Gary Cahill, César Azpilicueta froze and the striker craned his neck to head firmly beyond Petr Cech.
But Chelsea responded. Ba volleyed over from Juan Mata's dinked pass and Lampard sent a free-kick over the wall and wide. The next goal looked likelier to be Chelsea's, despite this being far from a vintage performance. And yet, when Puncheon took his touch to tee up the decisive moment and the crowd howled at full-time, Benítez found himself forced to lament his players' lack of know-how and game management, along with their lack of ruthlessness in front of goal.
The outpouring upon the final whistle contrasted with the apathy at the outset, when there had been little to stir the senses in the cold. Chelsea, though, got the breakthrough they wanted midway through the first half and it seemed for a while to have fortified them.
Benítez started with arguably his most exciting attacking midfielders but it was the selection of Ba in preference to Torres up front that appeared the vote-winner, given the boos that the latter had suffered here against Swansea City in the League Cup last Wednesday.
Ba marked his Chelsea debut after his £7m arrival from Newcastle United with two goals in the FA Cup drubbing of Southampton and he offered another glimpse of his clinical nature. Adkins was cursing his players' inability to clear adequately when Lampard showed skill on the right and Azpilicueta crossed with zip. Oscar flung himself into an attempted header, with Jos Hooiveld in close attendance, and the ball spun up towards Ba. In a flash he had leapt into a right-footed volley and squeezed it past Artur Boruc into the corner.
Chelsea finished the first half with panache. Twice Lampard went close and Hazard brought a reaction save out of Boruc before Chelsea took charge with another eye-catching strike. Southampton once again failed to clear and after Ramires's deflected shot had come back off a post Hazard guided home the rebound first time and left-footed. A home win looked assured. Chelsea's disbelief would be tangible.

P W D L F A GD Pts
ManUtd 22 18 1 3 56 29 27 55
Man City 22 14 6 2 43 19 24 48
Chelsea 22 12 6 4 45 21 24 42
Tottenham 22 12 4 6 39 27 12 40


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Telegraph:

