Southampton 2-1

Independent:

Branislav Ivanovic header powers Blues to victory
Southampton 1 Chelsea 2

Nick Szczepanik St Mary's

Chelsea pulled a victory out of nowhere yesterday as Guus Hiddink showed yet again that he has an ability to get something out of the Blues’ squad that had deserted his predecessor, Jose Mourinho. Second-best early on against a Southampton team who had forgotten what it was like to lose or even concede a goal, Chelsea gradually took command and deserved the points by the final whistle .

Southampton had gone ahead just before half time when Shane Long capitalised on an error by Chelsea left back Baba Rahman, and looked good value for a likely sixth victory and seventh clean sheet in seven games. Then a misdirected cross by Cesc Fabregas turned into a goal, Southampton had a strong appeal for a penalty turned down, and Branislav Ivanovic won it with a straightforward header from a corner.

So it was Hiddink’s unbeaten record that continued, to 13 matches in domestic competition since he took over from Jose Mourinho on December 22. “I think it’s deserved,” he said. “We didn’t start well and they were dominant. We gave them a big present but I think the team reacted very well and showed that the desire is huge to get a result, a negative from a positive.”

Fraser Forster, Southampton’s England goalkeeper, set a new club record of 708 minutes without conceding a goal but may feel that he could have done better with both Chelsea goals, reacting too late to the first and getting a hand to the second but failing to keep it out.

For long spells in the first half, Southampton were the team who looked as if they wanted to win and move up to fifth place, while Chelsea seemed to have their minds on distant FA Cup and Champions League challenges, indulging in the meantime a training session aimed at keeping possession, with shooting practice postponed for another day.

Saints, attacking mainly from wide positions, were more direct and dangerous, although when they took the lead three minutes before the interval it was the result of a defensive error. Baba’s sideways header towards Ivanovic was not strong enough and Long saw it all the way, intercepted and tore into the penalty area as Courtois hesitated, lifting his shot over the goalkeeper and in.

Chelsea, though, emerged for the second half with more purpose. John Obi Mikel seemed to duck out of a heading chance from a corner by Willian and Diego Costa, annoying everyone not on Chelsea’s side as usual, got free at far post to meet Hazard cross. but volleyed high and wide with left foot.
Then came a moment that could have put the game beyond Chelsea, as Gary Cahill brought down Charlie Austin without touching the ball, but referee Martin Atkinson waved the play on, and Chelsea scored their freak equaliser after 75 minutes. Saints appealed in vain that Costa had taken the ball out of play as he chased a ball down the left, and he was allowed to play it back to Fabregas.

The Spain midfield player looked up and aimed a cross towards Hazard with his right foot that was too far in front of him but deceived Forster and dropped in. Koeman, though, absolved Forster. “It was a cross, but it’s difficult for goalkeepers with balls from the side because you expect someone will touch the ball and they didn’t,” he said.

Belief and ambition restored, Chelsea now poured forward and Ivanovic won it, thumping his header from Willian’s corner in off Forster’s outstretched right hand. “It is the first time in one and a half seasons we received a goal direct from a corner kick,” Koeman said. “Sometimes you deserve more than you get.”

The only blemish for Hiddink was an early hamstring injury to Pedro that could keep him out of the Champions League second leg tie against Paris St-Germain at Stamford Bridge on March 9, and possibly the FA Cup sixth-round tie away to Everton three days later – a gap he is unhappy about. “The players, not just Chelsea’s, need at least two days’ recovery and a third day to start work again,” he said. “We have to protect players. I’m a little bit frustrated by that.”

Southampton: (3-5-2) Forster; Fonte, Van Dijk, Bertrand; Cedric, Davis, Clasie, Romeu, Targett (Ward-Prowse, 89); Long (Pelle, 69), Austin (Mane, 79).

