The sides attained contrasting results in their Matchday 12 fixtures the weekend before. Southampton fell to a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates courtesy of an Olivier Giroud brace, with Saints goalkeeper Artur Boruc providing an unfortunate assist for the Frenchman's first, before the Gunners hitman finished off the hosts with a penalty 4 minutes from time. Chelsea, alternatively, strolled to a comfortable 3-0 away win over London rivals West Ham at the Boleyn Ground, with a brace from infamous West Ham torturer Frank Lampard opening and closing the scoring for José Mourinho's men.










The corresponding fixture last season was a disaster for the Blues. Demba Ba put Rafa Benitez's men ahead on 25 minutes and Eden Hazard's half-volley on the stroke of half-time appeared to have made 3 points to the home side all but inevitable, but super-sub Ricky Lambert pulled one back for the Saints with just over half an hour to go. Some 15 minutes later, a half-volley from Jason Puncheon drew Nigel Adkins' men level, and the game ended all square. Another poor result for faltering interim boss Rafa Benitez and yet another comfortable lead flushed down the toilet.


















Highly doubtful for the home side is Samuel Eto'o, who went down injured in the Blues' 1-0 Champions League defeat against Basel in Switzerland on Tuesday and was summarily stretchered off, while Dejan Lovren, Luke Shaw and ex-Blue Jack Cork are among those either questionable or definitely out for the Saints.

Shed with these beast previews

It's my job....along with posting news, posting post-match links, running the prediction thread, etc. etc. In short, pretty much everything

Gotta win this game, for sure. It won't be easy at all but with two of their back four out, that will help us.

Kick didn't catch the jibe

Jibers was in this thread?

^ Playing dumb as he knows it's the truth

Jibers was in here playing dumb? How did I miss this.

Wouldn't mind if Essien had a run once in a while??

That's another baffling marginalisation. He's far from his peak, but considering Mou's wheeling Lamps out every week twice a week, I can't imagine Bison being a downgrade...

Clearly Mou has his 'untouchables'

And his 'never-touchables'....

Why are we talking about Mou's genitals?


I am surprised at how little Ess is playing tbh.

Kick wrote:Why are we talking about Mou's genitals?


I am surprised at how little Ess is playing tbh.

Why are we talking about Esses?

 

Two ruled out for Chelsea ahead of Southampton-Sunderland-Stoke week:
David Luiz trained for the first time on Thursday following a knee injury, but the game comes too soon for him, while Samuel Eto'o, who picked up a 'grade one' leg strain at Basel in midweek, will be out for about two weeks
http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/two-ruled-out-chelsea-ahead-6355093

Shame, I'd like to see DL4 playing again.

I guess we'll see:

So much rotation

Pochettino: Mourinho is a master:
Southampton boss Mauricio Pochettino has revealed his admiration for Chelsea counterpart Jose Mourinho ahead of the sides' clash at Stamford Bridge on Sunday
http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11668/9049014/premier-league-southampton-manager-mauricio-pochettino-praises-jose-mourinho

"We get along very well. I have a great admiration and respect for him as a football manager and as a person and it will be great to say hello to him on Sunday and to have the game against him."

"I'm happy to be facing Jose Mourinho in England, and not in Spain. It's clear that you learn from everyone, but I've learnt a lot from Jose."

"I think he's one of the best managers in football history. His record speaks for itself. We have a very good relationship, but at the same time while before and after the games we will be friends, during the full 90 minutes we're not going to be friends, we're just going to be rivals, opponents."

Fernando Torres likely to replace the injured Samuel Eto'o for Chelsea's home clash with Southampton:
The Spaniard is likely to come in for Eto'o after he was ruled out for two weeks with a hamstring injury
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/chelsea-team-news-fernando-torres-2864866




One striker being out injured and the only other in-favour striker coming in in his place. Cutting-edge reporting here.

No surprises there.

I'll put 10 quid on mata starting this one

If Mata does not start and Lampard does.

Mou Out.

I want

Cech
Azpilicueta Cahill Terry Cole
Ramires Mikel
Schurrle Mata Hazard
Torres


Mou want
Cech
Ivanovic Cahill Terry Azpilicueta
Mikel
Ramires Lampard
Oscar Hazard
Torres