Match Analysis: Chelsea 2-2 Southampton

Southampton came back from two goals down to secure an unlikely draw against Chelsea in their rescheduled Premier League match this evening.

The hosts took the lead through Demba Ba's volley before Eden Hazard doubled their advantage right on the stroke of half time.

Rickie Lambert scored less than three minutes after coming on to bring the Saints back into the match, however, and Jason Puncheon completed the comeback with a fine volley into the top corner.

Here, Sports Mole analyses another miserable day at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea.

Match statistics:

Chelsea: Shots 19 On target 10 Possession 55% Corners 4 Fouls 10

Southampton: Shots 7 On target 3 Possession 45% Corners 3 Fouls 11

Was the result fair?

Yes, a draw was the fairest result in the end. Neither side played well by any means, particularly in the first half, but Chelsea had done more with the ball than their opponents. The Saints were a lot more threatening in the second half, though, and fought back well to earn themselves a point.

Chelsea's performance

Pretty uninspiring stuff. They were far from their best in the first half but got away with it by going into the break with a two-goal lead. They put in a similar performance in the second half but this time were punished. Their home fans must be getting sick of them underperforming at home, and the chorus of boos at the final whistle hinted that this was the case.

Southampton's performance

A 2-2 draw away to Chelsea suggests that it was a good performance from the Saints, but for large parts it was not. They saw a lot of the ball in the first half but failed to do anything with it. The introduction of Rickie Lambert made a huge difference, though, as they began to threaten the Chelsea goal, eventually leading to both of their goals.

Sports Mole's man of the match

Demba Ba: This is quite a tough award to give in a match where no player particularly stood out. Ba gets it, though, as he was the one player who looked like a threat throughout. His goal was well taken and he was a big part in pretty much all of his side's attacks. He may have expected more clear-cut chances with the triumvirate he had behind him, but was forced to settle for aerial passes a lot of the time.

Biggest gaffe

This one has to go to Southampton's giving the ball away to Frank Lampard on the edge of their own box. Lampard went on to give it to Cesar Azpilicueta, whose cross led to the opening goal. Nigel Adkins's failure to start Rickie Lambert is also worth a mention as he was the difference when he came on.

Referee performance

Solid. Michael Oliver had a quiet game without any really big decisions to be made. He let the game flow early on, refusing to blow for soft tackles, and showed just one yellow card throughout the entire 90 minutes.

What next?

Chelsea: Chelsea host Arsenal in a London derby on Sunday before looking to overturn a 2-0 deficit against Swansea in their League Cup semi-final second leg on Wednesday.

Southampton: Southampton don't have another game until Monday when they host Everton in the Premier League before a trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United.