The defeat to Tottenham on Saturday was perhaps unlucky on Southampton’s part. After all, not many sides would expect to lose to a side that played with 10 men for over an hour.
Yet that’s just what happened to the Saints as they fell to a 2-1 defeat to Spurs in a match that both fans and the management are scratching their heads over as to how they didn’t even pick up a point
But that result is in the past, and what matters most for Southampton now is how do they respond to such a loss?
The answer to that is perfectly summed up by 31-year-old defender Maya Yoshida, who admitted to The Southern Daily Echo that the Saints can bounce back this weekend with a win against Chelsea.
The Japanese international, who has been with the Saints since 2012, said: “It will be a new game and a new start and after two defeats against Bournemouth and Tottenham, we need to show good character. We need to come back as soon as possible.”
With the Blues showing this season to be defensively all over the place, with Frank Lampard’s side keeping just one clean sheet in all competitions so far as well as a Champions League fixture away to Lille tonight, the west London side will be there for the taking for Southampton, who have proven this season already to be quite a tough test for top-six sides.
Indeed, the fixture against Tottenham is just one of two examples of Southampton proving their worth against top-six opposition, with Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side managing to hold Manchester United to a draw earlier in the season.
With Chelsea conceding the most goals this campaign out of any side who finished in the top-six last season, Southampton should be feeling fairly confident of yet again taking the game to the English giants, and with the Blues having to juggle with Champions League football this week before their trip to the south coast, the Saints should be, yet again, confident of a result.
