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Chelsea were defeated 2-1 by Southampton in the Premier League on Tuesday, 30 August.
The Saints came into this game having earned four points from their opening four games. Ralph Hassenhutl's men suffered a 2-1 defeat against Manchester United over the weekend. With a relatively unchanged lineup, they were hoping for a better performance at the St. Mary's Stadium.
The Blues, on the other hand, earned seven points from their opening four games and were sixth in the table prior to kick-off. Thomas Tuchel fielded a lineup in a 4-3-3 formation, a slight tweak from his preferred 3-4-3. Reece James was excluded from the matchday squad due to a suspected injury. However, they were eager to maintain pace with their rivals and secure another win.
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The game began with both sides sharing the ball for nearly equal spells of time. Southampton were the first side to register a shot on target, but failed to test Edouard Mendy. Raheem Sterling attempted Chelsea's first shot on goal but was denied easily by Gavin Bazunu.
Hakim Ziyech and Sterling were good on the ball in the early moments and threatened to test Bazunu. The latter opened the scoring in the 23rd minute with a well-taken attempt. However, the Blues could only stay ahead for five minutes. Eighteen-year-old Romeo Lavia equalized with a brilliant strike from the edge of the box following a Saints corner.
Hassenhutl's men looked the better of the two sides following the equalizer as Chelsea seemed to drop off their intensity. Southampton kept creating troublesome passing moves and were rewarded just before the break. After a well-worked move to arrive in the Blues' penalty area, Romain Perraud provided an assist for Adam Armstrong to put the Saints ahead.
It was virtually the last kick of the first period and the hosts went into the break with a 2-1 lead.
Southampton came out for the second half looking to impose themselves physically right from the get go. However, the referee was having none of it and rightly booked Mohammed Salisu and James Ward-Prowse for silly fouls. The hosts' wingers did well to put pressure on Chelsea's full-backs.
The Blues, on the other hand, made several changes within 15 minutes of the restart in a bid to freshen things up. Despite most of their starters having a decent game, they simply were not able to break down a resolute Saints defense.
The hosts showed great spirit and character as they defended their narrow lead in numbers. It resulted in a much-needed with for Southampton, who now move level on points with Chelsea, but ahead on goal difference. That said, let's take a look at the five major talking points from this game.
#5. Chelsea need to address their midfield woes
Prior to this game, Chelsea already had N'Golo Kante ruled out due to injury and Conor Gallagher was suspended following his red card against Leicester City. Unfortunately for Tuchel's men, Ruben Loftus-Cheek suffered an injury midway through the first half and had to be taken off at half-time.
While there is no doubt their midfield comprises of world class players both in the starting XI and on the bench. However, they seem to be extremely unlucky when it comes to staying fit consistently. If they are to maintain their level and try and compete for the top honors, the Blues will need to make significant changes. The only problem is the transfer window slams shut in four days.
Many expected Chelsea to do better than last season following Gallagher's return from loan. However, some players have just arrived and others are unsettled, making things awkward for Tuchel behind the scenes. It will be interesting to see how they navigate this issue.
#4. Southampton have an incredible scouting team
Over the years, several renowned players have made their way through the youth ranks at Southampton before making it big in the Premier League. Gareth Bale is arguably the most remarkable of the lot, going on to win multiple Champions League titles having started his career on the south coast of England.
They have signed 18-year-old Romeo Lavia, a supremely talented midfielder who has reportedly been on several top teams' radars this summer. They also signed 20-year-old German defender Armel Bella-Kotchap from VfL Bochum, and 20-year-old Irish goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu from Manchester City. All three have put in encouraging displays in their games so far despite their tender age.
This has helped the Saints mount a fightback in each of their games so far and will likely result in another season of Premier League football next year.
#3. Chelsea are more potent in attack with Reece James
The Blues were without Reece James for their trip to the St. Mary's Stadium due to injury. James is an overlapping full-back who thrives when he has space to run into. His late runs to the far post have resulted in several chances for him to score in the past.
However, Tuchel was forced to start the aging Azpilicueta in his place. This resulted in their forward play being limited as they resorted to central routes to break Southampton down.
#2. Southampton have one of the youngest squads in the Premier League
Ralph Hassenhutl has done a remarkable job managing the Saints during his time with them. Despite suffering humiliating defeats along the way and losing key players, he has kept Southampton in the Premier League without much difficulty. He fielded a lineup with an average age of just 24.1 years.
Led by James Ward-Prowse (27), the Saints have quality players who are relatively younger than most other squads in the league. The only other team that comes close is Arsenal, with an average age of 25 for their starting XI.
#1. Chelsea desperately need a new No. 9
So far this season, Tuchel has deployed Kai Havertz as Chelsea's lone striker, despite having Armando Broja at his disposal, who plays the position naturally. The German is a talented player and has scored important goals for the Blues in the past. However, his physique and attributes do not match those required to be an elite striker in the Premier League.
Havertz is better-suited to play in the half-spaces in the No. 10 position, or as an advanced No. 8 who carries the ball forward. With his back to the goal while receiving the ball, he is arguably at his least effective.
Having let Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku leave the club following largely disappointing spells, Chelsea are yet to add sufficient cover.
