Chelsea FC vs Southampton FC- Preview

The blues will be seen back in action on Boxing Day against the Saints at Stamford Bridge. The 2-0 victory against Tottenham will surely be a morale booster for the entire team after a disappointing run in the league. The Blues are currently 4th in the league and are 4 points clear from the 5th placed Sheffield United. In this part of the season where games are coming thick and fast, the boys will looking to maintain the form and try to win as many games as possible.

Frank Lampard’s Press Conference

Key points taken away from Frank’s pre match press conference this week were; Azpilicueta had a small issue in the last game but apart from that there were no other injuries to provide update for. When asked about the Rudiger’s incident, Gaffer mentioned that he would always be behind his boys and also mentioned about speaking with Toni himself regarding the racism issue that the German defender faced last game. Gaffer also addressed about the red card issue where the German international was involved stating that he would never question on Rudiger’s integrity and was disappointed with how he had to face the situation off the field.

Gaffer when asked about the Tottenham victory, he mentioned that the character, fight and strength made that victory possible and also it would be a huge confidence booster for the upcoming games. Regarding the fixtures to come next, Lampard stated that the games are going to be tough but the character must be shown from the team and also try to get points at home. Lastly when gaffer was asked about the January plans and the transfer window, he mentioned that there were no such thing in terms of plan but did mention about Mason’s performance stating it as an example of why the club need to stick with the youngsters more.

Head to Head: Chelsea FC vs Southampton FC

Head to Head: Chelsea FC vs Southampton FC Both the sides have met on 105 occasions in all competitions with Chelsea registering 46 wins against Southampton’s tally of 30 along with 29 draws. The boys in blue will be looking to get all the 3 points in front of the home support at the boxing today to continue the fight for top 4.

Predicted Line-up For Chelsea

The blues are expected to play in a 4-3-3 formation against Southampton. The blues are expected to play a possession based high press football against the saints on Boxing Day. This is the team we can expect for Boxing Day clash:

Photo Courtesy: wwwbuildlineup.com

Players to Watch Out for

1. Christian Pulisic: The American international will be looking to make a comeback in the starting XI against the Saints. After starting the season so well, the winger will be hoping to get some goals under his name and contribute to the team as a whole.

2. Reece James: The young academy prodigy of Chelsea, Reece James is expected to get a start on the Boxing Day after his recent performances. Having the pace and the ability to take set pieces, he will surely be someone that the Gaffer will be looking to play in his starting XI.

3. Willian: After his best performance in a Chelsea shirt last game, our Brazilian no.10 would be expected to produce more wonders and open up spaces in the final third of the opposition box. With the skills and quality that he has, goals and assists are expected from him in the upcoming fixture.

Keep The Blue Flag Flying High..!!!

- Mainak Mitra