Chelsea vs. Southampton: Score and Reaction from 2015 Premier League Match
Chelsea dramatically lost to Southampton 3-1 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, as manager Jose Mourinho watched his team capitulate after leading the match.
Goals from Steven Davis, Sadio Mane and Graziano Pelle stunned the Blues after Willian had given the home side the perfect start.
John Terry returned to the side after being dropped by the Special One, with Radamel Falcao making a rare start in place of the suspended Diego Costa.
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Southampton boss Ronald Koeman made one change to his starting XI, with James Ward-Prowse making way for former Blues midfielder Oriol Romeu.
Chelsea wasted no time getting on the front foot and took an early lead through Willian. The Brazilian whipped in one of his trademark free-kicks from the wide left area, and his curling shot found the top corner with pace, giving Saints goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg no chance as he stepped forward expecting a cross.
BT Sport's Ian Darke wasn't impressed with Stekelenburg's positioning and movement:
Squawka highlighted the South American's amazing recent record from set pieces:
Opta pointed out how Chelsea now rely on free-kicks to score goals:
Southampton had a good shout for a penalty after the half-hour mark as attacker Mane appeared to be tripped in the area by Ramires. The referee waved the decision away, but in an identical incident a minute later, Mane was booked for diving after another challenge by the Blues midfielder in the box.
FourFourTwo's Chris Flanagan commented on Mourinho's tactic to keep Mane under control:
England international Ryan Bertrand almost equalised for the south coast team against his former club, being foiled by Blues goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, but Koeman's men finally got their deserved equaliser before the half-time whistle as Steven Davis smashed his bouncing volley into the bottom corner.
Pelle expertly chested down a long ball for Davis, and the midfielder finished with aplomb to level the scores at the break. The Saints were in the ascendancy before the whistle, with Mourinho relieved to get his faltering team into the dressing room for a bout of reorganisation.
Commentator Sam Matterface tweeted about Chelsea's regression after scoring and the lack of quality from Cesc Fabregas:
The Blues' mean defence of last season has evaporated, with Opta highlighting their worrying trend for conceding:
Flanagan shared the vital stats at half-time, with Chelsea in command of possession but ineffective in open play:
Nemanja Matic entered the fray for the second half as Ramires was replaced, with Ward-Prowse coming on for the Saints.
Southampton came out aggressively, with the Chelsea defence being ripped to shreds. Mane twice went close as Begovic's goal was peppered with shots, but the hosts survived the early onslaught.
However, the Saints got their reward on the hour mark as Pelle fed Mane to burst through the weak Chelsea defence, and the attacker slotted his shot past Begovic. Terry and his fellow defenders looked crushed as the Southampton attackers wheeled away to celebrate, with the Stamford Bridge crowd making their disdain clear.
BeIN Sports' Tancredi Palmeri coined a new word to describe Chelsea's plight after Mane struck:
Chelsea tried to push up on the Southampton defence to get back in the game, but the Blues were shocked as the visitors broke with aggression, grabbing a third on the counter attack through Pelle.
Mane returned the favour for the Italian international, feeding Pelle through on the right, and the striker buried his effort into the bottom corner with top-class power and precision.
The blip was turning into a full-blown crisis for Mourinho and Chelsea, and the coach immediately removed substitute Matic to throw on striker Loic Remy.
Opta's Duncan Alexander explained just how one-sided the second half was:
Southampton should have scored a fourth as Dusan Tadic missed a gilt-edged chance, with the Blues only looking to go forward as their ramshackle defence appeared helpless and beaten.
Mourinho prowled his technical area as he screamed instructions at his men; a Stekelenburg handling error almost presented Eden Hazard with a gift, but the Belgian failed to finish. A hush fell over Stamford Bridge as the clock ran down, with the Premier League champions deconstructed.
The final whistle went, with boos from the home crowd and the Saints taking a famous 3-1 win back to St Mary's. ESPN's Paul Carr highlighted just how bad things are for Mourinho's team:
Mourinho is now officially in trouble, with his side in free fall as their title defence goes up in smoke. The Blues' defence is at its lowest ebb, with Terry now a spent force, and things will get worse before they improve.
This incarnation of Chelsea is not playing for its manager, and Blues supporters will be scratching their heads at what has changed in just a few months.
Post-Match Reaction
Mourinho was clearly disturbed by what he saw from his side on Saturday, with BBC Sport's Simon Stone quoting the beleaguered manager. The coach questioned his own longevity at Chelsea in an explosive assessment:
Chelsea now face Aston Villa on Saturday, Oct. 17, with Southampton hosting Leicester City on the same day.
