THE £58million signing of Christian Pulisic first thing on Wednesday had not just sparked excitement for Chelsea fans – it had sparked fear.
Supporters were not worried the 20-year-old American would be a flop, instead they thought his arrival would signal the exit of star man Eden Hazard.
Like his Belgian team-mate Thibaut Courtois before him, Hazard has been linked with Real Madrid for years.
He’s not exactly made it clear what he will do this summer, last week stating he wants to be a club legend only to do a U-turn minutes later and say he would decide at the end of the season.
One thing is for certain, though – Chelsea have to keep hold of Hazard if they are to get back into title contention.
In another ‘Sarri-ball’ inspired bore draw on Wednesday night, Hazard proved once again that he is the only world class player in this side.
(N’Golo Kante would very obviously be another – if only he was allowed to play in his right position rather than 20 yards too far forward).
In a team that is told to pass and pass and pass and pass, Hazard is the X-factor.
He is the one player not afraid to run at his defender and commit them.
He is the one player not afraid to try a risky flick or trick – even if it doesn’t always come off.
The rest of the side are happy to keep the ball, play the safe pass, go backwards.
David Luiz and Antonio Rudiger will play a longer pass over the top of defenders – but they are centre-backs and their accuracy is not close to 100 per cent.
Chelsea had more than 70 per cent possession against Southampton but didn’t fashion anything.
They half chances they did create came from the boots of Hazard.
In the opening minutes he almost found Willian with a curling through-ball that swept from right to left.
He would’ve opened the scoring if not for Angus Gunn’s face – a perfect Antonio Rudiger pass over the top was expertly controlled and blasted goalwards but cannoned back off the keeper.
That Willian went off only served to highlight more how much the Blues rely on Hazard.
The Brazilian had done little to create a Chelsea goal before his injury.
With Pedro, Olivier Giroud and Callum Hudson-Odoi all injured it meant that central midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek had to come on as a right winger.
How they could’ve used Pulisic tonight…
Loftus-Cheek’s introduction just hammered home the point that Chelsea are over-reliant on their No 10.
Where league-leading Liverpool can call on Xherdan Shaqiri or Daniel Sturridge from their bench and Man City can call on any one of Gabriel Jesus, Riyad Mahrez or whichever Galatico is not playing that day, Chelsea had to call on a midfielder.
The next most forward-thinking player on the bench against Southampton was Emerson Palmieri – an attacking left-back.
It was more of the same in the second-half, with Hazard continuing to be the only threat and Southampton looking the more dangerous, in fact.
Hazard had another good effort when he beat Yan Valery, cut inside but found his effort saved by Gunn.
Alvaro Morata continued to frustrate.
One could argue he’s only just coming back from injury but, surely, there is enough evidence since his arrival in summer 2017 that he’s not going to make it in Blue.
The Spaniard was tentative in possession and was crowded out by the aggressive play of Southampton’s back three.
Where Didier Drogba or Diego Costa would have relished that physical battle, the Spaniard vacated the space.
Morata and Hazard have no chemistry and, unlike the similarly limited Olivier Giroud, for example, Morata does not make life for Chelsea’s best player any easier.
A loud groan went around Stamford Bridge when he finally did manage to get the ball into the net.
Cesc Fabregas had showed off that old magic with a beautiful first-time pass, only for Morata to be flagged offside.
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It should come as no surprise, though – Morata is the third-most offside player in the Premier League in 2018-19.
He had another chance 15 minutes from time, played in by Loftus-Cheek but weakly hit it straight ast the keeper.
Sarri, head in hands, couldn’t believe it.
This season has been and will continue to be all about qualification for the Champions League.
Should Chelsea finish in the top four, it will be mission accomplished for Maurizio Sarri and his coaching staff.
But the club as a whole need to think beyond May.
Returning to the Champions League should only be phase one, not the end game.
A world class striker is needed to play alongside Hazard, not as a replacement for one of the Premier League’s biggest stars.
Pulisic should be seen as a signing to replace Willian or Pedro on the right, not as a Hazard replacement who will play on the left.
If Chelsea finish in the top four and then sell Hazard it’ll be back to square one – and another battle next season to reach Europe’s top competition.
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News Pictures Eden Hazard is Chelsea’s only world class player under Sarri – Pulisic has to be a team-mate, not a replacement
You don’t have to pack away your bikini just because you’re the wrong side of 20. These body-beautiful stars reveal their secrets to staying in shape and prove you can smoulder in a two-piece, whatever your age. Read on and be bikini inspired!
TEENS
Hayden Panettiere
Size: 8
Age: 18
Height: 5ft 1in
Weight: 8st
To achieve her kick-ass figure, Hayden – who plays cheerleader Claire Bennet in Heroes – follows the ‘quartering’ rule. She eats only a quarter of the food on her plate, then waits 20 minutes before deciding whether she needs to eat again.
Hayden says: “I don’t have a model’s body, but I’m not one of those crazy girls who thinks that they’re fat. I’m OK with what I have.”
Nicollette says: “I don’t like diets – I see it, I eat it! I believe in eating healthily with lots of protein, vegetables and carbs to give you energy.”
kim cattrall
Size: 10-12
Age: 52
Height: 5ft 8in
Weight: 9st 4lb
SATC star Kim swears by gym sessions with Russian kettle bells (traditional cast-iron weights) and the South Beach Diet to give her the body she wants. To avoid overeating, Kim has a radical diet trick – squirting lemon juice on her leftovers – so she won’t carry on picking.
Kim says: “I am no super-thin Hollywood actress. I am built for men who like women to look like women.”
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