PRE-MATCH BRIEFING: SOUTHAMPTON V CHELSEA - PART TWO
TACTICAL BRIEF
Chelsea's defence of the FA Cup starts here. Former Blues winger Clive Walker hopes the Blues start off on the right foot back to Wembley on Saturday.
Key battles
'Mental attitude is going to be a crucial element on Saturday, especially after the QPR performance, which was way below par for Chelsea.
'When you consider we were playing local rivals, even though they were poor, we lacked the passion and intensity to create chances. You don't like to think of our players having the mindset that they just have to turn up and goals will come - we're better than that.
'Luckily after what was a very poor performance another game has quickly come around and in a competition we have had a habit of winning in recent seasons. As long as we have the right players on the pitch in the correct frame of mind I am confident we can maintain that trend.
'On team selection, it's almost certain both bosses will shake up their starting 11s. Nigel Adkins rested a few regulars in the FA Cup last season as his side sought back-to-back promotions. He made wholesale changes against Leeds in the Capital One Cup.
'One thing he has to be wary of is a defeat that dents their confidence after a good league run. So he may not change too much. I don't think he'd be too downhearted if they lost this match and won points in their next league game.
'Rotation is a matter of fact in the modern game. When it goes wrong the manager's decisions are always questioned, though it's the players who don't perform.
'Yet the manager sees his squad at closer quarters than the fans and media. He can see who is physically and mentally jaded, who is looking sharp. Players love the game and want to play every time. But the training metrics may say something different.
'After Wednesday Rafael Benitez will be as keen to get a good result as anyone. Where does our defence of the FA Cup sit amongst Chelsea's other priorities though? There's the first leg of Capital One Cup in midweek, then a Premier League trip to face a physical and confident Stoke side.
'The club will be looking at the top four as a key priority. We might have the luxury of looking at the Capital One Cup as being key as we're in the semi-final and with Villa or Bradford to face should we get past Swansea. But after QPR we really need league points.
'The Chelsea players will be determined to get that result out of their system as soon as possible, and Southampton may be thinking it is the worst event for them because of a possible backlash.
'Nigel Adkins is doing a great job under testing circumstances. He has been changing his team a lot, switching systems, searching for a winning formula. He's changed his goalie five times, and Artur Boruc, who looked uncertain in his handling early on against Arsenal, went on to do very well.
'Adkins might just get them out of trouble in the league, and with a regular goalscorer like Rickie Lambert he may well just keep them in the Premier League. Their movement and passing is excellent, but they maybe lack the cutting edge to break teams down.
'Lambert is certainly a problem that Ross Turnbull will have to aware of because he likes a snapshot. But it will be a blow for Southampton that midfielder Adam Lallana is out.
'Jason Puncheon can be very combative and incisive down the flanks and whoever is down his side will need to be strong and aware. Former Chelsea youngster Jack Cork (pictured below) is honest and hard-working but you would imagine he will have his work cut out against his old teammates.
'For Chelsea I can see Ashley Cole, Juan Mata and Eden Hazard returning to the starting line-up. Benitez will want to go strong from the start after Wednesday. Perhaps Demba Ba will see some action too, as Fernando Torres has played more minutes than any other Chelsea player recently.
'It's a one-off, so whoever plays will be desperate to take their chances. I think the QPR setback will probably give Chelsea the kick up the backside they need to win this.'
Squad fitness news
John Terry (knee), Petr Cech (thigh) and Oriol Romeu (knee) remain out, but John Mikel Obi is available again.
Southampton captain Adam Lallana has a knee injury but right-back Nathaniel Clyne may return from an injury to his knee. Midfielder Gaston Ramirez is expected to have recovered from a dead leg.
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