Chelsea: (4-2-3-1) Courtois; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Ivanovic, Baba (Kenedy, h-t); Mikel, Farbregas; Hazard (Matic, 90), Willian, Pedro (Oscar, 7); Costa.
Referee: Martin Atkinson.
Man of the match: Fabregas (Chelsea)

Match rating: 7/10

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Observer:

Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic scores late header to beat Southampton
Southampton 1 - 2 Chelsea

Dominic Fifield at St Mary's Stadium

This ended up the most impressive result yet of Guus Hiddink’s second coming as Chelsea’s interim manager. The victory secured late was a throwback to this team’s resilience of a year ago, and a reminder of the stubborn qualities they still hope can force passage beyond Paris Saint-Germain in a Champions League knockout tie which, if taken at face value, might otherwise appear already lost. They were far from fluent and rather error-prone at times but they still found a way to prevail against a side who had forgotten what it feels like to concede a goal, let alone ship a result. That is the happy knack the Dutch stand-in has restored.

It was Branislav Ivanovic, clad in the armband in the absence of the injured John Terry, who forced the win that hoisted Chelsea to within seven points of fifth place, albeit from a vantage point still in the bottom half of the table. This tight contest was drifting towards its final minute when the Serb leapt above Virgil van Dijk to meet Willian’s corner, his header thumped in off Fraser Forster’s outstretched right hand. Perhaps the goalkeeper had still been digesting a first concession in 708 minutes, stretching back to last March when he had been beaten by Diego Costa at Stamford Bridge, as the winner flew through his grasp.

He departed the turf crestfallen, with his team-mates almost numbed in their own state of shock. “It’s a nice record, because it’s all about the defensive work and organisation of the team, and he can be proud of that, as can the team,” said Ronald Koeman, whose side had gone more than 10-and-a-half hours before Cesc Fàbregas’s equaliser here punctured them for the first time since early January.
“But we are disappointed with the final result. The first goal can happen, but that’s the first time in 18 months we’ve conceded straight from a corner. So this is not the time for us to be celebrating a record.”
For all that he offered up plaudits for Chelsea’s underlying talents, Southampton had simply not seen this coming.

They had actually been undone by the visitors’ second-half urgency, energy that drove Southampton further and further back from the moment their appeals for a penalty after Gary Cahill’s challenge on Charlie Austin had been dismissed. By then the contest had become fractious, Diego Costa and Van Dijk embroiled in a running spat with the Spain forward riled and, inevitably, increasingly threatening. It was his dart down the channel that reclaimed possession while home players were distracted by a linesman’s flag, the referee having played an advantage after an incident further upfield, with the pull-back duly collected by Fàbregas.

He curled in a cross, aimed vaguely towards Eden Hazard amid the clutter in the penalty area, which arced towards goal and bounced in the six-yard box. Forster, suddenly gripped by unfamiliar indecision, prodded out tentatively with his left boot in a desperate attempt to force the ball away on the half-volley, but could not prevent it bouncing beyond and in.
“I don’t know what is meant by us showing the ‘old Chelsea’, but the Chelsea we want to see is one that reacts when there is a setback,” said Hiddink. “We like to be proactive and show the desire is huge to turn a result from negative to positive. The players responded.”

As had the manager, ruthlessly, at the interval. The Dutchman, already handicapped by Pedro’s departure with a hamstring complaint that will rule him out for the foreseeable future, had watched Baba Rahman gift the hosts a deserved advantage just before the break with a blind nod infield towards Ivanovic that was intercepted by Shane Long. The Irishman’s finish, clipped wonderfully over the advancing Thibaut Courtois, was sublime, though the Ghanaian, burying his head in his shirt, recognised his culpability. Rahman, who could end up costing Chelsea in excess of £20m, did not return for the second half. “I could say he was injured but he was just taken off because of that [mistake],” said Hiddink. “I don’t like to personalise it but you have to take decisions sometimes that can appear very harsh.”

At the time he had needed a reaction, Southampton having appeared supremely comfortable up to then and apparently destined for fifth place. In the end it was Koeman who was left gnashing in frustration as Courtois denied Sadio Mané from close range to end that recent revival. Chelsea’s recovery, in contrast, now stands at 14 domestic games with Antonio Conte, the anticipated permanent managerial appointment for the summer, presumably impressed from afar.

