Chelsea's path to progression hit another major bump in the road against Southampton, one that manager Graham Potter will do well to get over. Having been booed off at half-time and full-time, the feeling of supporters is now more evident than ever.
Having produced one of the better displays under his management away in Dortmund on Wednesday, despite the result, the Blues looked far from cohesive. With Reece James and Thiago Silva rested, a rotated side made Southampton look like the club with more than £600million invested in nine months.
Potter is not the first head coach to see Chelsea fall well short without the two stars mentioned but patience is wearing thin at SW6 if it hasn't already been eroded completely for many that haven't seen a run like this in their lifetimes.
READ MORE : Why Reece James and Thiago Silva were absent from Chelsea's squad for Southampton
James Ward-Prowse's first half free-kick was enough to secure victory for a Saints side managed by interim manager Ruben Selles. That Chelsea responded well in the second half, having two near open goals saved and blocked, will not bother the purists though, the defeat was the second at the hands of bottom placed Southampton this season.
Thomas Tuchel lost the reverse fixture and he did not last past September. Potter has been awarded the benefit of the doubt so far by the new owners but even their faith will be tested should the rotton run go on much longer.
Here, football.london rounds up the wider reaction to the damaging result.
Jacob Steinberg writes: "Southampton did not look like the team with a caretaker in charge. Liberated after terminating their brief, tortured relationship with Nathan Jones, the Premier League’s bottom side turned up at Stamford Bridge, found Graham Potter in a muddle and emerged triumphant after punishing Chelsea’s complacency with a beautiful free-kick from James Ward-Prowse.
"It has been a while since Southampton, who are three points off 17th place, have shown this much spirit and organisation. The transformation was remarkable. Rubén Sellés had been given less than a week to put a plan in place, but Southampton, who had lost nine of their previous 10 league games, were inspired, fighting hard and somehow holding firm during a frantic second half.
"Chelsea were nowhere near their top level. January’s big spenders, drifting in 10th place after winning two of their past 14 games, got what they deserved for picking a team that would have been more suitable for the early rounds of the Carabao Cup. There was no cohesion; only a performance to test the insistence that Chelsea are building under Potter.
"The crowd’s anger at full-time felt ominous. The boos were loud, Potter copping much of the abuse. Several fans near the tunnel called for him to quit and despite all the calls for patience he is not making the most of his deep, expensive squad."
Charlie Gordon writes: "Chelsea suffered a dreary afternoon against Southampton on Saturday as James Ward-Prowse's free-kick clinched a shock 1-0 win for the relegation strugglers. Graham Potter's Blues side were peppered with boos at the interval and at full-time, with a desperate run of one goal in five games providing fans with cause for concern.
"Potter shook things up against the Saints with David Datro Fofana handed a start through the middle and Mykhailo Mudryk dropped to the bench. Southampton, meanwhile, were playing their first game since sacking Nathan Jones, and Ruben Selles more than impressed while filling in as caretaker.
"The gritty visitors outworked their opponents with Romeo Lavia bossing the midfield and a rock-solid back-line keeping Chelsea at bay. Ward-Prowse sparked bedlam in the away end as his textbook free-kick turned out to be the winner, edging Southampton closer to safety."
Nizaar Kinsella writes: "A trademark James Ward-Prowse free-kick earned basement club Southampton a precious three points at Chelsea in a scrappy 1-0 Premier League win on Saturday and piled more pressure on home coach Graham Potter.
"Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta brought down Stuart Armstrong just outside the area in the 45th minute and Ward-Prowse curled a free kick over the wall into the right-hand side of the net with goalkeeper Kepa left sprawling.
"Azpilicueta needed nearly 10 minutes of treatment on the pitch in the second half after he received a kick to the head in a goalmouth clash. Physios from both clubs rushed to his aid and the Spaniard was eventually carried off on a stretcher.
"Chelsea, who have scored only four goals in 10 games in all competitions since the start of the year, looked livelier in the second half when Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz came on and they kept the Southampton defence under pressure.
"But despite spending nearly £300million ($361.05 million) in the January transfer window, the Blues still could not score against the south-coast team led by caretaker coach Ruben Selles after Nathan Jones was sacked a week ago."
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