Share this Story : Ottawa Senators goalie Linus Ullmark coming up big, why is Adam Gaudette not playing more? Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Breadcrumb Trail Links Ottawa Senators Sports Hockey NHL Senators Extra Ottawa Senators goalie Linus Ullmark coming up big, why is Adam Gaudette not playing more? While Ottawa Senators goalie Linus Ullmark seems to have found his groove, it's puzzling why forward Adam Gaudette doesn't play more. Author of the article: Tim Baines Published Dec 08, 2024 • 4 minute read Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here . Or sign-in if you have an account. Linus Ullmark of the Ottawa Senators skates onto the ice after being announced as first star of the game with a win over Nashville Predators at Canadian Tire Centre on Dec. 7, 2024 in Ottawa. Photo by Troy Parla / Getty Images Article content Linus Ullmark has been asked the question two, three, maybe four times since he began his Ottawa Senators career a couple of months ago. Article content We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Try refreshing your browser, or tap here to see other videos from our team . Ottawa Senators goalie Linus Ullmark coming up big, why is Adam Gaudette not playing more? Back to video We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Try refreshing your browser, or tap here to see other videos from our team . Play Video Article content “Where do you feel your game is at right now?” Saturday, staring into TV cameras and a lot of microphones, the 31-year-old Swedish netminder sighed when he heard the question, then resigned to answering it ... again, he said: “That question again ... (my game is) there. I’m happy with what we’re achieving, at the moment, as a team. We win as a team, we lose as a team; that’s the most important thing in this locker room. It’s not a one-man show. It’s all about us, it’s all about we.” Advertisement 2 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles from Elizabeth Payne, David Pugliese, Andrew Duffy, Bruce Deachman and others. Plus, food reviews and event listings in the weekly newsletter, Ottawa, Out of Office. Unlimited online access to Ottawa Citizen and 15 news sites with one account. Ottawa Citizen ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles from Elizabeth Payne, David Pugliese, Andrew Duffy, Bruce Deachman and others. Plus, food reviews and event listings in the weekly newsletter, Ottawa, Out of Office. Unlimited online access to Ottawa Citizen and 15 news sites with one account. Ottawa Citizen ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Sign In or Create an Account Email Address Continue or View more offers If you are a Home delivery print subscriber, online access is included in your subscription. Activate your Online Access Now Article content It wasn’t like the question shouldn’t be asked. At times, it’s been fair to wonder whether Ullmark is the same guy who, two seasons ago, was the NHL’s best goalie — in a vote, he was named the winner of the Vezina Trophy. That season, in a timeshare with Jeremy Swayman with the Boston Bruins, Ullmark was 40-6-1 with a terrific league-best 1.89 goals-against average and .938 save percentage. He allowed two or fewer goals in 36 games. Full credit to the Bruins’ play in front of him, but no question Ullmark was superb. A shot by Steven Stamkos of the Nashville Predators is stopped by Linus Ullmark of the Ottawa Senators during the first period at the Canadian Tire Centre on Dec. 7, 2024. Ullmark had three wins and an overtime loss in his past four starts heading into a game against the New York Islanders on Sunday. Photo by Troy Parla / Getty Images Fast forward two seasons and after a late June trade to the Senators, Ullmark agreed to a four-year contract extension worth an average of $8.25 million. So, it’s fair for the Senators and their fan base to have big expectations. For the first quarter of the season, Ullmark had some good games, made some good saves. But it was nothing special. Nothing exceptional. Not the kind of save-making that wins games when you have no business winning them. Maybe it’s the weaker competition or maybe something has clicked, but Ullmark has looked especially sharp recently. He looks more comfortable, relaxed. In his past four starts, he has three wins and an overtime defeat. In his past two games heading into Sunday’s match against the New York Islanders, he’d allowed one goal each time. His save percentages have been .974, .950, .912 and .923. Now, that’s stepping up, that’s what the team needs to push ahead in the standings. “ We had a lot of discussions during the last homestand,” Ullmark said. “I wasn’t really happy with my approach to the games. We dissected the whole thing. With (goalie coach Justin Peters) and the coaches, we found an idea that’s really worked out. There were some other things we talked about that have helped me. Sports Get the latest sport headlines and breaking news. There was an error, please provide a valid email address. