Chelsea put their disappointing 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid behind them and thrashed Southampton 6-0 on Saturday after a dominant display on the south coast. Thomas Tuchel’s side found themselves 4-0 up inside 32 minutes, and it could have been double figures if not for the heroics of Fraser Forster.
Chelsea delivered the perfect response to their midweek woes with a 6-0 thrashing against Southampton to strengthen their grip on the top four.
A rampant first-half display saw Chelsea race into a four-goal lead after just 32 minutes, as Marcos Alonso, Mason Mount, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz all capitalised on a leaky Southampton defence. And with the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham closing in on the top four, it was a much needed win to alleviate unwanted pressure.
Chelsea started the second-half in similar fashion, as it took Werner just four minutes to tap in a fifth before Mount made it six with his second of the game shortly after, as Southampton were humiliated on home soil. Their dominant display allowed them to ease off the gas with three points wrapped up so early, and they will now turn their attention to Real Madrid ahead of Tuesday’s second-leg.
Here Express Sport takes a look at five things we learned as Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea battered Southampton on the south coast…
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Mount makes things happen
Chelsea may be blessed with a vast array of creative talent, but Mount is perhaps their most important asset that links defence and attack. The England international had only found the net on one occasion in 2022 before Saturday’s clash, but his wonderstrike against Southampton was a reminder just how much of a threat he can be.
He assisted the opening goal before the floodgates opened too, with a clever flick over his shoulder for Alonso to smash one home. But even if Mount isn’t directly involved in a Chelsea goal, he’s usually vital in the build-up.
Chelsea may have invested heavily on attacking talent, but Mount is the perfect example of how the academy can be utilised, as well as the loan system. Mount has proved that he can be the man for the big occasions, and if Chelsea are to overturn their two-goal deficit against Real Madrid, he will have to be at his best.
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Kovacic is Kante’s best partner?
Tuchel likes to operate with a central midfield pairing, and perhaps it’s a nice problem to have that there are so many options who can do a brilliant job in the middle of the park. Ngolo Kante is a guaranteed starter, but Mateo Kovacic, Jorginho, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Saul Niguez all battle for that second spot.
And there will be even more options come the start of next season, with Billy Gilmour and Conor Gallagher set to return from their loan spells. But Kovacic has proved that he is Kante’s best partner, as Jorginho has seen a dip in form despite being crowned as the UEFA mens player of the year.
Jorginho was poor against Madrid on Wednesday and Kovacic was given the nod by Tuchel ahead of their trip to Southampton. And the German may be considering the same pairing against Los Blancos on Tuesday with Jorginho missing out.
Bad to worse for Southampton
Southampton may have seen a peak in form during the month of February, but it’s been downhill ever since and their woeful display against Chelsea was their worst performance yet. The Saints have now lost five of their last six games in all competitions, picking up just one point in that time.
Their run isn’t set to get any easier either, as they still have to face Arsenal, Liverpool and Leicester before the end of the season. Thankfully for the Saints, their previous purple patch of form may have just been enough to keep them out of the relegation battle, but their performance didn’t match a side pushing for a top-half finish.
Southampton have now conceded 17 goals in their last six games, and Chelsea could have been 7-0 up at half-time if it wasn’t for the frame of Fraser Forster’s goal. Werner struck both posts and the crossbar in the first half alone, as the Saints withered in the sun on Saturday.
Away form a good omen for Chelsea
It may have been a difficult week for Chelsea with back-to-back home defeats to Brentford and Madrid, but their away form has been impressive, and it could be a good sign. Chelsea have now won their last seven away matches in all competitions (when not playing at a neutral venue).
And Tuchel should use that as fuel ahead of their intimidating clash against Madrid on Tuesday, with the Blues trailing 3-1 on aggregate thanks to a Karim Benzema masterclass at Stamford Bridge. Manchester United are the only side to overturn a two-goal deficit away from home in the Champions League, but Chelsea could match their record at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Of course, it’s a huge ask, but with Chelsea finding more success away from home, they may fancy their chances. And even Madrid came from two goals down to beat Paris Saint Germain in the last round, meaning that anything is possible.
Havertz to be unleashed against Madrid
Havertz has seen a miraculous rise in form since his earlier struggles in a Chelsea shirt, and the German is now keeping Romelu Lukaku out of the side as he leads the line. Havertz has become one of Chelsea’s most dangerous players, and Tuchel knows how important he will be against Madrid.
After scoring in a dominant first-half, Havertz was hauled off at half-time as the job was already done. And this was a huge statement by Tuchel, as he felt that Havertz was the player he wanted to preserve the most ahead of their big test on Tuesday.
Havertz is already Chelsea’s Champions League hero after he scored the only goal in last season’s final, but if he can inspire a turnaround against Madrid, his stock will rise even further. After Werner found the net twice against Southampton, he may also be considered, as the Germans look to take the tie to Madrid.
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