Their next two matches are against Aston Villa away and Tottenham at home, and they could well take some beating. Much had been made of how they would react to falling behind. They did yesterday when James Beattie scored after just 12 seconds, the fourth fastest goal in Premiership history, but Chelsea’s response augurs well for the long months that lie ahead.
They transformed deficit into profit before half-time, and would have won by a hatful if their finishing had matched their incisive approach work. Instead, they needed an own-goal by Beattie to regain parity before Frank Lampard’s penalty secured all three points.
Southampton, after their ridiculously early managerial change, were uniformly poor, looking short on motivation, and no wonder. What now? Another change of command? They could bring a whole new meaning to the term manager of the month.
The incumbent, Steve Wigley, had no complaints with the result, but did object to suggestions of “player power” ousting his predecessor, Paul Sturrock. Did Wigley expect to be given more than 13 games? “I’m not here to answer that,” he said. Talk of Beattie going to Everton, or anywhere else, was also an irritant. “I’m not aware of James going anywhere,” he told his post-match press conference, to cynical mutterings of “he’d be the last to know”.
Beattie’s goal at the right end was not the fastest in Premiership history (that distinction belongs to Tottenham’s Ledley King, who scored after nine seconds against Bradford City four years ago), but it seemed like it to a stunned capacity audience. The crowd were still digesting the team changes, which brought back Wayne Bridge, Ricardo Carvalho and Eidur Gudjohnsen, when Southampton took the lead. Joe Cole ’s misplaced pass sold John Terry short, letting in Beattie, whose 25-yarder carried over Petr Cech’s head and under the crossbar.
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Going a goal down was a new experience, but Chelsea responded well, hitting back hard. Gudjohnsen might have equalised after four minutes, when he headed Lampard’s inviting left-wing cross wide from six yards, then Didier Drogba’s left-footed shot was spilled by Antti Niemi, and Lampard, busily influential as ever, was unable to profit.
When the roles were reversed, Lampard fired over from 20 yards after Drogba’s strong incisive run in the inside-left channel, then Lampard was denied by the first of two goalline clearances by Anders Svensson.
It was all Chelsea, and the inevitable equaliser, after 34 minutes, was scarcely a surprise, even if the scorer was. A corner from Lampard, who needed running repairs to a cut around the eyebrow after a quarter of an hour, was flicked on by Gudjohnsen, and a rush of blood saw Beattie turn the ball back past his startled keeper from 15 yards.
Chelsea’s superiority was such that the only question was how many more they would score. Tiago would have doubled the margin with a header but for Svensson’s second intervention under his own crossbar, but the Saints’ reprieve lasted only until the 41st minute when Claus Lundekvam, challenging Drogba in the air, handled and Lampard made short work of what was an obvious penalty.
Paulo Ferreira’s long shot was deflected wide by Gudjohnsen and Lampard should have scored from Mateja Kezman’s cut-back, but headed straight at the goalkeeper, and to the crowd’s frustration, which Mourinho clearly shared, Chelsea’s third goal just wouldn’t come.
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STAR MAN: Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
Player ratings. Chelsea: Cech 7, Ferreira 7, Carvalho 7, Terry 7, Bridge 7, Tiago 8, Makelele 7 (Geremi 90min, 7), Lampard 8, Cole 8 (Duff 58min, 7), Gudjohnsen 6 (Kezman 61min, 7) Drogba 8
Southampton: Niemi 7, Telfer 5, Lundekvam 6, Higginbotham 6, Le Saux 6, Fernandes 5 (Folly 23min, 5, Crouch 70min, 6), Prutton 5, Delap 5, A Svensson 6 (Van Damme 83min, 7), Phillips 5, Beattie 6
Scorers: Chelsea: Beattie og 34, Lampard pen 41
Southampton: Beattie 1
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Referee: S Bennett
Attendance: 40,864