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| Saido Mane takes the lead for Southampton at Stamford Bridge |
JOSE MOURINHO really does need to see the doctor now.
His ailing Chelsea stars went down yesterday with the sort of collective ills for which he needs to find a cure - and quick.
Southampton clinically heaped salt into their wounds to maintain an unbeaten away record that rarely looked in danger yesterday.
Their three goals - all crackers - exposed everything that's wrong with Chelsea at the moment to bring boos at the end from a disgruntled crowd that were cheering them not so long ago.
Hardly any wonder that the Special One looked the Sick One as he trudged off at the end of what turned out to be a drubbing.
He, too, is in need of a tonic right now. Times really are a changing at Stamford Bridge these days, though.
No one seems to worry about playing there anymore - least of all Southampton.
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| Pelle's late goal secured a deserved 3-1 victory for Southampton |
Apart from the fact that Chelsea didn't manage to beat them at all last season Saints turned up yesterday unbeaten on their travels and not phased one bit by the faltering champions.
Mourinho, without the suspended Diego Costa and wrestling with more problems these days than he's had for years, preferred Radamel Falcao up front to Loic Remy and Oscar for his big money buy, Pedro.
It's an understatement to say he was in need of something extra special yesterday. He got it with less than 10 minutes on the clock.
A free kick given after Romeu tripped Eden Hazard in full flow looked in a harmless enough position. But Willian was having none of that.
The Brazilian's exquisite cross floated over everyone - including keeper Maarten Stekelenburg - and into the net off the post.
You could have almost touched the relief that went round the Bridge.
But to be honest, that would have changed in a flash if Steven Davis hadn't blasted a great chance wide five minutes later with only Asmir Begovic to beat.
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| Could Jose Mourinho's time at the Chelsea helm be coming to an end? |
His manager, Ronald Koeman, was not a happy bunny. The Dutchman's mood was hardly lifted as Chelsea temporarily started to play with some of the swagger that served them so well last season.
And if one silky move involving Cesc Fabregas, Hazard and Oscar had got the reward it deserved he would have been contemplating a two goal deficit within half an hour.
Credit where credit's due, though, Saints are a good side. They ruffled Chelsea's feathers with set pieces and but for Begovic's bravery former Chelsea man, Ryan Bertrand, would surely have equalised before they eventually did.
And, boy, was it worth waiting for. A cracking volley from Davis two minutes before the interval that was his first goal in 63 games and 19 long months for a Southampton side that were growing in confidence by the minute.
It was no more than Saints deserved either. They were stunned by that Willian opener, but they worked their way back so very well.
Chances of Mourinho getting one over Koeman for the first time in four meetings were beginning to look less likely - especially as Chelsea persisted in playing long balls up to lone striker Falcao when the Colombian is clearly considerably shorter than the men marking him.
Even more significant was the uncharacteristic low profile role the Chelsea chief seemed to have settled for. Not once did he get to his feet in those first 45 minutes.
That changed - and it had to - when the increasingly confident Saints put John Terry and Co under the cosh after the restart, literally queuing up to take pot shots at the besieged Begovic. This was not the way it used to be.
And when Sadio Mane gave Southampton the lead they richly deserved on 59 minutes you got the feeling that things might be going to get a lot worse for Mourinho before they get better.
The tricky Senegalese winger had been threatening that all afternoon before wriggling his way through a floundering Chelsea rearguard to cooly stroke home Saints second.
No wonder Mourinho found his voice again. This time, though, Branislav Ivanovic and skipper Terry were the targets for his vitriol in the absence of anyone with medical qualifications.
Not that it made any difference as rampant Southampton got a superb third on 72 minutes.
Cesar Azpilicueta recklessly gifted possession, the ball went through to Pelle and the Saints striker lived up to his famous surname (with an extra l that is) with a rasping low shot.
Game over. And the banished Dr Carneiro was sadly missed to ease the pain in Chelsea minds and bodies.
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