Hiddink is offering the Italian a fine platform upon which to attack next season. “I’m not thinking ‘I’m doing all the hard work for the next one to sit on his chair with a massive cigar,’” he said. “I’m enjoying it. I love this. If we can restore them to the levels they’re used to, I’ll be more than happy.” His team, with an FA Cup quarter-final still to come at Everton in two weeks, are upwardly mobile.

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Telegraph:

Southampton 1 Chelsea 2: Blues fight back to extend impressive run under Guus Hiddink
Branislav Ivanovic heads winner for below-par Blues

By  Jeremy Wilson, Deputy Football Correspondent, at St Mary's Stadium

As the players congregated inside the tunnel at St Mary’s before this game, the highlights of Southampton’s crushing 3-1 win at Stamford Bridge last October was being rather triumphantly played on the big screens inside the stadium. It was a reminder of one of the biggest lows of Jose Mourinho’s tenure as manager – both in the manner defeat and his undignified post-match complaints – but what was to follow here over the next 90 minutes was then also to underline just how far Chelsea have since come under Guus Hiddink.

Yes, this was still a Chelsea performance with many technical flaws but, in how the players turned a 1-0 deficit after 74 minutes into victory, demonstrated just how their basic spirit and desire to win has been replenished over the past four months. The result will perhaps also have tasted especially sweet to Guus Hiddink after Ronald Koeman, the Southampton manager, turned down the opportunity to work as his assistant for the Holland national team two years ago and instead moved to the Premier League. The two Dutchmen, who first worked together in the 1980s at PSV Eindhoven, had not spoken until today in almost two years since.

Southampton started with the 5-3-2 formation that they have effectively used during much of their six-match run without conceding a goal although the attacking instincts of Cedric and Matt Targett in the wing-back roles ensured that they were also rarely shot of personnel further forward. The one big advantage of the system against this Chelsea team was how their three centre-backs were largely able to first negate and then frustrate Diego Costa.

Oriol Romeu, Jordy Clasie and Steven Davis were also sufficiently industrious in central midfield to ensure that they soon established a good hold of possession. Chelsea’s rhythm was disturbed within seven minutes by an injury to Pedro although Oscar was introduced as a virtual like for like replacement.

Southampton’s system also meant that their centre-backs were even free to occasionally break forward and Van Dijk created the first clear chance, only for Shane Long to head over. Chelsea did also look threatening whenever they attacked, with Costa’s flick almost beating the Southampton defence and then Eden Hazard nearly forcing a goal with a cross that was headed narrowly wide by Cedric. Fraser Forster, who was setting a Southampton club record in the Premier League by passing 667 minutes without conceding, then got down to save from Oscar.

Southampton, though, had been the better team and almost took the lead when Charlie Austin was afforded a surprising amount of space on the edge of Chelsea’s penalty area but could only pull his shot wide of Thibaut Courtois’ near-post. An even better chance was then gifted to Long in the 42nd minute. Baba Rahman seemed to lose his bearings and tried a header back across his own penalty area. Courtois could perhaps have reacted more quickly to the mistake but his hesitancy then allowed Long to put Southampton into the lead with a lofted finish.

Hiddink reacted by replacing Baba with Kenedy at half-time and Chelsea were suddenly a far more purposeful team. Hazard and Mikel both had chances before Costa volleyed a clear opportunity high and wide. The frustrations of Chelsea, and particularly Costa, were very visible but the match then turned on two incidents. Southampton were now playing on the counter-attack and had played Austin clear on goal, only for him to be upended by Gary Cahill. Martin Atkinson waved play on and, moments later, Costa combined with Fabregas to create space on the edge of the Southampton penalty area. Fabregas had tried to curl his cross into the path of Hazard and, with Forster moving in anticipation of a shot from the Belgian, the original ball dissected the space between both players and nestled into the corner of the goal.