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Thanks for signing up! A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sports will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again Article content Advertisement 3 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content “Like I said early in the year, you’re never as good as you think you are and you’re not as bad as you think you are.” Adam Gaudette of the Ottawa Senators and Radko Gudas of the Anaheim Ducks vie for the puck during a game on Dec. 1, 2024. Gaudette is the club’s second-leading goal scorer despite not getting a lot of ice time. Photo by Ryan Sirius Sun / Getty Images FOR THE LOVE OF GAUD: The Senators have moved Adam Gaudette up and down the lineup. And all he does is produce. The team’s second-leading goal scorer (with 12) heading into Sunday’s game, Gaudette, for whatever reason, doesn’t play as much as you think he should. He’s been an effective fourth-line centre playing, putting the puck into the net while playing minimal minutes and he’s been a winger on both the first and second lines. Gaudette had an assist Saturday, playing on a line with Tim Stutzle and Claude Giroux. He still only played 9:31, surprisingly low considering how much he’s shown he’s a natural goal scorer. More ice time should lead to more goals? Scoring goals is a good thing, right? “We’ve played him in the top six,” Senators coach Travis Green said. “Sometimes it depends on who you’re playing against, as well as the matchups. He’s having a good season, I’m happy with this play. I’m not worried about whether he’s playing top six or bottom six, I’m worried about the team. I’m trying to put together the best combinations to help us.” Advertisement 4 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Ridly Greig, seen in a file photo during a January 2024 game against Montreal, has been moved up and down the lineup early in the 2024-25 season. Recently, he’s seen time on the fourth line. Photo by Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images RIDLY FINDING HIS WAY: One of the Senators who has fallen short of expectations is centre Ridly Greig. With the Senators shuffling their lines to try and find the right mix, the 22-year-old, a first-round draft pick in 2020, was shifted to the wing. He’s moved up and down the lineup, but most recently was employed on the team’s fourth line. Going into Sunday’s game, Greig had two goals and five assists after putting up 13 goals and 13 assists a year ago. Asked about the move to the wing, Greig said: “I’ve played centre my whole life, so I’m more uncomfortable there. It’s coming. I’ve gotten a lot better. Hopefully, I can get it going.” “Ridly’s game is continuing to grow,” Green said. “He’s still a young player who is finding his way. We’re looking for a guy to play in that top-six role. We tried Rids there. “He’s young and there are lots of things in his game that are going to be better in two months, six months, two years. He’s just scratching the surface of what he can be in the NHL. There’s lots I like, but he still has a lot in this game.” While Greig took on the role of a “pest” a year ago, getting under opponents’ skin — we remember the empty-net slap shot that sent the Maple Leafs into a tizzy — that side of him hasn’t been as obvious so far this season. “He has a very competitive nature to his game,” Green said. “Do I want to see more? Yes and no. I don’t want (him) to take the penalties, but the competitive part of his game is a big, big part of what he is. We don’t want to take that away.” Recommended from Editorial TAKEAWAYS: Ottawa Senators knock off NHL's second-worst team, Nashville ONE-ON-ONE: Alfie ready to play key role for Team Sweden at 4 Nations Face-Off Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : Ottawa Senators goalie Linus Ullmark coming up big, why is Adam Gaudette not playing more? Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Comments You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments. Create an Account Sign in Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. 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KFH Drives Innovation in Digital Banking and Financial Solutions for 2024Pope Francis will visit the French Mediterranean island of Corsica in December, days after skipping the reopening of Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral which was ravaged by a fire in 2019, the Vatican said Saturday. Francis, 87, declined an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron to attend the Notre Dame reopening ceremony in Paris on December 7. He will however head to Corsica's capital Ajaccio for a conference on the Catholic faith in the Mediterranean one week later on December 15, the Vatican said. Some French bishops were "annoyed" by the pope's decision to stay away from the Notre Dame gala, according to one bishop speaking on condition of anonymity. But the head of the Bishops' Conference of France (CEF) Archbishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort said: "The star of the Notre Dame reopening ceremony is Notre Dame itself." The pope had not wanted his presence to be a distraction from the essential point of the