Frustrated Benitez laments Chelsea finishing

LONDON: Rafa Benitez believes Chelsea were not “clinical” enough as they let a two-goal lead slip in their 2-2 draw with Southampton on Wednesday evening.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

LONDON: Rafa Benitez believes Chelsea were not "clinical” enough as they let a two-goal lead slip in their 2-2 draw with Southampton on Wednesday evening.Chelsea led 2-0 at half-time, courtesy of goals from Demba Ba and Eden Hazard, and appeared to be cruising to a first home win since before Christmas. But Rickie Lambert pulled Southampton back into the game with a header three minutes after coming off the bench and Jason Puncheon then levelled matters to leave Benitez frustrated."We should have won,” Benitez said. "We didn’t take out chances when we had them. I said we would have to be more clinical and today was the same."We had situations where we could score. We didn’t and they broke on a counter-attack. We gave them hope they could score and they did it. I was talking to the team at half-time, trying to say ‘we have to score a third goal’.Since their 8-0 thrashing of Aston Villa on December 23, Chelsea have lost at home to QPR and Swansea and now drawn with the relegation-threatened Saints.