The Chelsea players rushed to retrieve the ball and duly turned their momentum into a most unlikely win when Branislav Ivanovic rose above the Southampton defence to head Willian’s cross past Forster.

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Mail:

Southampton 1-2 Chelsea:
Branislav Ivanovic and Cesc Fabregas on target as Blues come from behind to beat in-form Saints
By Rob Draper for The Mail on Sunday 

It was neither pretty, nor glorious but Chelsea, still unbeaten in the Premier League since Guus Hiddink took over, are beginning to rediscover the cussedness that served them so well in the past.
For much of this match they looked slovenly and second best. They conceded in the most embarrassing fashion, a mistake so bad it required Baba Rahman to be substituted.

The visitors also survived a rash challenge by Gary Cahill on Charlie Austin after 70 minutes that ought to have been a penalty and which, if converted, might have put the game beyond them.

And yet they prevailed, Branislav Ivanovic rising at the near post in the 89th minute to head in an unlikely winner.
Perhaps Chelsea deserved it for hanging on in a game which had little grace or style, as they are still some way from being a fluid and flowing side again. But results are at least falling their way, something which manifestly eluded them in the first half of the season under Jose Mourinho.

‘It was not just lucky,’ argued interim boss Hiddink. ‘I think it’s deserved. We had a great game in big parts of this match. We didn’t start very well and we gave them a big present in that first half, but the team reacted very well, not just mentally, but tactically.
‘I don’t know if it’s the Chelsea of old, but the Chelsea we want to see is one that reacts when there is a setback. We like to be proactive and show the desire is huge to turn a result from negative to positive. The players must respond and today they did.’

Yet there were long periods of this game on which Chelsea would not care to dwell, not least the opening goal when they were the authors of their own misfortune.
A speculative long ball and a misplaced header by Rahman let in Shane Long on 42 minutes, and he took one touch to play himself in. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois hesitated, then came too late, as Long reached the ball and lifted it over him into the far corner.
As Long celebrated, Rahman pulled his shirt over his head and he was replaced by Kenedy. ‘I could say he was injured, but he was just taken off because of that (mistake),’ said Hiddink. ‘He has to cope with that, but he was very down.

‘I don’t like to personalise it, but you have to take decisions sometimes that can appear very harsh. It is harsh, but I have also to control and not always wait on decisions. I’m responsible for the result.’
For much of the game, though, Southampton had looked good for the win. As Hiddink conceded, they started better and then defended well and when Austin was taken out by Cahill in the second half, a penalty might have settled the game.

‘These are important decisions, but I don’t complain about the referee or the linesman’s performance,’ said Saints boss, Ronaldo Koeman. ‘But of course we’re disappointed with the result. If you’re leading and play a decent first half, make it 1-0 at a good moment and have good defending you have a feeling about winning.’

They are still some way from being a fluid and flowing side again. But results are at least falling their way.
That said, there were times in the game on which they would not care to dwell, not least when they conceded their opening goal.
Chelsea were just starting to establish a foothold in the game, when, as has so often been the case this season, they were authors of their own misfortune. A speculative long ball and a misplaced header by Rahman let in Shane Long on 42 minutes.

The striker took one touch to play himself in and Thibaut Courtois hesitated, pondering whether to come or not. By the time he had decided to do so, it was too late: Long was at the ball first and lifted it past the Belgian into the far corner.
Instinctively Rahman pulled his shirt over his head, ashamed of his mistake. Many questioned why Jose Mourinho didn’t trust a player Chelsea had paid £14m plus adds on to secure in the summer; this was presumably the reason why.

At half-time Raham was replaced by Kenedy and if the substitution was made simply because he couldn’t cope with the consequences of his mistake, you would have to questions his credentials to play for a club such as Chelsea.
The game hadn’t started well for Chelsea with Pedro limping off after just seven minutes. Just as the former Barca forward had started to perform for Chelsea in recent weeks, he looks like being out injured.
Their hesitancy was evident early on when Courtois was caught out, coming for a ball which Virgil van Dijk beat him to, delivering a lovely cross on to the head of Long, who headed disappointingly high and wide.

