In one of my posts I mention we have joined the bottom two as the only side to lose to Chelsea at home (and Norwich). However I also agree with the above. Think we have actually lost 6 points over the last 2 months and today we were pretty crap. Positives overall are most of our away games are at bottom half clubs where as many of our direct competitors have yet to play the big boys away. Sorry, Ramirez is a bigger liability to any "seen" positives.
Our bench today: 02 Clyne 03 Yoshida 07 Lambert 16 Ward-Prowse 25 Gazzaniga 26 Hooiveld 40 Gallagher Thanks to injury, we had three defenders, a goalkeeper, a midfielder, and two strikers. One of those strikers is 18. With the exception of Lambert, it is not a bench that is ever going to turn a game on its head.
This is a misleading argument. It assumes that it is a decline in Poch's management when the clear difference is that Chelsea are much better under Mourinho. You can't say it is poor management to lose to a superior team. It was poor management last season that Chelsea were so sloppy against us.
I can't believe how negative some of you are being. It's disappointing to lose 3-0 but come on. I thought the effort and performance was perfectly good for the vast majority of players. With a bit more luck (one of Lallana's chances being taken, Rodriguez being able to control Ramirez's superb pass, Lambert's header going in, no deflection for Torres's opener) the result could quite easily have been different. We had to take a chance after conceding and we were open to their counter attacks. Is it really so much better to lose 1-0?
Not at all, I'm implying that Mourinho's superior management is the difference and that's why Chelsea won today, not purely because they had good players on the bench.
Their squad is significantly better this season. They might not have used all their new signings today but the fact they have been means they are that much fresher and have more options. Our tactics were fine, I honestly don't know what else you want us to do? Their opening goal was extremely lucky and we had to push forward after that.
PTF - it wasn't who we brought on that I have the issue with, it was who we took off. Corky had a good battling game and he was the generally the link man in midfield that moved the ball from defence into attacking midfield and Steve Davis too was fighting for every square inch. No problems with JWP or Rickie coming on but for GR who was his usual self. Either would have improved the team but by removing who he did that just left them in utter and complete control
It is easier though to be a good manager when you have great options on the bench. He injected quality and fresh legs at a crucial time.
I general I'd agree, but in one circumstance I do disagree. We were getting bogged down at the back. Poor passing aside, there was no out to reduce pressure. Ramirez is so bloody slow, swap him for Lambert - even in the first half - may have changed things: Not only being a target but to bring in JRod. It's not just the quality of the bench, it's how you use what you have.
Effort was clearly lacking all over the pitch. For me, only Chambers & Kelvin put a full shift in and claim they did their best. The others did not do their best, against a team when you HAVE to do your best.
I agree our tactics were fine, I just think the difference is that Mourinho out thought us (although having a better quality bench certainly helps), rather than simply having a better squad.
It's one of those times when it's best to just not look at Not606 for a bit. Those who can't control their emotions will get it all out of their system, perhaps have some dinner and a little nap, and it'll all be okay tomorrow.
We needed to put away the chances we had, knowing we wouldn't get many. Goals change games...if only JRod and Adam had put away their chances. Chelsea defended in numbers. We are a good midtable side playing a top side who have hit form...you need luck as well as talent in games like that.
Not sure I understand how Mourinho can have out-thought us if our tactics were fine? What exactly was wrong with our thinking today?
People moaning that Jose can change a game better then Pochettino? Wtf is this ****? It's not like Jose has world class players on the bench is it? Oh wait.....
Garth Crooks, on Final Score for BBC Sport Southampton 0-3 Chelsea "Jose Mourinho today was a genius. He brought on Oscar and Willian and it changed the game." It's a shame MP isn't a genius. He never does these kind of tactical masterstrokes.
Utter crap. Ramirez was our shining light for an hour until Chelsea ran away with it. For an hour we played well and then Chelsea took over. The game could have gone either way until a deflected cross bounced back off the post and Torres scored. Yes, last 20 minutes want good but Chelsea had taken over by then. I can't be bothered to read anymore. This is the first page I've opened and its typical saints fans.
Well fine in the sense that I don't think there was any tactical mistake from us to allow Chelsea an easy opportunity at a weakness. Mourinho consistently makes very decisive changes and sees immediate results because his tactical changes are superb and I think this (and the game at Stamford Bridge) is an excellent example of this. I don't think Chelsea won because they improved the quality of their team with substitutions - they already had a very strong team out - it was the decisive change of personnel and tactics that caught us out and took the game away from us in my opinion.