Chelsea 2 Southampton 2

By Paul Kelso, at Stamford Bridge

An evening that began with good news from Germany ended in cold comfort at home for Rafael Benítez, as Chelsea tossed away a 2-0 lead to be held to a draw by Southampton.
Benítez’s position appeared to have been strengthened by Pep Guardiola’s decision to go to Bayern Munich, but his side’s failings undermined him once more. First-half goals from Demba Ba, starting ahead of Fernando Torres, and Eden Hazard appeared to have secured a win against a side fighting relegation, but Southampton rallied splendidly.
Goals from Rickie Lambert, left out of the starting XI, and a fine equaliser from Jason Puncheon snatched a point for the visitors. Chelsea have won just once in six domestic home matches under Benítez, a vulnerability unimaginable until the last 18 months, and Stamford Bridge was left fuming once again.
Come the final whistle Benítez was targeted with familiar calls for his removal, though Roman ­Abramovich’s shortlist of replacements now has a line through the name at the top. Supporters who began the evening discussing the impact of Guardiola’s move on the European managerial merry-go-round and the occupant of the home dugout, ended it singing “f--- off Benítez, you are not welcome here”.
There was vitriol too for Torres, booed for a second successive home game when his name was announced among the substitutes, and again when he replaced Frank Lampard with 10 minutes remaining.
This was a third successive home disappointment for Chelsea, coming after successive defeats here to QPR and Swansea, and leaves them 13 points adrift of league leaders Manchester United and six points behind Manchester City. Tottenham lie two points further back in fourth.
Benítez admitted his side had thrown away two points: “We should have won, but credit to Southampton, they played a good game. It was a question of experience and managing the game. We had to try and stop them playing counter-attack, but they did. So we made a mistake. We have to cut them out.
“I’m not angry, I’m disappointed. When you know your players and what they can do you’re disappointed. But I have to think about improving for the next game.” What a contrast with Southampton, who have now lost just twice in 12 Premier League games and are three points clear of the relegation zone in 15th.
While Benítez stalked away to try to unpick a result that seemed improbable at half-time, Nigel Adkins was serenaded by Southampton fans who sense a second season in the Premier League.
Adkins’ initial selection was ­conservative, unsurprisingly perhaps given the FA Cup tie between the sides 11 days ago ended in a 5-1 thumping. Leading-scorer Lambert and Gaston Ramirez were on the bench with a five-man midfield used to stifle Chelsea, but his side’s response to adversity was superb.
Sparked by Lambert, who thumped home a header within three minutes of being introduced, they sensed Chelsea’s anxiety and were rewarded with a point. The equaliser came from the goal of the night, Puncheon lashing home a left-foot volley after a decisive 70-yard run and cross from teenage full-back Luke Shaw, the latest prodigious wide player to emerge from the Southampton academy.
Adkins was delighted, praising his side for sticking to a game plan that looked in tatters at half-time. “Not many teams will come back from 2-0 down against Chelsea,” he said.
At half-time a draw seemed as likely as Benítez being chaired down the Fulham Road, though until the calamitous conclusion even the catcalls for the manager seemed half-hearted.
Abramovich was clearly not the only one left with something to ponder after Guardiola rejected his overtures. While the owner pondered that decision from his sunlounger in the Caribbean island of St Barts, the fans also seemed lost in thought in the Chelsea chill.
With 4,000 empty seats the significance of the game seemed to have paled in light of the bulletin from Bayern relayed three hours before kick-off. There were some stifled boos for Torres, and the usual 16th-minute tribute to Roberto Di Matteo. But until the final whistle there was not a murmur against Benítez. Perhaps the Chelsea fans realise they may have to get used to him.
After a scrappy opening quarter Chelsea asserted control. When ­Steven Davis half-cleared the ball from Southampton’s box Lampard recycled it expertly in the right-hand corner and fed César Azpilicueta, whose cross caused chaos in the Saints box.
It was touched away from Oscar at the near post by Jos Hooiveld, but the ball dropped to Ba, who volleyed in from 12 yards as he toppled over. It was a third goal in four games since joining Chelsea, an eloquent application for a place ahead of Torres.
Chelsea turned up the pressure and, after Lampard scuffed the sort of 18-yard chance that has brought him many of his 194 goals, Hazard ended the half with a splendid second.
Adkins responded by sending on Lambert and with virtually his first touch he scored his 10th goal of the season. The goal gave Chelsea the jitters, though Lampard went close to goal No 195 with a free-kick from the edge of the box that made the Matthew Harding Stand hold its breath. They held nothing back three minutes later as Puncheon volleyed home. The boos might have been heard in Bavaria.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Luiz, Cole; Ramires, Lampard (Torres 79); Oscar, Mata, Hazard; Ba. Subs: Turnbull, Ivanovic, Ferreira, Marin, Terry, Bertrand. Booked: Luiz.

Southampton (4-5-1): Boruc; Clyne, Yoshida, Hooiveld, Shaw; Puncheon, Cork, Davis (Chaplow 67), Schneiderlin, Prado (Ramirez 74); Rodriguez (Lambert 55). Subs: Davis, Ramirez, Fox, Ward-Prowse, Seabourne.

Referee: M Oliver (Northumberland).

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Mail:

Chelsea 2 Southampton 2: Who can Pep up Blues? Not Rafa, say angry fans after draw
By Matt Barlow

When it comes to tips on dealing with rejection and unrequited love, throwing away a two-goal lead at home to Southampton is not up there.

Although somehow it felt like nothing was ever going to be enough. Even when Chelsea led through first-half goals by Demba Ba and Eden Hazard, there was a feeling of unease inside Stamford Bridge.

It was Chelsea's smallest home crowd in the Barclays Premier League this season, in icy temperatures with minds distracted by Pep Guardiola's decision to snub the idea of a few months working for Roman Abramovich in favour of three years at Bayern Munich.
Apathy hung in the air. Chelsea supporters did not boo Rafa Benitez until the very end, although dissent began to stir when Frank Lampard was replaced by Fernando Torres after 79 minutes.
When Rickie Lambert pulled a goal back within three minutes of coming off the bench in the second half, the natives became agitated and when Jason Puncheon fired a superb equaliser 15 minutes from time they were left uncomfortably numb.