Yet other than a tame long-range effort from Oscar and a turn and strike from Diego Costa, Chelsea offered little in the first half. They were ponderous on the ball and struggled to cope with Southampton’s 3-5-2 formation, often overwhelmed in midfield.
That said, an equaliser should have come on the hour when Eden Hazard delivered a glorious cross at just the right height for Diego Costa to volley home; instead he skewed it wide.

And as the second half progressed and – predictably – Costa grew increasingly frustrated, picking up a yellow card, Southampton seemed happy for the game to develop into a scrap. Ryan Bertrand swung an elbow at Costa, wisely just after the latter had been booked, thus ruling out retaliation. Bertrand picked up his own caution for that whilst Jordy Clasie’s came for a late kick on Willian.

Chelsea didn’t look especially inspirational and against a Southampton team that hadn’t conceded for six games, they showed little sign of troubling the score after that Costa chance.
And when the equaliser did come, it was in bizarre circumstances. Costa, still full of running, chased down a ball to the by-line and pulled it back for Cesc Fabregas.

The Spaniard cut inside, and rolled in a cross aimed at Eden Hazard. Somehow, the pace and angle of the ball had Fraser Forster fooled, the keeper rooted to the spot as the ball trickled past him.
The Southampton keeper had broken a club record in this game, having not conceded for 708 cumulative minutes, up until that point; it was an unfortunate way to end his run.

Chelsea perked up though it was hardly an unremitting onslaught, their best chance coming on 82minutes when Willian pulled a shot just wide on 82 minutes.
Yet then came at 88th minute corner from Willian, the sight of Branislav Ivanovic rising above van Dijk at the near post and scoring with a thumping header. It wasn’t quite Munich 2012, but for Chelsea it’s a start.

Southampton (4-4-2): Forster 5.5; Soares 6, Fonte 6, Van Dijk 7.5, Bertrand 6; Davis 6.5, Clasie 6, Romeu 6, Targett 6 (Ward-Prowse 90mins); Long 7 (Pelle 69, 6), Austin 6.5 (Mane 79)
Unused subs: Stekelenburg, Yoshida, Tadic, Martina
Booked: Davis, Bertrand, Clasie
Goal: Long 42
Manager: Ronald Koeman 6

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois 5.5; Azpilicueta 6.5, Cahill 6, Ivanovic 6.5, Rahman 4.5 (Kenedy 46, 6); Mikel 7, Fabregas 7; Pedro 5 (Oscar 7, 6), Willian 8, Hazard 6.5 (Matic 90); Costa 7.5
Unused subs: Begovic, Traore, Remy, Loftus-Cheek
Booked: Costa
Goals: Fabregas 75, Ivanovic 89
Manager: Guus Hiddink 7
Referee: Martin Atkinson 6
Man of the match: Willian
Attendance: 31,688
*Ratings by Oliver Todd at St Mary's

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Mirror:
  
Southampton 1-2 Chelsea: Branislav Ivanovic nets late winner in Blues fightback - 5 things we learned

By Darren Lewis
 
The Serbian defender and stand-in skipper powered home a towering header to continue Guus Hiddink's unbeaten run


Cesc Fabregas and Branislav Ivanovic struck late on the south coast to halt Southampton’s shock Champions League bid.
Ronald Koeman’s men went into this contest with five wins and a draw from their previous six games - without conceding in any of them.
It left Koeman openly admitting that the club were targeting the top four.

And when Shane Long put them ahead three minutes before the break they looked set to continue their fine run. Chelsea at the time were struggling to fashion a clear-cut opportunity.
But Fabregas curled in a superb equaliser with 15 minutes to go and Ivanovic headed in a corner with a minute remaining.

It ended Fraser Forster’s run of six games without conceded. In all the Saints keeper has remained unbeaten for 708 minutes - a club record.
But Chelsea’s win keeps them on course to continue their own impressive sequence of 19 consecutive seasons finishing in the Premier League's top six.

