Chelsea 1-0 Southampton: 5 Talking Points

#3 Manolo Gabbiadini is not good enough for Southampton

Gabbiadini endured yet another disappointing performance for the Saints

Last season, Southampton signed Manolo Gabbiadini in January and the Italian hit the ground running. It looked like he had been playing Premier League football all his life as he seamlessly settled into the Saints lineup.

However, once his injuries kicked in, the Italian forward has failed to replicate his instinctive performances. This season it seemed that he would flourish in Pellegrino's system, but unfortunately, that has not happened.

In the game against Chelsea, he was surprisingly handed the start despite Charlie Austin being in a rich vein of form. As expected Gabbiadini was virtually anonymous as he wasn't able to break free of Chelsea's tight marking system and also due to the lack of creative players around him. He could also have done better to get his body on the ball from Marcos Alonso's free kick.

If Southampton are to ensure safety sooner rather than later, it is pivotal for them to sign a top striker in January. A number of forwards from big clubs could be available for a loan, and that could be something Pellegrino is considering going into the business end.