Southampton claimed a well-deserved point after yet another stodgy, wearying performance from Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The hosts' display carried all the hallmarks of their recent issues, from predictable attacking lines to blunt strikers, giving Maurizio Sarri plenty to think about as he looks for solutions to tactical problems beginning to threaten their hopes of a top four finish. Manchester United are just six points behind them now.
Ralph Hasenhuttl's side were tactically astute with some brilliant individual displays, most notably from debutant Angus Gunn and centre-back Maya Yoshida. Premier League survival looks all the more likely after a hard-working, unified performance like this one.
Here are eight tactical points we noticed live from Stamford Bridge:
1) Hasenhuttl's positional coaching is paying off for organised Southampton
It was a masterclass in structure from Southampton. For long periods of the match they were forced to sit in a hunched 5-4-1 shape that shifted across expertly, easily doubling up on Eden Hazard (more on that later) and keeping Chelsea at arms length. That's hardly unique for a Premier League relegation candidate, but what made Southampton's performance special was how they married this with a high press when appropriate.
When Chelsea had the ball in their own half, the wing-backs bravely pushed on while Nathan Redmond and Stuart Armstrong shuttled from wide positions into the number ten space, completing the transformation from 5-4-1 to 3-4-2-1 as they hassled and harried the Chelsea defence. It stopped Chelsea from settling into the game, creating tension and putting the hosts under pressure numerous times .
Hasenhuttl made reference to this in his post-match interview, praising his side's "good mixture" of pressing and standing off.
2) Brave wing-backs were crucial to stopping Chelsea from wearing Southampton down
Southampton ran and ran and ran, but crucially the wing-backs Cedric Soares and Yan Valery never lost their nerve; they pushed right up into midfield whenever possible, shutting down the flanks as Hazard came short to setthe tone: Saints were not going to sit back and face waves after wave of Chelsea attack.
Their seamless transition between the two formations, and instinctive understanding of when to press and when to drop, was the clearest evidence yet that Hasenhuttl is having a big impact tactically.
3) Rigidity from Hazard and Barkley shows why Chelsea need Pulisic
How Chelsea fans must wish they could bring the Christian Pulisic deal forward. Chelsea once again looked blunt, and again it was because they are too static; Sarri must find a way to get his players to swap positions, pull defences out of shape, and move the ball faster. Credit goes to the restrictive Saints shell, but it was notable how often Jorginho and David Luiz searched for a central pass that just wasn't there.
Ross Barkley didn't do enough to make space, leaving Eden Hazard to come short for the ball… at which point he was promptly met by Valery, with the right-sided centre-back covering and James Ward-Prowse across for added measure. That Southampton were tripling up on Chelsea is to their credit – but this would not be allowed to happen if Chelsea attackers swarmed in bunches to distract the Saints defence. Instead, they drifted into the channels, taking the easy option of moving away from the throng of Southampton bodies.
4) Brief upturn in tempo in second half suggests Sarri knows what's wrong
Chelsea were briefly sharper in the second half as Barkley in particular began calling for the ball more often, looking for one-twos and trying to encourage his team-mates to pass through the centre (rather than predictably go out to Hazard). David Luiz played a big role in the upturn in tempo, demanding his team-mates to move and playing quick vertical passes through the middle.
The shift didn't last, however, suggesting that Sarri was only able to briefly engage his players at half-time. The Chelsea manager spotted the issue, but just couldn't fix it, admitting after the match that "we have to try to solve the problem of the last 20 metres."
5) Fabregas may have a future at Chelsea after he shows touch of class in 2nd half
And so Sarri turned to Cesc Fabregas in the hope he would unclog Chelsea's predictable attacking lines. It almost worked. It was his lovely through ball from the edge of the area (a position Barkley didn't once occupy) that set up Alvaro Morata for an offside goal in the 71st minute. Fabregas later played a lovely long ball that set Ruben Loftus-Cheek away, but after the England midfielder squared it to Morata the Spaniard hit his shot straight at Gunn.
Clearly Chelsea need to change something in midfield, whether that's playing a 4-2-3-1 (to accommodate a number ten) or signing a Christian Eriksen-type player to constantly pass and move. For now, Fabregas – reportedly on his way out of the club – is their best option.
6) Chelsea desperately need a Sarri-ball striker after Morata plays badly - again
Of even greater concern for Sarri is Morata's dreadful form. The headlines will focus on his big misses in either half, but what will frustrate Sarri more is Morata's attitude. Watching the Spaniard closely at Stamford Bridge revealed a striker incapable of understanding when he needs to drop short (to help with the quick-tempo build up play in the middle of the park) and when to make runs in behind.
He walks around the pitch looking frightened of intervening, constantly losing the ball but more often simply not moving anywhere near it. There was a moment in the 22nd minute that perfectly embodied Morata's unsuitability to Sarri-ball: Hazard played a delightful flick around the corner and sped off in anticipation of a return pass… only to discover Morata hadn't even moved towards him, let alone got into a position to receive the ball and shift it on.
7) Romeu and Ward-Prowse is an excellent midfield partnership in the making
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's suspension will have worried Southampton fans before this match, and yet by the end his replacement, Ward-Prowse, looked a better option to control central midfield. He showed intelligence under pressure from the Chelsea midfield, often instigating counter-attacks (particularly when the game became stretched as Chelsea pushed for a winner) with neat touches alongside Oriol Romeu.
Romeu remains one of the most under-rated players in the Premier League and he was exceptional again tonight, blocking the passing lines superbly. Southampton clearly have good strength in depth in the middle of the park.
8) Ings/Long contrast gives Hasenhuttl food for thought
Danny Ings was substituted at half-time because of "problems with his hamstring", Hasenhuttl said after the game, and although his replacement Shane Long was less energetic in the press, he brought others into the game with greater regularity.
Southampton's counter-attacking threat increased significantly in the second half, and that is largely thanks to the Ireland forward. Holding the ball up and spraying it out wide, Long was able to buy enough time for Armstrong and Redmond to move back into an offensive position – often behind Jorginho and running straight at the defence.
