Its a top-five encounter at the Bridge to bring the curtain down on this weekends top-flight programme. Club historian Rick Glanvill and club statistician Paul Dutton prepare for a meeting with the Saints… TALKING POINTS The corresponding fixture last season was Nigel Adkins last in charge of Southampton. The unheralded Mauricio Pochettino has fared remarkably well since then with his high-energy pressing game. He has used the joint fewest players so far this season: 19. (Chelsea have fielded 23.) Southampton have earned the dubious honour of being this seasons surprise package. In 2012/13 that was bestowed on West Bromwich Albion, fourth at this stage, destined to finish eighth. Previous campaigns have highlighted Newcastle United and Bolton Wanderers going into December, with mixed endings. Whether Southamptons energy will last the course, and whether teams work out ways to outwit them over the second half of the season, remain to be seen. As we bid a not-so-fond farewell to November it is worth a reminder that Saints are two points behind Chelsea, and just four points separate Liverpool in second and Tottenham in ninth. So inconsistent are the majority of top half sides that a team stringing together three or four wins could steal a march before Christmas - a tough period only the brave survive, as Jose Mourinho has said. KEY STAT Chelsea have won 38 of the last 42 Barclays Premier League points on offer at Stamford Bridge. The Blues next three fixtures after this weekend are Sunderland and Stoke away, followed by Crystal Palace at the Bridge. The Portuguese will expect his team to earn nine points from that sequence. Who said nothing ventured, nothing gained? After the Basel performance, you wonder at the truth of that saying. Perhaps, at least as far as Petr Cech s performance went, it was a match that should have finished 0-0. Yet, gratifyingly, the first group stage double defeat inflicted on our team failed to prevent us qualifying for the knockout phase. Our thanks go to Schalke and our final group E opponents Steaua for their stalemate, but progress with one game to go is a big improvement on last seasons early exit. It did not help losing the lively Samuel Etoo to injury - the Cameroonian had already reported some discomfort and Fernando Torres was in the process of warming when he pulled up lame after 40 minutes. Emerging title favourites with the bookmakers Arsenal travel to Wales this weekend, where Cardiff have already taken points off the two Manchester clubs. You have to look as far back as May 2001 for troubled Spurs last home win over Man United. Swansea, who win or lose away but are yet to draw, encounter Man Citys formidable home form. Liverpools hosts Hull have lost just once at the KC Stadium this season.
Posted on: Fri, 29 Nov 2013 08:32:01 +0000
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