Chelsea |
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Southampton |
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Barclaycard Premiership, December 26 |
Richard Jolly reports
The width of a post, a superb save and a resolute
Southampton side denied Chelsea a return to the top of the Premiership
on a bumpy Stamford Bridge pitch.
Gianfranco Zola spurned Chelsea's first and best chance,
sidefooting Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's inviting cross on to the inside
of the post and out again on a frustrating day for Claudio Ranieri's
title challengers.
And in a frantic finale, Antti Niemi made the magnificent save to
keep out substitute William Gallas' drive - Hasselbaink again the
provider - and the French defender claimed a penalty when his header
struck James Beattie.
Gallas then came to Saints' rescue when he twice inadvertently
blocked John Terry's goalbound shot before the returning Marcel
Desailly blasted over the bar.
The diminutive Italian could not find the goal to take him into
double figures this season but he remained the player most likely to
unlock Southampton's solid defence; on another day his instinctive and
incisive passing and awareness would have produced the goal to enable
Chelsea to overhaul Arsenal - albeit briefly - at the summit of the
Premiership.
Instead, it was another result which will raise questions Chelsea's
title credentials, despite the determination Ranieri's side showed in
their late onslaught if the cliche about needing to beat Southampton
at home to win the Premiership is again invoked - though Gordon
Strachan's high-flying side are very different to the image of
struggling Southampton.
The ubiquitous Zola and Hasselbaink combined to set up Enrique de
Lucas for the Spaniard to slice wildly wide before the Italian's
perfectly-measured pass gave the midfielder an easier opportunity only
for De Lucas to dally and Chris Marsden to make an exceptional
last-gasp tackle.
Another exquisite pass from Zola provided Hasselbaink with a chance
for a late winner but Michael Svensson forced the Dutchman wide and he
failed to find the target with a low shot.
It was not all one-way traffic, however, and Southampton had
chances to record a fourth win in their six-match unbeaten run,
Beattie missing the best as he blasted over the bar following a
knock-down from strike partner Jo Tessem.
And the Premiership's top scorer was denied a controversial
second-half strike by the acrobatics of Ed de Goey when the prostrate
striker changed the direction of Michael Svensson's prodded shot with
his elbow.
Southampton adapted quicker to the pitch more reminiscent of park
football than the Premiership game with Beattie and Tessem unable to
direct headers from Matthew Oakley corners on target.
And though Saints were playing a more direct game - and thus
perhaps better suited to the surface - than Chelsea, they showed they
were capable of quality football too. Tessem, replacing the rested
Brett Ormerod, played a slide-rule pass Zola would have been proud of
to release the sliding Rory Delap, whose shot was straight at Ed de
Goey.
With Frank Lampard and Graeme Le Saux both given a festive rest by
Ranieri, Chelsea lacked drive in the early stages, though John Terry
showed their commitment in a powerful battle with Beattie, the duo
requiring treatment after a second-half clash of heads.
Indeed, Saints may regret that, hard as they battled, they hardly
tested de Goey, making his first appearance of the season because of
Carlo Cudicini's calf-strain, though Oakley, Svensson and Fabrice
Fernandes all picked out the Dutchman with shots.
And before Niemi's late heroics, the Finn had little to do with
Zola, Hasselbaink and Boudewijn Zenden all missing the target when
taking aim from distance.
De Lucas chipped in with Van Bastenesque volley which sailed over
the bar as he took advantage of an unusual off-day from Wayne Bridge,
who celebrated his 109th consecutive Premiership game - a record for
an outfueld player - with a caution for a tug on Hasselbaink on the
stroke of half time.
Chelsea stepped up the pressure in their search for a winner in the
second half with Eidur Gudjohnsen becoming the third striker on the
pitch and the dominant Michael Svensson called into action as Blues
put the Southampton box under siege.
But if Chelsea wanted an indication that the goal would not come,
it arrived in the first half when Zola inspired the game's best
passing move, involving Zenden and Emmanuel Petit. When Hasselbaink
found the Italian ready to shoot, he slipped, scuffed his shot and
watched it roll tamely to Niemi.
It was that kind of day for Chelsea.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Gianfranco Zola (Chelsea)
- The most creative player on either side.
Chelsea: de Goey,
Babayaro, Desailly, Terry, Melchiot (Gallas 86), Zenden (Lampard 85),
Petit, Morris, De Lucas (Gudjohnsen 80), Zola, Hasselbaink.
Subs Not Used: Pidgeley, Gronkjaer.
Booked: Melchiot.
Southampton: Niemi,
Bridge, Michael Svensson, Lundekvam, Telfer, Marsden, Delap, Oakley
(Anders Svensson 90), Fernandes, Beattie, Tessem (Davies 85).
Subs Not Used: Jones, Williams, Ormerod.
Booked: Bridge, Fernandes.
Att: 39,428
Ref: P Durkin (Dorset).
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