The bottom team in the Premier League beat Chelsea 1-0

After three consecutive draws in the Premier League, Chelsea disappointed even more by losing 0-1 to bottom-placed Southampton in the 24th round of the Premier League.

Despite playing at home against a team in last place, Chelsea came away empty-handed. This was difficult for Chelsea fans to imagine, especially after the team’s new owners spent over £500 million on player transfers for the 2022/23 season.

In reality, Chelsea dominated Southampton in every aspect of the game in the second half, but the home team still managed to score. However, Chelsea’s accuracy in finishing was poor, as they only had 5 shots on target throughout the game, the same as Southampton.

Looking at the expected goals statistics, Chelsea had 1.67 while Southampton had 0.9, indicating that Southampton’s players made better use of their chances while Chelsea wasted too many opportunities.

Southampton entered the match against Chelsea with great determination. In the 3rd minute, taking advantage of the home team’s defensive error, the away team’s players took multiple shots, causing Arrizabalaga’s goal to tremble. The Spanish goalkeeper made one save, and his teammate helped clear the ball before the visitors took a second shot on goal.

The away team’s determined play created a balanced first half, with neither team creating many scoring chances. Chelsea’s players lacked cohesion and sharpness in their attacks, making it difficult for them to break through the opponent’s defense.

The game’s turning point came in the 45+1 minute when Ward-Prowse stood over a free kick in the center of the field, about 24 meters away from Chelsea’s goal. The English player executed a perfect right-footed shot, curling the ball into the left corner of the net, leaving Arrizabalaga helpless.

In the second half, Coach Potter brought Sterling onto the pitch and Chelsea’s attacking play improved significantly compared to the first half. The home team dominated the game, causing Southampton to defend in a tight block.

Chelsea continued to take shots but rarely hit the target. An excellent example of their poor finishing came in the 71st minute when Sterling received a cross from the left and headed the ball toward the bottom right post. The ball hit a retreating Southampton defender and bounced out, but Sterling rushed in to take a second shot from close range, which missed the mark.

Chelsea made six substitutions in the game, with Azpilicueta getting injured and needing to be replaced in the 84th minute. However, The Blues still couldn’t find the back of the net. Southampton fought bravely in the second half and 13 minutes of stoppage time to protect their lead.

With the three points, Southampton remains at the bottom of the table but narrows the gap with the teams above, now having 18 points. Chelsea, who lost their second game in a row this week, including a loss to Dortmund in the Champions League, is currently in 10th place with only 31 points.

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