Chelsea 2-2 Southampton: Benitez is to blame AGAIN!
More points dropped at Stamford Bridge and more cries of “We don’t want you here” to Rafa Benitez after last night’s game had finished. Chelsea had been counting on our game in hand to make up points on Manchester City and extend our lead over Tottenham in fourth but once again didn’t make it count.
After the game, Rafa Benitez said:
“We should have won. On Tuesday, I said we have to be more clinical. We didn’t take our chances. We gave them hope they could score, and they did. At half-time I said we needed a third goal, that we couldn’t afford to make mistakes and let them have a goal. All we had to do was manage the game. But we didn’t do that.”
Now I personally have MAJOR issues with what he has said here. I do agree with the fact that we should have won the game, that is without question. The latter is beyond me.
He says that we should have taken our chances. What chances? You tell me apart from a half chance that Demba Ba had in the second half from a ball over the top from Mata that he volleyed over the bar, what other clear cut chances were there apart from the goals?
Frank Lampard put a shot wide in the first half but to be fair, he was being closed down and put under pressure so not clear cut for me. Demba Ba’s chest and volley wasn’t clear cut. Lampard had a free kick in the second half that went close but didn’t test the keeper and in the first half, a half hearted attempt by Oscar and Hazard combined brought us a corner.
Chelsea had THREE attempts out of 18 on target and it isn’t good enough, especially at home.
He says that we needed a third goal and told the players that at half time? Why would you do that? Why can’t you tell the players to keep doing what they are doing, to keep it tight and keep our shape without the ball? Why on earth does Chelsea need a third goal at home to Southampton before they feel comfortable? Why couldn’t we manage the game, see it out and take three points?
Think back to the game. How many saves did either Goalkeeper have to make apart from pick the ball up out of the net twice? Chelsea didn’t create enough clear cut chances and get themselves into good positions enough and it cost us again.
Forget all this bollocks about being under pressure at Stamford Bridge from the fans. It’s bullshit. Chelsea were 2-0 up and comfortable but because of the idiot who is STILL in charge of our football teams half time advice, team selection and substitution, we dropped points.
Oscar is not a wide player so why does this idiot persist in playing him out there when Marko Marin who is a natural wide player is sitting on the bench? If John Terry is fit enough to be named on the bench, start him. Finally, when things haven’t gone our way against QPR, Swansea and last night, he is STILL making the wrong substitutions.
Why bring Torres on and play him wide when Marko Marin is on the bench and why take off Lampard? The change to make was a straight swap Oscar for Marin. Can anyone else see that or is it just me? The blokes an idiot!
As for Southampton? What a fantastic result for them. They played as a team, worked hard in their own half as a unit and had players who had one chance in the game and both of them took it. Lambert had all the time in the world under no pressure to place a header back across goal and into the far corner and Jason Puncheon, who had the better of Ashley Cole for most of the game, scored a wonder strike after being allowed time and space to take a touch first, then volley the ball into the corner.
After being beaten at St Mary’s the other week and to be fair, battered by Chelsea, this performance from them was a mature, organised performance and credit to them for taking a point back to the South Coast.
As for Chelsea under Benitez? Jekyll and Hyde from one game to the next.
I am NOT looking forward to Arsenal coming here on Sunday!
Carefree & KTBFFH!