It may have been the cold but it may have been chilling realisation that Roman Abramovich's project has lost direction and, after sacking club legend Roberto Di Matteo, they are not about to be pleasantly surprised by the arrival of the world's most in-demand coach.
As they digested Guardiola's decision to choose Bayern from his wealth of options, Chelsea fans were left to contemplate this might mean an extended tenure for Benitez.
As if to remind Abramovich of their thoughts on this matter, they booed the team off the pitch and burst into a chorus of: 'F*** off, Benitez, we don't want you here'.
It was only the third time in the Premier League era Chelsea have led by two at half-time and failed to win.
The point leaves them 13 adrift of leaders Manchester United, six behind City in second. Benitez, who has enjoyed little comfort at Stamford Bridge from the moment he was jeered to his seat before his first match, said: 'We cannot be happy drawing at home.'
Chelsea have won two of seven matches at home since Benitez took over from Di Matteo. In those two games they smashed 14 goals past Aston Villa and Nordsjaelland.

The atmosphere was flat from the start. It wasn't only Guardiola. There had been stories circulating that Lampard was stepping up his talks with Los Angeles Galaxy after accepting his destiny lies elsewhere after this season.
Lampard, too, started like a man with his mind elsewhere. He was robbed deep in his own half by Jay Rodriguez but escaped as the Southampton striker hurried his shot and hooked it well wide.
If the home crowd had one thing to cheer it was the decision by Benitez to start with Ba up front rather than Torres.
The £7.5million signing from Newcastle provides an outlet like Didier Drogba used to and has started his Chelsea career with a flurry of goals.
He scored twice at Southampton on his debut in the FA Cup this month and punished the same side when they failed to clear in the 25th minute.
Lampard collected the ball on the right and eased a pass to Cesar Azpilicueta, who topped his cross but Oscar thrust his head down and helped it towards Ba, who adjusted his body and hooked a right-foot volley low into the net.

It was his third goal in three starts for his new club - it took Torres 25 games to reach three goals -and his 16th of the season.
Lampard fired wide from the sort of chance he rarely misses and Artur Boruc denied Hazard with his fingertips before the visitors leaked a second goal.
As with the first, it was a threat that ought to have been cleared but Nigel Adkins saw his defence dither and allow Chelsea to recycle the ball on their right.
Ramires lashed a half-volley into the post and Hazard pounced on the rebound on the edge of the penalty area and made a difficult finish look incredibly easy, tucking the ball inside the post with his left foot.
Adkins threw on Lambert for Rodriguez early in the second half and he struck quickly.
Nathaniel Clyne muscled past Hazard on the wing and delivered a fine cross, Lambert eased away from Gary Cahill and beat Azpilicueta in the air, thumping his header into the top corner before Petr Cech could react. Southampton rode Chelsea's brief retaliation before Puncheon levelled.
His goal started with a surging run by 17-year-old full back Luke Shaw. Gaston Ramirez was unable to control his low cross but it spilled to Puncheon, who applied a clinical finish. Southampton are improving and this was a good point in the fight against relegation.

Torres for Lampard was not a popular move by Benitez and Lampard did not appear impressed as he ripped off his armband.
The skipper had not played well but these fans trust him to find them a goal more than Torres. With good reason.
One chance fell to Torres, sent on to play wide on the right, but he sliced it wide. When he over-hit a cross in added time, fans turned on him with a volley of abuse. Patience had worn out. No Pep and one point.
Those still around at the final whistle turned on Benitez. Abramovich must know fans will not tolerate a permanent deal for the interim boss.

