Match Day Thread Chelsea v Southampton 02/10/21, 3pm

Just like to add, what a quality goal their second was.
Two brilliant passes. And that Chilwell volley was none too shabby for the third.

 

To be fair to football refs, rugby players are generally respectful of officials, while many PL players are…well…not gonna say.,,

 

Today was all about JWP getting sent off, before that we had come back into the game and were causing Chelsea problems after Ralph's H/T tactical change and may have even nicked it. It was an unlucky red card because JWP felt he had to go for it once the Chelsea defender had miscontrolled but I can see why the decision was made too.
Questions shouldn't be asked about a Saints manager on the back of an unlucky defeat at the European champions IMO, let's have a bit of patience and see how the season pans out after we have played most of the teams and if the results are still poor then a change might be the best thing and give the new manager time.

 

By the way, not for the first time this season, McCarthy was excellent today.

 

Yes, Macca really has found his top form again after a run in the team.

 

A little bit of perspective. This seasons results against last seasons

Everton L L
Man U L D (+1)
Newcastle L D (+1)
WHU D D
Man C L D (+1)
Wolves L L
Chelsea D L (-1)

So 2 points better off already!

 

The only result/performance that worried me was the Wolves game. Maybe the Everton 2nd half as well if I was being picky. I think we've been pretty ****ing unfortunate not to pick up at least one win so far. Pressure is on for our next 2 games though.

 

The Wolves game was frustrating, but their defence was absolutely on it that afternoon

 

Headline of “Chelsea smash 10 man Southampton” seems slightly harsh. But then nobody gives a **** about us outside our fan base so not really surprising

 

Not for me. First half yes we were on the back foot but through the second right up to the red we matched them and were looking like a threat. Felt Ralph had it spot on for the change, just all went to bits when we go down to 10. Was a cracking game right up till the sending off, such a bugger.

 

Strange one the sending off. I think it was probably just about a red, and I'd have been annoyed if it had been the other way round. Yet I'd absolutely be annoyed with JWP if he hadn't gone for it. To get a red, chasing a mistake by the opponent, is very unfortunate.

 

Yeah, JWP is blameless for me. The way the game was heading at that point (Saints on top) he was always going in for the tackle. We had Chelsea in some bother and the win was on the cards. I still don't think it was a clear and obvious error to only show yellow but I don't think we'd have much chance of winning an appeal unfortunately. I would appeal anyway as you never know.

 

We had had a very good run with the VAR decisions up until then so we can't have many complaints I guess. I'll add my voice to what a few have said before - that was a very good performance against a team that will be challenging for the league title away from home. The second half formation change was perfect and in honesty we need to be looking at this as a starting formation going forwards because once again the hole between our pivots and strikers allowed chelsea to control the first half. There wasn't a bad performance on the pitch today, just a few underhit passes that we got away with. Macca played fantastically, Tino had them running scared before the red but we are still just not aggressive enough in the final 3rd. Thanks to whoever posted the results comparison with last season, perspective is what's needed. Did anyone ever think we were going to the Bridge with a good chance of winning? No, but we looked like we could have. The rest of the results this season come down to not getting a win out of Wolves or Newcastle - that's a pretty harsh way to be calling for a manager to be sacked IMO. If you are doing that I would say you are doing more to support Ole, Moyes, Pep and Tuchel than Saints.

 

Absolutely. The madness after one debatably poor performance against Wolves is mind-boggling. The trouble is people are tacking the second half of last year on to the first half of this...which is also weird.

EDIT - particularly when we're playing a bunch better than we did second half of last year, but context apparently isn't a thing these days.

 

Just had my first "Ralph has no plan B" on Twitter. Apart from the fact that in the City game he played a plan B, and he LITERALLY CHANGED THE FORMATION AT HALF TIME TODAY.

ARRRRGHHHHH.

 

Combine this with Walker taking Armstrong out the other day.

Big six play by different rules

 

That’s annoying, as from that image it clearly looks like a more dangerous tackle.

 

How many games will Ward-Prowse miss. An opportunity for Diallo.

 

3 games.

 

Just seen Adam Armstrong was given a rating of ? in a match report.
Not sure if that was a typo or the reporter’s reflection of his performance.