Voting was locked for this match at midnight on Sunday 3rd October but you may still add your mini match reports. Note that members and non-members alike were able to vote.

Your Chelsea v Southampton Match Reports

Sadoldgit added 17:16 - Oct 2 Definite red sadly because we were in it up to then. Despite the flak I can see why Ralph plays KWP at LB. He played well today and we don’t have a target man to sling cross at. He caused danger when he cut inside. We have played well against 4 quality sides and only lost to one of them. Now Stuey is back I expect us to start getting some wins.
5

I_would added 17:18 - Oct 2 Silver lining, at least three games to look forward to.
1

SaintPaulVW added 17:32 - Oct 2 Played fairly well but rode our luck to only be one down at half time. Almost pulled off the draw, which would have been a point against the run of play. Tino again looked superb. Tella was good, although like all our attackers, makes a great run and then just doesn't release the ball. Agree it was a red for JWP. Late and open studs. Our attack still looks lightweight and badly organised. Armstrong playing almost as a centre forward just wasn't going to work, way too short. Went to pieces a bit when JWP went off. Djenepo and KWP didn't mesh and our left hand side was targeted. Sadly the right result in the end. COYR

-1

wrathoftazz added 18:06 - Oct 2 What another pile of @#$%.. We will be relegated at this rate and the longer Ralph stays at the head of Saints, the more likely it is going to happen. We are statistically the WORST team in the PM,.but Ralph supporters will always come to his defence, blame something else etc etc. Maybe they will be happy with championship footie
1

ElijahK added 18:23 - Oct 2 Abysmal officiating today as I’ve seen that red, and it’s never a red! (Also posted it on referee discussion groups and a majority agree), so how mike dean, nigel adkins and john moss keep their jobs is ridiculous! On the basis of Ralph, well today I don’t think there was much more he could’ve done, and it wasn’t a game in which we expected much, but if we don’t get at least 5 points from our next 3 games (Leeds, Burnley and Watford) then I do think it’s time for change! Still with the squad/investment we have, I very much doubt many other managers can do much better than Ralph has done.

-1

ElijahK added 18:32 - Oct 2 Abysmal officiating today as I’ve seen that red, and it’s never a red! (Also posted it on referee discussion groups and a majority agree), so how mike dean, nigel adkins and john moss keep their jobs is ridiculous! On the basis of Ralph, well today I don’t think there was much more he could’ve done, and it wasn’t a game in which we expected much, but if we don’t get at least 5 points from our next 3 games (Leeds, Burnley and Watford) then I do think it’s time for change! Still with the squad/investment we have, I very much doubt many other managers can do much better than Ralph has done.

1

codge added 18:34 - Oct 2 Afraid with the line up we had today we were never going to score,how does Theo get a start, We are too lightweight up front never win anything from corners and JWP lately can’t deliver a decent cross. We are stil guilty of giving the ball away to much thought we would of learned our lesson by now, right now can’t see where the goals will come from at the moment.
8

wrathoftazz added 20:29 - Oct 2 What another pile of @#$%.. We will be relegated at this rate and the longer Ralph stays at the head of Saints, the more likely it is going to happen. We are statistically the WORST team in the PM,.but Ralph supporters will always come to his defence, blame something else etc etc. Maybe they will be happy with championship footie
-1

Bawdrip added 21:26 - Oct 2 Thought we deserved a draw today. Sending off was harsh (Mike Dean again) but I guess their disallowed goal maybe was a bit tough on them. Good Saints performances from many players though Walcott was poor (contributed nothing) and Redmond wasn't much better. Thought KWP got caught out far too much. Still we were on top at the time of the sending off and it turned the game. The Saints support was fantastic today.

7

Flamingbankers added 07:54 - Oct 3 I can't understand why some Saints fans go along with the official decisions when, to me at least, the evidence is 'clear and obvious'. As someone that's played and watched football for more than 50 years I refuse to accept that going for a tackle and not connecting with the man can be deemed a bookable or sending off offence. OK, under the cover of pathetic modern day rules, bookable by an overthinking rule change but that doesn't make it any more sensible. They could easily change the rules by a rash, idiotic decision - the football authorities are quite capable of that. A rash attempt at a tackle should not be a sending-off offence to me. And this comes after a clear penalty and sending-off that were retracted against Saints two weeks ago. The refs made their decisions, which seemed sensible and fair, but were made to retract them in favour of two of the biggest teams in world football. Smell fishy? It does to me. That 4 points could well be decisive for Saints at the end of the year and I'm sick of this corporate mindset cheating, wrecking the futures of the less influential clubs.

4

KriSaint added 09:03 - Oct 3 Of course Mike effing Dean had to make sure JWP's yellow card was overruled and changed to a red - from his VAR wagon. Solid performance by Saints, however, and I think we would at least have hold on for the draw - had JWP not been sent off. Unfortunate. (Go to h*ll, Mike Dean. You gave Bednarek the most stupid (and officially WRONG) red card last season, at 6-0, down to 10, vs M.U., so you know we hate you. Why make it worse?)

2

KriSaint added 09:09 - Oct 3 @ElijahK Surely you mean Martin Atkinson (who stole our stone wall penalty vs City), not (our) Nigel Adkins.
1

Sadoldgit added 10:14 - Oct 3 Whether you call JWPs tackle rash or dangerous it doesn’t alter the fact that it was late, studs up and caught him on the shin. If that had happened against one of our players we would rightly call for a red. By any definition of the rules that is a red. JWP knew it too. Just watch his face.
2

SanMarco added 12:29 - Oct 3 Interesting that De Bruyna's every bit as bad yellow wasn't overturned in midweek. The key question over the red (according to what I understand are SUPPOSED to be the rules at the moment) is was it a 'clear and obvious error' to give a yellow instead of a red? In fact it is the ONLY question (just like that pen vs Man C.). We are not performing badly at the moment but as others mention: where are the goals coming from? Ings got 12 last season (low by his standards) - will Adams and A. Armstrong get that between them this season? I don't think so either.

3

claus5 added 12:38 - Oct 3 Radio Solent, Talk Sport and the BBC all reported how good Redmond was, but our fans just seem to hate him. Are we being fair?
1

Ali_Diarea added 13:37 - Oct 3 I think there are goals in Armstrong and Adams but we don’t play to their strengths. Sticking rigidly to 4-4-2 is an issue for me, it’s too predictable and easy to play against.
3

Block8 added 14:11 - Oct 3 My tickets turned up this morning so perhaps we can replay the game now, SFC ticketing would get a rating of 1 on current form. Anyway managed to get in and rated our performance as fairly good, and we may have just about survived with JWP remaining on the pitch. Our main attacking threats are the full backs, which is quite concerning. We looked more solid with Diallo, JWP and Romeu in midfield but none of these pose an attacking threat either. We need to transition quicker and cut out the negativity when in possesion! It seemed a strange decision to bring on Djnepo for Tella after the red card and maybe Armstrong off the bench in central midfield or Perraud on switched with KWP and Tino in midfield all may have been better options to keep it at 1-1? Saints away support was excellent as it always is and if refereeing standards could match that commitment I'd be far happier. I try to judge decisions against us on how I'd feel if it were the other way round and in the case of the red card I would have still thought it a bit harsh!

3