IT wasn't difficult on Saturday to see why Chelsea are set to win their first Championship for half a century.

Yet amid all the headlines, the rumours and the accusations of recent weeks, the real story of Jose Mourinho and his team often threatens to be lost.

It is a tale of brutally consistent efficiency.

After so many players had been away on international duty and with the challenge of Bayern Munich looming large on Wednesday, there was a theoretic possibility that Chelsea might be somewhat jaded for their trip to St Mary's.

Win or lose, the Premiership title was already pretty much in the bag, after all.

But no. While the rest of football are seemingly obsessed with how Mourinho did or did not behave in Barcelona a few weeks ago, the Chelsea manager is clearly able to focus squarely on his job: winning matches.

It's the little things that give it away. Like his surprise selection of the taller Robert Huth rather than Ricardo Carvalho in central defence to deal with the threat of Saints' Peter Crouch.

In truth, it was far from Chelsea's best performance of the season.

Yet what is probably their most devastating quality was very evident. It's their self-belief and it stems from the manager.

Harry Redknapp said there was actually very little in the game. And he was right.

Yet there was still an air of inevitability swirling around St Mary's.

Although the midfield battle was even, Chelsea's defensive security always gave them an edge and they patiently waited, seemingly sure in the knowledge that something would happen.

The opening goal was lucky, yet Chelsea's display was somehow like watching a snake slowly take grip on its prey and gradually squeeze the life away.

They grind teams down and you couldn't help but wonder whether there would be an extra gear had Saints got themselves back on level terms after Kevin Phillips' goal.

But despite losing, Saints could still take plenty of heart from the game.

They continued the impressive level of performance that has been evident ever since the transfer-window closed and the likes of Bernard, Quashie, Camara and Jamie Redknapp arrived to line-up with in-form players like Crouch and Le Saux.

Nothing now is easy, but right now they do look better than any of Norwich, West Brom, Palace, Fulham or Portsmouth.

Saints can easily stay-up, of that there is no doubt. Indeed, despite losing, Saturday's performance only confirmed that fact.

Unfortunately, they simply ran into a team who feel pretty much invincible just now.