occasion, he added. "It's not a snub aimed at France," said another bishop. Francis's one-day trip to Corsica will be the first papal visit to the island, where 90 percent of its 350,000 population is Catholic, according to the local Church, and religious traditions remain deeply rooted. He will give two speeches, preside over a mass and meet Macron during his nine hours on the island, the Vatican said. "It is a historic event, we will give ourselves the extraordinary means to put on an exceptional welcome for the Holy Father," said Bishop of Ajaccio Francois-Xavier Bustillo said in a video posted on social media. Francis, who will celebrate his 88th birthday on December 17, has been to France twice since becoming head of the worldwide Catholic Church in 2013. He visited Strasbourg in 2014, where he addressed the European Parliament, and last year went to Marseille for a meeting of Mediterranean area bishops, where he met Macron. He has yet to make a state visit to France, one of Europe's main majority-Catholic countries. He is also yet to make state visits to Spain, the United Kingdom or Germany. The Argentine pontiff prefers visiting smaller or less established Catholic communities, from Malta to Mongolia. The Corsica visit was championed by the popular media-friendly Bustillo, who was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in September 2023. "It will not be a state visit, but a pastoral visit. It will be a beautiful moment, a moment of hope and joy," he told AFP. In addition, the head of the Catholic Church is scheduled to be at the Vatican on December 7-8 for a service at which he will create 21 new cardinals. Rescheduling appointments over coming months would appear to be tricky, given the multitude of events due to take place in Rome in 2025, a Catholic jubilee year. Bustillo is one of the active cardinals Francis has appointed in the Mediterranean region, with the pope keen they "work together to meet the specific challenges of the area", a bishop told AFP on condition of anonymity. Those issues include migration, global warming and interreligious dialogue. Corsica will be the 47th overseas visit for Francis and his third this year, after a long tour of the Asia Pacific in early September and a trip to Belgium and Luxembourg the same month. cmk-bur/tw/jmApple Sued for Knowingly Hosting Child Sexual Abuse Material on Its Products, Failing to Protect Survivors
AP Sports SummaryBrief at 5:15 p.m. ESTWest Ham boss Julen Lopetegui believes his side “deserved to win” as they sealed a 2-0 victory over Newcastle at St James’ Park. Lopetegui came into the game under pressure following some poor displays from the Hammers in recent weeks but they earned a hard-fought victory to end the Magpies’ three-game winning spell. Despite a promising opening from the hosts, Tomas Soucek headed West Ham in front before Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s first goal for the club after the break wrapped up victory. Lopetegui was pleased with his side’s display following a “tough match”. He said: “I am happy for the three points and am very happy against a good team like Newcastle, who have good players and a fantastic coach. “I think today was a tough match and we were able to compete as a team. “I think we deserved to win. Today they had many moments in the first half, but I think the second half we deserved to win and we are happy because you have to do these kind of matches against this type of team if you want to overcome them.” Newcastle started brightly and had plenty of chances in the first half especially, but the visitors responded after the break by retaining possession well. The win eases the pressure on Lopetegui, whose West Ham side face Arsenal on Saturday, and he believes the victory is an important feeling for his players. He said: “I think the only thing that is under our control is to play football, to improve, to defend well, to convince the players we are able to do better. “Today we did, but I think the only thing we can do is to do the things that are under our control, not today but every day. “So we had to keep with this mentality, but above all let me say we are happy for the players because they need this kind of feeling as a team to believe that we are able to do well as a team, to put the best for each player of the team.” Newcastle boss Eddie Howe admitted defeat was a missed opportunity for his side. The Magpies missed a series of chances in the first half, including efforts from Joe Willock and Sean Longstaff, before Alexander Isak blasted a chance off target. Anthony Gordon also rolled an effort just wide of the post after the break and Isak headed wide of goal. Three points could have seen Newcastle move into the top six and Howe admitted his side need to learn from the match. “Yes, massive because the league is so tight that a couple of wins and the whole picture looks very different,” Howe said. “We’ll kick ourselves tonight because we knew the opportunity we had, a home game, Monday night, a great moment for us potentially in our season, so we have to learn from that and come back stronger.”