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Mirror:

Chelsea 2-2 Southampton report Saints alive! Southampton fight back from two down to draw with Chelsea

Martin Lipton

Goals from Ba and Hazard had Blues cruising towards the win but Lambert and Puncheon level it up - and awake the Stamford Bridge boo-boys

Oh dear, Rafa.
Not good enough - and the sounds of protest are only getting louder.
Rafa Benitez had bemoaned the fact his side had struggled to break down massed defences at Stamford Bridge, insisting one early goal was all Chelsea needed.
But somehow the Blues conspired to surrender a two-goal advantage as the introduction of Rickie Lambert changed everything except the feeling that Benitez will never be wanted by the Chelsea faithful.
Where the interval advantage, courtesy of terrific finishes by Demba Ba and Eden Hazard, combined with the news that Pep Guardiola has definitely said no to Roman Abramovich's millions, had initially eased the customary Benitez baiting, suddenly all was different.
Chelsea's inability to handle Lambert's physical presence underlined the mental weakness at the heart of this side as Saints grabbed a potentially priceless point in their survival fight.
Lambert pulled one back with his first touch, allowed to out-muscle three Blue shirts when Nathaniel Clyne was far too strong for Hazard.
And then Luke Shaw's fantastic run down the left, leaving Cesar Azpilicueta trailing in his wake, ended with Jason Puncheon crashing home an absolute stunner to give Nigel Adkins a draw which would have been beyond his wildest hopes at the interval.
But Chelsea now seem locked in a desperate fight for the top four place that is all or nothing for a club that cannot afford to be outside the European elite.
The response was predictable, the jeers that had met Fernando Torres' arrival in place of Frank Lampard 10 minutes from time focused once again on Benitez at the final whistle.
Benitez was subjected to more four-letter chants as the SW6 atmosphere turned rancorous.
Yet the truth is that Benitez cannot put character in those players who seem increasingly inclined to shrivel under the first sign of pressure at the venue where they should be most emboldened.
That is not in itself the fault of the fans.
At some point the players themselves must take responsibility, and the way Chelsea subsided from a position of such superiority is a major issue.
But in seven home games, Benitez has won just twice - the turkey shoots over hapless duo Nordsjaelland and Aston Villa.
By the standards Abramovich demands, the standards that have seen so many managers deemed as failures, that is simply unacceptable.
So, in many ways, was their performance, although there seemed only one possible outcome when Hazard put Chelsea two to the good seconds before the interval.
Chelsea had hardly been impressive but had demonstrated the clinical instincts Benitez had demanded when Ba put them ahead with their first serious shot.
It was a top-class finish by the man who scored twice against Saints on his Chelsea debut in the FA Cup and gleefully claimed his third on 25 minutes.
Lampard did the initial foraging and when Oscar's header from Azpilicueta's centre was blocked the ball fell for Ba, whose instant volley took a flick off Maya Yoshida and fizzed past Artur Boruc.
Davis slid wide from a rare Saints counter but the second was coming.
Lampard scuffed wide and Boruc just touched a Hazard effort past the post before the Belgian was in the right place to return the ball into the net with interest after Ramires had hammered against the woodwork.
All over? It looked that way and should have been.
But the arrival of Lambert in place of Jay Rodriguez altered the tone of the night as Saints suddenly had a real threat.
Lambert's header, taking him to 10 Premier League goals for the season no Englishman has scored more put Chelsea on the back foot and while Ba was just too high and Lampard a yard wide, the home side's frailties were evident.
So it was proved as Shaw's terrific burst down the left showcased the youngster's potential, Azpilicueta horribly exposed.
Gaston Ramirez, just on, could not control but Puncheon did, before unleashing a beauty that flew past Petr Cech.
Torres, on for Lampard, created room but shot wide.
It was to no avail, Michael Oliver's final whistle bringing yet more boos cascading down on Benitez' head.
No wonder Pep didn't fancy it.
Who would?


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Sun:

Chelsea 2 Southampton 2

By SHAUN CUSTIS

RAFA BENITEZ must have thought he had got a monkey off his back with the news that Pep Guardiola was off to Bayern Munich.
But with a major rival out of the way, interim Chelsea boss Benitez failed again to make his case for the permanent job.
The Blues wasted a two-goal lead as improving Southampton staged a magnificent second-half comeback.
Demba Ba’s third goal in four games since his arrival from Newcastle appeared to have set Chelsea on course for victory.
And when Eden Hazard got the second on the stroke of half-time they were on easy street.
But once sub Rickie Lambert pulled one back with a 58th-minute header the visitors could smell blood.