1. Southampton are still serious top-four contenders

This was always going to be the toughest game remaining for Ronald Koeman’s side.
The goals from Fabregas and Ivanovic were the first conceded by the south coast side for seven games.
Despite the defeat, the Saints are still very much in the hunt.

2. Ronald Koeman has not had enough praise
The fact that he is even in with a shout for the top four says everything considering the Dutchman lost Nathaniel Clyne and Morgan Schneiderlin last summer.

3. Fraser Forster is a serious contender for Euro 2016 starting place

This end-of-season run for Southampton has coincided with his return from injury. He gives his backline confidence and calm.
Yes, Joe Hart is ahead of him. But that gap between them is closing all the time.

4. Chelsea are on course for the top six

At one point it looked like being the bottom six but they have stabilised their form and are now a match for anyone.
Their last defeat in the Premier League remains Jose Mourinho's last outing.

5. Cesc Fabregas: Recapturing form when Chelsea need it most

He picked his passes well despite Southampton’s attempts to deny him soace. And when his goal opportunity came he took it well.
He has been disappointing overall this season but with the Blues in the FA Cup quarter-finals - and with PSG to come in the second leg of their Champions League tie - Fabregas could yet have a big say in his side’s season.

Player ratings

Southampton: Forster 6; Cedric 6, Van Dijk 6, Fonte 6, Bertrand 5, Targett 5; Davis 6, Clasie 6, Romeu 5; Long 7, Austin 6.
Subs: Pelle (Long 69) 5, Mane (Austin 79) 5, Ward-Prowse (Targett 89) 5.

Chelsea: Courtois 6; Azpilicueta 7, Ivanovic 9 MOTM, Cahill 8, Rahman 5; Fabregas 8, Mikel 8; Pedro 6, Willian 7, Hazard 7; Costa 7.
Subs: Oscar (Pedro 6) 7, Kenedy (Rahman 45) 7, Matic (Hazard 90) 5.

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Sun:

Southampton 1 Chelsea 2: Cesc Fabregas and Branislav Ivanovic earn comeback win

Guus Hiddink's Blues revival continued as they won at St Mary's

By ANDREW DILLON

BRANISLAV IVANOVIC — captain, leader, legend.
Chelsea’s stand-in skipper bulldozed home a late header to complete the most unlikely of comebacks and keep Blues unbeaten in the league under caretaker boss Guus Hiddink.
As well as borrowing his armband, Ivanovic also played in John Terry’s position at the heart of defence then clinched a win ground out in the old-fashioned way.

His dramatic 89th-minute goal rekindled memories of how he popped up in the box to win the 2013 Europa League final.
Of course, the big difference between Ivanovic, 32, and Terry, 35, is the long-serving Serbian is staying put, having signed a new one-year deal a few weeks back.
He is also hot-favourite to take over the captaincy when Terry’s deal expires this summer.

Ivanovic did his chances of getting the job a power of good by snatching the points on a day when Chelsea looked deservedly beaten until 15 minutes from time.
A freaky equaliser from Cesc Fabregas pulled them back into a game in which they had looked second best in most areas. Of course, the Premier League is pretty much irrelevant for Chelsea now, with no chance of gatecrashing the top four from so far back.

The Champions League is No¿1 priority but with a last-eight place in the FA Cup, the league is just a matter of pride and a way of keeping the squad ticking over in between more important cup ties.
And there is no better way to boost growing self-confidence than by sneaking away from Southampton with a win against the odds.
If it carries on like this, the season could well be transformed from disaster into a relative success.
And Hiddink will have done all the hard work for his expected successor, Antonio Conte.

The Italy boss is involved in the latter stages of talks to take over on a three-year deal with £130million to spend on new players.
Strolling into Stamford Bridge and splashing the cash is the easy part, lifting the morale of the existing players after a catastrophic first half to the campaign is where a manager earns his wages.
This is what Hiddink is doing with a smile that is his own but with a ruthless streak more suited to his predecessor, Jose Mourinho.

