On Sky
After the poor display given against FC Basel, a display where we didn`t produce a single shot on target, Chelsea supporters will be hoping that Jose Mourinho can shake things up and get Chelsea back to the form they showed last Saturday against West Ham. However our opponents, this Sunday, Southampton, will be looking to grab a point or three themselves in what is looking like an intriguing fixture.
Vital Quotes:
In what is turning into the most open title race in years, Jose Mourinho reckons winning it, with Chelsea, this season would be his finest achievement, with Jose remarking,
“Winning the title this year would be a greater achievement than before.”
“History plays a role. To win when a club Is not historically a winner is a hard step to give, so 2004 was a hard step to give.”
“But winning the title this season would be a really good achievement.”
It certainly would, but any more abject performances like we produced against Newcastle, West Brom and Basel, would effectively rule us out of contention!
Chelsea Team News:
Jose Mourinho will have two of his squad missing through injury, Marco Van Ginkel, side-lined for the season with a knee injury, has been joined in the treatment room by Samuel Eto`o who picked up a hamstring injury out in Basel, in midweek.
Following a series of inconsistent performances, it`ll be interesting to see who Jose starts against Southampton this Sunday. With Eto`o unavailable Fernando Torres will lead the line but could Juan Mata earn a recall?
Sat here at the Vital Chelsea editorial desk, I`d quite like to see the following eleven start;-
Cech, Azpilicueta, Terry, Cahill, Cole, Essien, Lampard, Mata, Hazard, Schurrle and Torres.
Player to watch: Fernando Torres
Before picking up an injury, Torres was producing the kind of form that he produced at Liverpool, hopefully the rude interruption won`t have affected this renaissance.
Southampton Team News:
Mauricio Pochettino, since taking over from Nigel Adkins, has turned Southampton into a formidable outfit, surprising many pundits. For the trip to Stamford Bridge, Pochettino will be able to welcome back to his squad Gaston Ramires and the former Chelsea youngster Jack Cork.
The former is back in contention after missing the previous match courtesy of a late return from international duty whilst Cork has recovered from an ankle problem picked up at the Emirates Stadium last weekend.
Player to watch: Adam Lallana
Now an England international, Lallana has the ability to influence games, definitely one to watch.
Match Facts & Stats
If we delve into the record books we find that Southampton find it hard to get a result at Stamford Bridge. In the last 11 league fixtures, at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea have won 7, drawn 3 and won just 1
In the corresponding fixture last season, Chelsea threw away a two-goal lead, leading 2-0 the game finished 2-2
If Southampton are to win, they`ll need to end a record that has seen Chelsea remain unbeaten at Stamford Bridge, in the league, this season.
Another omen that points to it being a difficult afternoon for Southampton is that Chelsea, following a Champions League fixture, are unbeaten in the Premier League, notching up 3 wins and 1 draw.
Ref Watch:
Our referee for this fixture will be Michael Oliver.
Match Prediction:
It`s getting harder and harder to predict how a Chelsea game will turn out these days. There is an air of uncertainty around. Who`d have thought we`d struggle against West Brom and lose against Basel and Newcastle but then win so emphatically against West Ham, or were West Ham just so poor they were there to be taken? Southampton will represent a stiff test, they play decent football and are more than capable of getting a result, but will they? I think not, I`m reckoning on a few harsh words from Jose Mourinho dispel the lethargy that was apparent against FC Basel on Tuesday evening. 2-0 to Chelsea for me!
Next Fixtures:
Our next fixture sees Chelsea travel to the Stadium of Light, to play Sunderland in the Capital One Cup quarter-final, with Sunderland now being managed by a certain Gus Poyet.