And from Luke Shaw’s cross, after a lung-busting run down the left, Jason Puncheon flicked the ball up before crashing a volley past Petr Cech with 15 minutes left.
It was a tremendous effort by Nigel Adkins’ men, who are now three points clear of the relegation zone having looked certs for the drop three months ago.
But this was another woeful 90 minutes for disgruntled home fans.
Chelsea had lost their previous two at the Bridge without even scoring — a shock 1-0 defeat to relegation favourites QPR and a 2-0 loss against Swansea in the first leg of their Capital One Cup semi-final.
And this result made it one win in six domestic games on home turf.
Benitez claims the poisonous atmosphere caused by his presence in the dugout is not affecting the players.

He says it is down to the opponents’ tactics. However, the fact they strolled to a 4-0 win at Stoke last time out indicated they find life easier and more relaxed on their travels.
Blues fans have had plenty to complain about this season but none have been bleating about the signing of Ba. He is a goalscorer supreme.
The Senegal star got two on his debut against Southampton in the 5-1 FA Cup thrashing at St Mary’s just 11 days earlier and punished them again here with an opportunist strike.
Frank Lampard shuttled the ball back to Cesar Azpilicueta and, when the full-back crossed, Oscar got his head to it in front of Jos Hooiveld.
Ba reacted quickest and hooked in a right-foot shot which took a deflection and beat the diving Artur Boruc.
Ba was again preferred to Fernando Torres who sat on the bench for the second game in a row.
Torres once admitted he got little pleasure from Chelsea’s Champions League success after he was only named as a sub in the final.
So you can imagine he was less than thrilled at seeing his team-mate hit the net once more.
Southampton did not sit back and Steven Davis could have equalised only to drag his shot across goal after Jay Rodriguez had brought the ball down beautifully and set him up.
Lampard then had two chances to increase the advantage.
But his first shot was blocked and he scuffed another wide from Juan Mata’s pass.
Then Hazard almost bundled one in with his knee before the second goal came with the ref looking at his watch for half-time.
Ramires rattled the woodwork and Hazard was there to smack home the rebound.
Yet for all their control, Chelsea surprisingly conceded early in the second half.
Full-back Nathaniel Clyne’s cross was right on the money and Lambert did not disappoint with a firm header beyond Cech.
Adkins has a habit of leaving top scorer Lambert out from time to time but it doesn’t half fire him up. Torres could learn a lesson there.
Ba stretched to turn one over from Mata’s cross and a Lampard free-kick curled narrowly wide as Chelsea tried to respond.
But then Shaw went off on his storming run and Puncheon produced his world-class finish.
Torres replaced Lampard for the last 11 minutes which did not please the crowd — or Lamps.
And the Spanish striker did little to justify Benitez’s decision.
So Southampton celebrated a well-deserved point as the boos rang out after another night to forget for Chelsea.

DREAM TEAM RATINGS

STAR MAN - MORGAN SCHNEIDERLIN

CHELSEA: Cech 6, Azpilicueta 6, Cahill 6, Luiz 6, Cole 6, Ramires 6, Lampard 6 (Torres 6); Oscar 6, Mata 7, Hazard 7, Ba 7. Subs: Turnbull, Ivanovic, Ferreira, Marin, Terry, Bertrand. Booked: Luiz

SOUTHAMPTON: Boruc 6, Clyne 6, Yoshida 6, Hooiveld 6, Shaw 6, Cork 7, Steven Davis 6 (Chaplow 6); Schneiderlin 8, Puncheon 7, Guly 5 (Ramirez 6), Rodriguez 6 (Lambert 7). Subs: Kelvin Davis, Fox, Ward-Prowse, Seaborne.


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Times:

Chelsea 2 Southampton 2: Southampton fightback ensures no relief for embattled Rafael Benítez

Rory Smith


 This was not the day to disappoint Roman Abramovich. This was not the day to give Chelsea’s owner reason to yearn for Pep Guardiola, his great lost love. This was not the day to throw away a two-goal lead at home against a side scrambling to avoid relegation, or the day to be booed off the pitch — again — by your own fans.
 This was not Rafael Benítez’s day at all.
 At first glance, this looked a happy accident of fate. Just hours after Guardiola, the man Abramovich has coveted for three years at the very least, spurned the oligarch’s advances and pledged himself to Bayern Munich until 2016, Benítez sent a side out to face Southampton, a team they had dispatched 5-1 just ten days ago, in a fixture rearranged from December. What better chance could there be?
 Abramovich, his heart broken and his dreams dashed, would be scanning the horizon, looking for someone, anyone, to take the pain away, to let him fall in love again. Benítez would have the first opportunity to catch his eye. This was the interim manager’s moment, his audition, to convince the Russian to commit.

