Joe Cole SLAMS Chelsea after Blues surrender their early lead to lose 2-1 at Southampton
Joe Cole has criticised his former club Chelsea after a disappointing performance on Tuesday night saw them slump to a dismal 2-1 defeat at Southampton.
The former Blues midfielder tore into Thomas Tuchel‘s side, and believed that they had ‘no answers’ for the superior energy and enthusiasm of the Saints.
A Raheem Sterling goal was cancelled out first by Romeo Lavia’s opening goal for his new club, before Adam Armstrong’s eventual winner on the stroke of half-time.
Chelsea struggled to live with the intense running of Southampton and lost grip of the game
As part of BT Sport’s coverage, Cole said: ‘They had no answers. Southampton’s energy was outstanding, so many players outstanding.
‘Chelsea started with a back four which was different and they looked off it with unforced errors and no cohesion. Kai Havertz didn’t look comfortable.
‘Thomas Tuchel has a lot of questions to answer, there will be a lot of comings and goings before Thursday but it was as poor a performance as I’ve seen under Tuchel.
Raheem Sterling had given Chelsea a deserved lead but the Blues struggled in Southampton
‘I can’t remember a chance in the second half. A very disappointing night.’
And the former England international was not alone in his scathing assessment of the four-time Premier League Champions’ performance at St. Mary’s.
Jermaine Jenas was quick to pile on the misery for any Blues fans watching, as the former Tottenham midfielder was quick to highlight that as poor as Chelsea were, Southampton were hugely impressive.
The hosts had lost at home to Manchester United on Saturday, thanks to a fine Bruno Fernandes finish, before welcoming the west London side three days later.
Adam Armstrong’s first half effort gave Southampton a rare victory over Chelsea at St Mary’s
Romeo Lavia put in another assured performance in the centre of the park for Southampton
Thomas Tuchel’s side are now behind the Saints in the table in eighth
Jenas added: ‘I think Thomas Tuchel will be baffled. They were brilliant against Spurs, brilliant against Leicester and then they turn up today and they’re not at the races.
‘Whatever he was searching for wasn’t there but this night is about Southampton and how brilliant they were. Ralph Hasenhuttl deserves a lot of credit.
‘I said before you need a team like Chelsea not to be at it to have a chance and Southampton had that.
‘But you have to admire how Ralph Hasenhuttl set his team out, it maybe cost them the first goal but it was outstanding, every point so far they’ve had to come from behind and they’ve done it again, showing character and resilience.’
After two back-to-back games against traditional top six sides, Southampton are next in action away at Wolves at the Molineux, while Chelsea will welcome West Ham to Stamford Bridge.
Questions could be raised about Edouard Mendy for Southampton’s equalising goal