Charles attended the show at the Royal Albert Hall in London for the first time as patron of the Royal Variety charity, following in the footsteps of his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II. In a statement from Buckingham Palace, he said: “The charity’s crucial work in assisting those who have fallen ill, had an accident or hit hard times is as essential now as it ever has been. “I would like to thank all of those who have worked so hard to stage this year’s production and wish everyone a very enjoyable evening.” The performance saw political comic Forde reference the unfounded claims Mr Trump repeated during his presidential debate against Democrat candidate Kamala Harris earlier this year, that illegal immigrants from Haiti were eating locals’ pets in the small Ohio city of Springfield. Forde exclaimed in the president-elect’s voice: “They’re eating the cats, they’re eating the dogs!” He then turned to address Charles from the stage, saying in Mr Trump’s voice: “Your Majesty King Charles, you’re named after a spaniel – be very careful, they’ll eat you alive.” The King was seen laughing in response to the joke from the royal box. Charles appeared at the event without the Queen, who insisted the “show must go on” after pulling out of attending the performance on Friday evening as doctors advised that she should prioritise rest. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “Following a recent chest infection, the Queen continues to experience some lingering post-viral symptoms, as a result of which doctors have advised that, after a busy week of engagements, Her Majesty should prioritise sufficient rest. “With great regret, she has therefore withdrawn from attendance at tonight’s Royal Variety Performance. His Majesty will attend as planned.” A royal source said the Queen was “naturally disappointed to miss the evening’s entertainments and sends her sincere apologies to all those involved, but is a great believer that ‘the show must go on'”. “She hopes to be back to full strength and regular public duties very soon,” the source added. The Royal Variety Performance will air on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player in December. Money raised from the show will go to help people from the world of entertainment in need of care and assistance, with the Royal Variety Charity launching an initiative to help those with mental health issues this year.
Pope Francis will visit the French Mediterranean island of Corsica in December, days after skipping the reopening of Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral which was ravaged by a fire in 2019, the Vatican said Saturday. Francis, 87, declined an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron to attend the Notre Dame reopening ceremony in Paris on December 7. He will however head to Corsica's capital Ajaccio for a conference on the Catholic faith in the Mediterranean one week later on December 15, the Vatican said. Some French bishops were "annoyed" by the pope's decision to stay away from the Notre Dame gala, according to one bishop speaking on condition of anonymity. But the head of the Bishops' Conference of France (CEF) Archbishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort said: "The star of the Notre Dame reopening ceremony is Notre Dame itself." The pope had not wanted his presence to be a distraction from the essential point of the occasion, he added. "It's not a snub aimed at France," said another bishop. Francis's one-day trip to Corsica will be the first papal visit to the island, where 90 percent of its 350,000 population is Catholic, according to the local Church, and religious traditions remain deeply rooted. He will give two speeches, preside over a mass and meet Macron during his nine hours on the island, the Vatican said. "It is a historic event, we will give ourselves the extraordinary means to put on an exceptional welcome for the Holy Father," said Bishop of Ajaccio Francois-Xavier Bustillo said in a video posted on social media. Francis, who will celebrate his 88th birthday on December 17, has been to France twice since becoming head of the worldwide Catholic Church in 2013. He visited Strasbourg in 2014, where he addressed the European Parliament, and last year went to Marseille for a meeting of Mediterranean area bishops, where he met Macron. Sign up to get our free daily email of the biggest stories! He has yet to make a state visit to France, one of Europe's main majority-Catholic countries. He is also yet to make state visits to Spain, the United Kingdom or Germany. The Argentine pontiff prefers visiting smaller or less established Catholic communities, from Malta to Mongolia. The Corsica visit was championed by the popular media-friendly Bustillo, who was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in September 2023. "It will not be a state visit, but a pastoral visit. It will be a beautiful moment, a moment of hope and joy," he told AFP. In addition, the head of the Catholic Church is scheduled to be at the Vatican on December 7-8 for a service at which he will create 21 new cardinals. Rescheduling appointments over coming months would appear to be tricky, given the multitude of events due to take place in Rome in 2025, a Catholic jubilee year. Bustillo is one of the active cardinals Francis has appointed in the Mediterranean region, with the pope keen they "work together to meet the specific challenges of the area", a bishop told AFP on condition of anonymity. Those issues include migration, global warming and interreligious dialogue. Corsica will be the 47th overseas visit for Francis and his third this year, after a long tour of the Asia Pacific in early September and a trip to Belgium and Luxembourg the same month. cmk-bur/tw/jmOl’ Man River – John Mulqueen on singer and activist Paul Robeson
