Headlines

Chelsea must ‘toughen up’, says Thomas Tuchel after Southampton hit back

Published

3 years ago

August 31, 2022

As the second half leaked away and Chelsea haplessly chased a late equalising goal, Thomas Tuchel started pulling the levers. On came Christian Pulisic, then Armando Broja. Raheem Sterling continued to plug away on the left, Hakim Ziyech on the right, Mason Mount in the centre. Kai Havertz and Ruben Loftus-Cheek had already made way. Still there are those in the Chelsea hierarchy who reckon that somehow the solution to their current incontinence is a lack of attackers.

There were plenty of excuses for Chelsea to grasp at. There always are, if you want to find them. The absences of Reece James and N’Golo Kanté. The poor quality of the pitch. The chances created in the first half and the unrepeatable brilliance of Roméo Lavia’s game-changing equaliser. But the fact remains that this is still a brittle and skittish side, short on rhythm and inspiration, and one that appears to have completely mislaid the defensive stubbornness of the early Tuchel era.
Southampton 2-1 Chelsea, Fulham 2-1 Brighton, Leeds 1-1 Everton: football clockwatch – as it happened
The manager, to give him his due, seems to recognise this. “It is not a question of striker or no striker,” he said afterwards. “As a team we are not strong enough at the moment. It’s too easy to push us off track. Defending these goals has nothing to do with attack. You cannot prove it with data or body position or tactical positions. Just toughen up.”

If Chelsea were searching for inspiration, they had only to glance over the halfway line. Adam Armstrong scored the winning goal for Southampton but, as ever under Ralph Hasenhüttl, this was a collective effort by a young and hungry team who fight for every ball, press every opponent, counter-punch with energy and disrespect. The only blot on a near-flawless performance was an injury to Lavia, the Belgian teenager whose goal was the clear highlight of the evening.

It was crucially timed, too, coming after a bright Chelsea start in which Sterling could quite conceivably have had a hat-trick. But then this has always been the paradox of Sterling, a player who on bare numbers bears comparison with the great English forwards of his generation. That Sterling squanders plenty of shots is beyond doubt; what is less readily recognised is the sheer volume of shots he generates for himself through clever movement and a superior reading of the game.
Sterling misses the chances other forwards are not good enough to get. So it was again a quarter of the way in, as Romain Perraud slid in to scrape away Mason Mount’s cross, While Perraud hauled himself off the floor, Sterling had stayed on his feet, and took a look before passing the ball into the bottom corner. On a dispiriting night for Chelsea Sterling’s assurance was one of their few sources of encouragement.

There was a certain measure of shock to Southampton’s equaliser: a goal that in more ways than one seemed to come out of nowhere. Yet as James Ward-Prowse’s corner was cleared to the edge of the area, Lavia was able to pick his spot almost entirely unobstructed before putting a swerving shot past Édouard Mendy from 25 yards. “Soft, soft, soft,” was Tuchel’s verdict. “What stops that? Pure mentality.”

This was – lest we forget – a defence of César Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva and Kalidou Koulibaly. Experience and excellence are not in short supply and yet, as Armstrong put Southampton into the lead just before half time, these three internationals bearing a combined total of more than 200 international caps were again exposed. Perraud advanced up the left flank. Armstrong on the penalty spot had time to take a touch before smashing in the finish.
Naturally Chelsea sought to make the running after the break. There were desperate attacks, hopeful crosses, bobbling through-balls to nobody. What was lacking was structure and cohesion, the collective understanding that gains an extra half-yard. Indeed, it was Southampton who had the best chance of the second half, Mohamed Elyounoussi missed a golden opportunity with a stooping header from six yards.

There was no siege. There was no cavalry charge. There were no glaring sitters. Gavin Bazunu made a couple of routine saves but ultimately Southampton saw out the game in relative comfort. Would Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang or Anthony Gordon solve any of this? At full-time Tuchel gruffly shook Hasenhüttl’s hand before heading down the tunnel: a man who must know that Chelsea’s problems will be solved not in the transfer market but on the training ground.

Related Topics:Accessmagazine Accessnews AccessNewsMagazine news NewsUpdate

Up Next

Taliban celebrate anniversary of foreign withdrawal at former U.S. base

Don't Miss

Two teenagers confirmed dead in Jigawa canoe mishap

Derrick Bangura

Click to comment

Headlines

Akwa Ibom APC Gears Up to Receive President Tinubu as Governor Umo Eno Joins Party

Published

5 days ago

June 20, 2025

Matthew Eloyi

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State has announced its readiness to host President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other top party leaders as it officially welcomes Governor Umo Eno into its ranks.

Speaking at a press briefing in Uyo on Friday, APC chieftain and former presidential aide, Senator Ita Enang, disclosed that the party was fully prepared to receive the president, Vice President Kashim Shettima, APC National Chairman, and governors elected on the party’s platform for the historic reception.

Governor Umo Eno had on June 6 formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, in a move widely described as a political game-changer in Akwa Ibom.

