Chelsea seek home scoring comfort

Rafael Benitez accepts scoring opportunities for any Chelsea player will be at a premium tonight when Southampton visit Stamford Bridge.

The Blues have struck 17 times in their last five away matches, but have lost twice — against QPR and Swansea — and failed to score on both occasions in their two most recent home games.

Benitez admits they must find a way to break down opposition who arrive in west London with limited attacking ambition.

“We are doing well away but at home other teams play deep and wait and there’s less space,” he said.

“We are still creating chances but the main thing is to be more clinical.”

Chelsea will reduce the gap between themselves and Premier League leaders Manchester United to 11 points if they defeat Southampton, but Benitez is refusing to look at the table.

“I don’t like to see the table every weekend. It’s important that we keep winning games and we do that by playing well and scoring goals,” he said.

The Saints were on the receiving end of a 5-1 thrashing when Chelsea visited the south coast in the third round of the FA Cup earlier this month, but manager Nigel Adkins does not feel that result will have any bearing tonight.

He said: “It is a league game and that was an FA Cup game and for 40 minutes we did all right and kept the ball and then conceded, from our point of view, two goals too easily.

“They have got exceptionally good football players who play good football and if you give them half an opportunity they will capitalise on that.”

Meanwhile, Benitez remained coy on Frank Lampard’s future despite goalkeeper Petr Cech’s suggestion that the midfielder may yet have a future at Chelsea.

The Blues have refused to extend Lampard’s contract, which expires in May, despite his strong form which has seen him eclipse Kerry Dixon to become the club’s second highest scorer with 194 goals.

The 34-year-old is only eight short of Bobby Tambling’s record, a milestone he is on course to surpass at his current rate, and Chelsea’s insistence on his departure has baffled fans and observers.

“Maybe that was what Petr was trying to say — Frank can play at a good level and hopefully he can continue until the end of the season,” said Benitez.