DUBAI , UAE , Dec. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Huawei Consumer Business Group (CBG) unveiled its first TWS earbuds under the HUAWEI SOUND brand, the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4, at the HUAWEI Flagship Launch Event in Dubai on December 12 . Drawing inspiration from classical design and Huawei’s dedication to audio innovation, the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4 aims to “Catch the Sound,” delivering lossless, pure, and immersive listening experiences. The earbuds feature powerful hardware including Dual-driver True Sound and proprietary algorithms to ensure stable and clear calls with effective background noise elimination. Outstanding Acoustic Precision: Dual-driver True Sound HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4 incorporates Dual-driver True Sound working with Digital Cross-Over technology to deliver rich, authentic sound experiences. The Dual Independent Sound Output System precisely allocates audio signals to each driver, while the 11mm Quad-Magnet Dynamic Driver Unit ensures stable and accurate real-time audio reproduction. Featuring Polar Code technology and Huawei’s proprietary L2HC 4.0 codec [1] , it achieves 2.3Mbps lossless [2] TWS audio transmission, supporting 48kHz/24-bit high-resolution audio. Users can select between professionally tuned EQ modes, including Classic and Balanced, to accurately recreate live music essence. Stable and Clear Call Experience Equipped with Huawei’s AI noise cancellation algorithm, it eliminates up to 100 dB of external call noise. The quad-microphone system, combined with multi-channel deep neural network (DNN) algorithm, accurately distinguishes human voices from environmental sounds. Whether at concerts, sports events, or cafes, the system intelligently isolates your voice. Head Motion Controls allow call answering and rejection through nodding or head shaking. Enhanced Noise Cancellation Features Shape Memory Foam ear tips, offering 30% [3] improved noise reduction compared to the previous generation. Intelligent Dynamic ANC generates customized noise-cancellation parameters based on real-time environment for a pure immersive listening experience. Elegant Design Inspired by Classical Instruments Adopts the Spectrum Silver Strings design, available in Black, White, and refreshing Green. Each earbud features a meticulous 6-layer protective lacquer coating, with the golden HUAWEI SOUND emblem emblazoned on its surface, signifying flagship quality. SOURCE HUAWEIBlues supporters also sang the name of head coach Maresca during the closing stages of an emphatic success sealed by goals from Axel Disasi, Christopher Nkunku, Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer and substitute Jadon Sancho. Bottom club Southampton briefly levelled through Joe Aribo but were a man down from the 39th minute after captain Jack Stephens was sent off for pulling the hair of Marc Cucurella. Chelsea, who have endured an underwhelming period since Todd Boehly’s consortium bought the club in 2022, climbed above Arsenal and into second place on goal difference, seven points behind leaders Liverpool. “It was a very good feeling, especially because you can see that they are happy, that is our target,” Maresca said of the atmosphere in the away end. “We work every day to keep them happy and tonight was a very good feeling, especially the one that they can see that Chelsea’s back. This is an important thing.” Maresca rotated his squad in Hampshire, making seven changes following Sunday’s impressive 3-0 win over Aston Villa. Following a sloppy start, his side, who stretched their unbeaten run to six top-flight games, could easily have won by more as they hit the woodwork three times, in addition to squandering a host of chances. “I’m very happy with the five we scored,” said the Italian. “I’m not happy with the first 15, 20 minutes, where we struggled. The reason why we struggled is because we prepared the game to press them man to man and the first 15, 20 minutes we were not pressing them man to man. “After 15, 20 minutes we adjust that and the game was much better. For sure we could score more but five goals they are enough.” Southampton manager Russell Martin rued a costly “moment of madness” from skipper Stephens. The defender’s ridiculous red card was the headline mistake of a catalogue of errors from the beleaguered south-coast club as they slipped seven points from safety following an 11th defeat of a dismal season. “I don’t think anyone will be as disappointed as Jack,” Martin said of Stephens, who was sent off for the second time this term after tugging the curls of Cucurella as Saints prepared to take a corner. “I haven’t got to sit down and talk with him about that at all. He will be hurt more than anyone and it’s changed the game for us tonight, which is disappointing. “I think they have to describe it as violent conduct; it’s not violent really but there’s no other explanation for that really. It’s a moment of madness that’s really cost us and Jack.” Southampton repeatedly invited pressure with their risky attempts to play out from defence, with goalkeeper Joe Lumley gifting Chelsea their second goal, scored by Nkunku. While Saints were booed off at full-time, Martin, who was missing a host of key players due to injuries and suspensions, praised the effort of his depleted team. “When they see such a big scoreline and a couple of the goals we concede, I understand it (the jeers),” he said. “It’s football, it’s emotive, people feel so much about it, it’s why it’s such a special sport in this country and so big. “I understand it but I feel really proud of the players tonight, some of the football we played at 11 v 11 was amazing. “For an hour with 10 men we’ve dug in so deep, there were some big performances. I’m proud of them for that and I’m grateful for that because that’s not easy in that circumstance.”