Enang, a former Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly and Niger Delta Affairs, said the governor’s defection had effectively aligned the state with the central government.

He assured Governor Eno and his supporters that the APC would embrace them wholeheartedly and honour all agreements reached.

“As progressives, we shall work with the governor and his supporters to ensure that they fit into the party without hitches,” Enang stated. “We will also work with them to align programmes of the state government with the ideals and manifesto of the party.”

He further described the governor’s move as a “merger” that promises significant benefits for Akwa Ibom and its citizens.

The planned reception is expected to mark a major political event in the state, signaling a realignment of forces ahead of future elections.

Headlines

Ekiti Launches Aggressive Anti-Flood Campaign, Dredges Ofigba River

Published

5 days ago

June 20, 2025

Matthew Eloyi

The Ekiti State Government has intensified efforts to prevent flooding across the state with the launch of a comprehensive dredging campaign, targeting critical waterways in both rural and urban areas.

Chairman of the Ekiti State Environmental Protection Agency (EKSEPA), Chief Bamitale Oguntoyinbo, disclosed this on Friday during an inspection visit to the ongoing dredging project at the Ofigba River in Ise-Ekiti.

Oguntoyinbo, who was accompanied by EKSEPA board members, said the visit was to assess the progress of work being carried out to mitigate flood risks in the community. He expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of the dredging work.

“I and other board members of EKSEPA are delighted with the level of job done by the site engineer because he is actually working with the directives of three-kilometer dredging of waterways,” he said.

According to him, the dredging commenced on June 4, and so far, 1.8 kilometers of the river have been successfully cleared.

He applauded Governor Biodun Oyebanji for prioritizing the safety and welfare of residents by initiating the state-wide anti-flooding campaign.

“I want to commend our amiable governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, for embarking on zero tolerance campaign against flooding in every community and town in Ekiti,” Oguntoyinbo stated.

He also praised the General Manager of EKSEPA, Mr. Olukayode Adunmo, for his commitment to the project’s supervision and success.

In his remarks, Adunmo emphasized the urgent need to clear waterways choked by refuse, which impede water flow and contribute to flooding during the rainy season.

“Dredging of Ofigba River in Ise-Ekiti in Ise/Orun Local Government Area is necessary because some of the waterways have been blocked by refuse,” he explained. “There is the need for us to remove every blockage to enhance free flow of water and avert flooding during heavy rainfall.”

Adunmo also commended Governor Oyebanji for taking proactive steps to protect lives and properties across the state.

Residents of Ise-Ekiti have welcomed the government’s intervention. Chief Godwin Ojo, a community leader, expressed gratitude to the governor for his timely action.

“We thank the governor for the move to avert flooding in our community,” Ojo said. “May God grant him more wisdom to pilot the affairs of the state to an enviable height.”

The dredging campaign forms part of the Oyebanji administration’s broader commitment to environmental safety and disaster prevention.

Developmental

Tinubu to visit Kaduna Thursday to inaugurate key projects

Published

6 days ago

June 19, 2025

Saadatu Sahabo

Tinubu commiserates with Akwa Ibom governor over wife’s death

President Bola Tinubu is expected in Kaduna State Today Thursday for the inauguration of several key developmental projects executed by the administration of Gov. Uba Sani.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the visit forms part of activities marking Sani’s two years in office.

The projects lined up for inauguration include the 300-bed Specialist Hospital in Millennium City, Kaduna, built by the state government to bolster the provision of healthcare services.

Tinubu will also inaugurate the Institute of Vocational Training and Skills Development in Rigachikun, road projects in Soba, and Samaru Kataf LGA’S as well as the 24-kilometre Kafanchan Township Road.

Others are the Tudun Biri Road, the 22km road linking Kauru and Kubau LGAs as well as the Vocational and Skills Training Centre in Tudun Biri.

Tinubu is also expected to unveil 100 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses, as part of efforts to modernise the state’s public transportation system.

The projects are part of the administration’s focus on infrastructurde evelopment, healthcare delivery, youths empowerment, and economic growth.

The state government described the visit as a significant moment for the people of Kaduna and an opportunity to showcase ongoing efforts to transform the state through impactful governance.

Sani, who marked his second year in office this month, has prioritised human capital development, rural infrastructure, and jobs creation since taking office in 2023.

Tinubu’s visit to Kaduna State was rescheduled from Wednesday to Thursday.

He was initially supposed to visit Kaduna on Wednesday, but due to the recent attacks in Benue, he shifted his trip.

The president visited Benue on Wednesday to commiserate with the victims of the recent attacks and assess the humanitarian crisis.

During his visit to Benue, Tinubu met with stakeholders, including traditional rulers, political and community leaders, and youth groups, to seek lasting solutions to the hostilities.

He also condemned the ongoing violence and called on the residents to embrace peace and mutual understanding.

NAN recalls that the Benue Government had declared a work-free day for Tinubu’s visit, urging the residents to turn out in large numbers to welcome him.