At half-time, Abramovich’s heart might have been beating a little faster. Chelsea had toiled for the first 25 minutes, struggling to break down Nigel Adkins’s well-drilled, highly disciplined side; Stamford Bridge quiet, flat, as though the shadow of Guardiola was hanging over them all. Once Demba Ba pounced, though, Chelsea clicked into gear. The Senegalese’s third goal in four starts, whipcracked home on the volley after Oscar distracted Jos Hooiveld sufficiently to prevent the giant centre back clearing César Azpilicueta’s cross, settled the hosts’ nerves.
 Chelsea raced forward. A glimpse, here, of what life would be like, perhaps, if Abramovich chose Benítez, if they agreed to a permanent union. Frank Lampard saw one effort blocked and placed another wide. Eden Hazard and Oscar befuddled each other as they attempted to convert a clever, looping pass from the 34-year-old. The mercury rose, the pressure mounted.

Just before the interval, Southampton’s luck ran out. Maya Yochida denied Oscar as the Brazilian raced on to Hazard’s through ball. Then Hooiveld slid in to block Lampard’s shot. Ramires, seizing the loose ball, struck the post. The visiting side breathed, but briefly. Hazard fired home, first time, from the edge of the box. Game over, romance on, surely? Time to send out the save-the-dates and buy a hat? Not quite. How quickly things can change.
 Within ten minutes of the restart, Abramovich might have been having second thoughts. Rickie Lambert and Fernando Torres had been left on the bench; both appeared in the second half. Only one had the desired impact, the Southampton forward heading home Nathaniel Clyne’s cross with what may well have been his first touch.
 A quarter of an hour later, Benítez’s hopes for a happy union had receded yet farther. By the end, Abramovich would have been thinking it might be time to see other people. Although Chelsea might have settled it — Ba firing over, Lampard sending a free kick agonisingly wide — instead Southampton equalised. Luke Shaw raced down the left wing, giving the impression that Azpilicueta was running in treacle, and fizzed a low cross along the edge of the box. Jason Puncheon took one touch and arrowed a volley back past Petr Cech.
 Chelsea could not find a winner, although Torres perhaps ought to have done so. Benítez — booed for bringing the £50 million striker on in place of Lampard — was jeered from the pitch; Chelsea’s supporters are not in favour of his temporary stay becoming permanent. The message is clear: do not expect them at the wedding, should it come to pass.
 “I was not angry with the players, just disappointed,” Benítez said. “We have to manage games better. We have to sustain attacks and we did not do that. We need to be more clinical, and we need to cut out our mistakes.”
 This is a recurring theme, though. That is now just one win in their past six domestic games at home for Chelsea. The Spaniard would not be drawn on the subject, but there can be no doubt his side do not feel comfortable here.
 The fans, of course, and their simmering mutiny, are a factor, but so is a squad ill suited to breaking down the massed ranks of visiting teams. This is Chelsea’s house, but it does not feel much like home. If Benítez cannot remedy that, he cannot hope to win Abramovich’s heart.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): P Cech — C Azpilicueta, G Cahill, David Luiz, A Cole — Ramires, F Lampard (sub: F Torres, 79min) — Oscar, J Mata, E Hazard — D Ba. Substitutes not used: R Turnbull, B Ivanovic, P Ferreira, M Marin, J Terry, R Bertrand. Booked: David Luiz.

 Southampton (4-1-4-1): A Boruc — N Clyne, J Hooiveld, M Yoshida, L Shaw — J Cork — J Puncheon, S Davis (sub: R Chaplow, 67), M Schneiderlin, G do Prado (sub: G Ramírez, 74)— J Rodriguez (sub: R Lambert, 55). Substitutes not used: K Davis, D Fox, J