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Enzo Maresca savoured chants of ‘we’ve got our Chelsea back’ from travelling fans following a 5-1 Premier League thrashing of 10-man Southampton at St Mary’s. Blues supporters also sang the name of head coach Maresca during the closing stages of an emphatic success sealed by goals from Axel Disasi, Christopher Nkunku, Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer and substitute Jadon Sancho. Bottom club Southampton briefly levelled through Joe Aribo but were a man down from the 39th minute after captain Jack Stephens was sent off for pulling the hair of Marc Cucurella. Chelsea, who have endured an underwhelming period since Todd Boehly’s consortium bought the club in 2022, climbed above Arsenal and into second place on goal difference, seven points behind leaders Liverpool. “It was a very good feeling, especially because you can see that they are happy, that is our target,” Maresca said of the atmosphere in the away end. “We work every day to keep them happy and tonight was a very good feeling, especially the one that they can see that Chelsea’s back. This is an important thing.” Maresca rotated his squad in Hampshire, making seven changes following Sunday’s impressive 3-0 win over Aston Villa. Following a sloppy start, his side, who stretched their unbeaten run to six top-flight games, could easily have won by more as they hit the woodwork three times, in addition to squandering a host of chances. “I’m very happy with the five we scored,” said the Italian. “I’m not happy with the first 15, 20 minutes, where we struggled. The reason why we struggled is because we prepared the game to press them man to man and the first 15, 20 minutes we were not pressing them man to man. “After 15, 20 minutes we adjust that and the game was much better. For sure we could score more but five goals they are enough.” Southampton manager Russell Martin rued a costly “moment of madness” from skipper Stephens. The defender’s ridiculous red card was the headline mistake of a catalogue of errors from the beleaguered south-coast club as they slipped seven points from safety following an 11th defeat of a dismal season. “I don’t think anyone will be as disappointed as Jack,” Martin said of Stephens, who was sent off for the second time this term after tugging the curls of Cucurella as Saints prepared to take a corner. “I haven’t got to sit down and talk with him about that at all. He will be hurt more than anyone and it’s changed the game for us tonight, which is disappointing. “I think they have to describe it as violent conduct; it’s not violent really but there’s no other explanation for that really. It’s a moment of madness that’s really cost us and Jack.” Southampton repeatedly invited pressure with their risky attempts to play out from defence, with goalkeeper Joe Lumley gifting Chelsea their second goal, scored by Nkunku. While Saints were booed off at full-time, Martin, who was missing a host of key players due to injuries and suspensions, praised the effort of his depleted team. “When they see such a big scoreline and a couple of the goals we concede, I understand it (the jeers),” he said. “It’s football, it’s emotive, people feel so much about it, it’s why it’s such a special sport in this country and so big. “I understand it but I feel really proud of the players tonight, some of the football we played at 11 v 11 was amazing. “For an hour with 10 men we’ve dug in so deep, there were some big performances. I’m proud of them for that and I’m grateful for that because that’s not easy in that circumstance.”