Left-back Baba Rahman’s horrendously undercooked header to Ivanovic in the midfield area let in Shane Long to put Saints ahead.
Blues keeper Thibaut Courtois was way too hesitant coming off his line to challenge the Irish striker, who nicked it round him for a classy goal three minutes before half-time.
And bungling Baba did not appear from the St Mary’s tunnel after the break and Hiddink later confirmed his Ghanaian defender had been hooked for his howler.
No sympathy there, then.

To be fair, Southampton were all over dozy Chelsea in the first half — it was not just Rahman who was asleep on the job.
Long missed a good chance with a header after only nine minutes and Charlie Austin shot just wide on the turn on 31.
Chelsea’s Diego Costa grew so frustrated at his lack of openings, he tore off the face mask protecting his broken nose to give him a better view of proceedings.

It did not help much as Costa volleyed a great cross from Eden Hazard well wide on 58 minutes.
The turning point was Long’s withdrawal with a foot injury on 69 minutes. It robbed Southampton of their bullish attacking threat and six minutes after he limped off, the Blues were level.
Chelsea broke free with ref Martin Atkinson playing a good advantage. Costa raced all the way to the byline and, as Saints players protested the ball had gone out of play, he found Fabregas.
The midfielder’s clear attempt to cross deceived everybody and curled into the far corner.

It brought Saints keeper Fraser Forster’s club-record run of 708 minutes without conceding a goal to an end in embarrassing fashion.
And with tails up, Chelsea piled forwards in the way they used to and won a corner at the death.
Willian dropped the ball into the middle of the box and Ivanovic climbed high to head it in.

Five things we learnt - by Mark Irwin

TOO many Chelsea players appear to be going through the motions in the Premier League and saving themselves for the Champions League and FA Cup despite their win today.
There was little sense of urgency from a team who know they are not going to be relegated and don’t want to qualify for the Europa League even if they could.

IF CHELSEA had someone with half as much commitment and desire as Shane Long, they might not be drifting along in mid-table right now.
The Republic of Ireland striker chased absolutely everything and gave Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic a torrid afternoon until he limped off injured.

WHEN Chelsea signed Baba from Augsburg last summer, they agreed to pay £14milion rising to a possible £22m based on appearances and achievements.
The Germans should not hold their breath about getting that extra £8m. The Ghanaian full-back was hopeless again, gave a goal away and was hooked at half-time.

DOES anyone have evidence that Alexandre Pato is not a figment of someone’s imagination?
The Brazilian was supposed to be the answer to all of Chelsea’s striking problems when he arrived on loan on the final day of the January transfer window.
But noone has seen hide nor hair of the former Milan playboy since then and by the time he is finally fit to play the season will probably be over.

JORDY CLASIE has struggled to make an impact since his £12m move from Feyenoord last summer but Southampton’s Dutch midfielder was a real terrier against Chelsea’s superstars and never allowed them any time to settle on the ball.

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Express:

Southampton 1 - Chelsea 2: Fabregas and Ivanovic sink Saints as Forster breaks record

FRASER FORSTER showed his credentials for England selection for Euro 2016 after breaking Paul Jones' record of 666 minutes without conceding a goal for Southampton - but had his party spoiled by late goals from Cesc Fabregas and Branislav Ivanovic at St Mary's.

By Liam Spence

The 27-year-old has been a rock between the sticks for the Saints since returning from a long-term injury but he failed to keep a clean sheet this time round against the Blues.
This win sees Guus Hiddink maintain his unbeaten Premier League record as Chelsea move up to 11th, edging ever closer to breaking into the top half of the table.
It was a frustarting start for the Blues, however, with Pedro being forced off of the pitch after just seven minutes as Oscar replaced the Spaniard.
Their injury-hit start went from bad to worse after 42 minutes when Shane Long fired Southampton into the lead.
Baba Rahman's shocking header went straight to the Irishman who punished the defender by putting his dinked effort past the on-rushing Thibaut Courtois.
Ronald Koeman's men came into the game without conceding a goal in over nine hours and looked like they would keep it that way, but with just 15 minutes left Chelsea knocked down Saints's defensive wall when Fabregas's cross, which was intended for Eden Hazard, went all the way through and past a helpless Forster into the bottom right corner.

