BRIDGE SET FOR A NEW ITALIAN JOB
IT is a conversation seemingly certain to take place – if it has not already. Antonio Conte and Max Allegri have plenty in common. Both are Italian and both of them have manager of Juventus on their CVs.
In Allegri’s case, he still is, while Conte is a former Juve boss.
But it is hard to believe they will not talk Chelsea. That is where Conte is now and Allegri (below) is being touted as his successor. That is something which is becoming hot gossip in Italy. And I can not imagine the Juventus boss, 50, who almost masterminded a superb comeback in the Champions League at Real Madrid in midweek, pursuing the Stamford Bridge situation without sounding out Conte.
The Chelsea boss denies he is seeking a way out of the club but his demeanour is one of someone who has fallen out of love with his job. People close to Conte, 48, and his club are convinced there will be someone else manning the Bridge next season. Conte has made it clear he is unhappy with the club’s transfer policy and sees it as a major reason for a disappointing title defence by the champions. Allegri will want to know more about Chelsea if he is to become their next boss – and Conte could be the one to tell him.
PAUL HETHERINGTON ★
OLIVIER GIROUD inspired Chelsea to a storming comeback at St Mary’s and landed a big blow to Southampton’s Premier League survival bid.
Goals from Dusan Tadic and debutant Jan Bednarek looked to have put Mark Hughes’ struggling Saints on their way to a vital three points – before they threw it away in eight mad minutes.
Giroud’s 61st-minute introduction from the Chelsea bench turned the game on its head.
The France striker headed Antonio Conte’s lacklustre side back into the game in the 70th minute.
Eden Hazard levelled five minutes later and just three minutes after that Giroud struck again to spark jubilant celebrations among the away fans, as the Blues drew first blood in this dress rehearsal for next weekend’s FA Cup semi-final meeting between the sides. Chelsea’s lightning turnaround secured just their fourth league win of 2018 and boosted their slim hopes of a topfour finish. On the flip side, it stopped Saints from moving out of the bottom three.
The result also denied Hughes a first league win as Southampton boss and extended the south coast club’s record home league run without a victory to nine matches. Chelsea reached half-time having created no genuine scoring chances, failing to capitalise on their dominance of possession.
Saints, in contrast, buried their sole gilt-edged opening, Tadic capping a flowing length-of-the-field counter-attack with a calm finish.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg sent Ryan Bertrand racing down the left flank and the England full-back fended off the chasing Cesar Azpilicueta before playing the perfect cut-back.
The lurking Tadic did the rest, profiting from both his fine positioning and Bertrand’s pinpoint pass to slot home and stun the sluggish visitors.
Conte’s men appeared unfazed by Saints taking the lead but try as they might the Blues failed to kick into gear.
Alvaro Morata sent a tame header over the bar while Cesc Fabregas saw a hopeful 20-yard effort take a wicked deflection, forcing Alex McCarthy into a good save.
Chelsea chances were few and far between beyond that in the first half, though, with Marcos Alonso lucky to avoid a yellow card for a clumsy challenge when he seemingly stood on Shane Long’s calf.
Conte’s side upped the ante after the break, squeezing Saints by playing higher up the field in a bid to break the hosts’ double defensive bank.
James Ward-Prowse’s raking ball over the top sent Long scurrying clear in a rare breakout, only for the Republic of Ireland forward to bungle his shot, allowing Thibaut Courtois to save.
But when England defender Gary Cahill failed to