This goal spurred the Blues on and they completed the turnaround on 89 minutes when Ivanovic headed Hiddink's men into the lead, with Forster's glove failing to prevent Chelsea from securing the three points.
Saints could have moved up to fifth but instead they dropped down to seventh after their agonising defeat.

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Star:

Southampton 1 Chelsea 2: Ivanovic bullet header helps Blues halt Saints hot streak
BRANISLAV IVANOVIC was the goal hero at St Mary’s.
By Peter White

But it was Cesc Fabregas who inspired Chelsea’s fightback as they stretched their unbeaten Premier League run to 11 matches.
Chelsea found themselves trailing just before the break when Shane Long capitalised on a shocking blunder by left-back Baba Rahman to edge Saints in front.
But Fabregas shattered Saints’ record of not conceding in more than ten hours when he beat keeper Fraser Forster with a cross-shot.
Then, two minutes from time, Ivanovic rose unmarked to snatch the winner from Willian’s corner.
“I think the win was deserved,” said Chelsea interim boss Guus Hiddink.
“We didn’t start very well and they were dominant in the first 20 minutes.
“Then we took over and controlled the latter part of the first half.
“We gave them a big present but the team reacted well.
“We like to be proactive, regain possession and show the desire to go from negative to positive.”
Hiddink’s plans were disrupted just six minutes in when Pedro went down clutching his left leg and was replaced by Oscar.
While the visitors were still reorganising, Saints might have nicked the lead when Virgil Van Dijk – still up from a corner – turned the ball back inside for Shane Long but he headed inches over.

Hiddink’s side were soon into their stride, though, and a glancing effort from Diego Costa could have edged them in front had Steven Davis had not been perfectly positioned on the goal-line to clear.
Both sides looked dangerous going forward, with Charlie Austin – making his first start since his £4million January signing from QPR – slowly working his way into the game.
Chelsea’s Spain forward Costa began the game wearing his protective face mask. But after making a mess of a forward run in the 27th minute he threw it on to the sidelines.
He did not do much better without it shortly after, though, turning before fi ring high over Forster’s bar.
Saints looked a threat and nearly grabbed a 30th-minute lead when Davis fed Austin – but he drilled a low shot inches wide.
Willian and Fabregas were working hard to try and create openings but Chelsea were being restricted to long-range efforts.

And just as it seemed the half would end goalless, Long showed his predatory instincts with a 42nd-minute strike.
Baba could not decide whether to head clear or knock the ball back to keeper Thibaut Courtois.
And as he hesitated it fell invitingly for Long, who raced in on goal before deftly chipping into the bottom corner.
Unsurprisingly, Baba did not appear for the second half and was replaced by Kenedy.
Chelsea needed a quick response but they found it tough going as Jordy Clasie and Oriol Romeu took a firm hold in midfield.
Ronald Koeman’s men were not content just to sit on their lead, though, and Gary Cahill was a little lucky not to concede a penalty when he upended Austin as the Saints forward bustled his way into the box.
But Chelsea’s persistence finally paid off after 75 minutes.

Costa chased the ball to the by-line before turning it back for Fabregas, whose cross – seemingly intended for Hazard – deceived Forster and trickled into the far corner.
Willian was inches away from giving Chelsea the lead in the 82nd minute with a low effort, before Ivanovic’s header sealed the points.
“I’m disappointed after leading in the game and scoring at a good moment,” said Koeman.
“It is not easy to score against us, so I had a good feeling we could win but we were playing against a good team.
“We needed to be perfect in the second half – and we weren’t.
“We deserved more for our performance.”