Premier League: Five Talking Points From the Opening Weekend
By Ryan Wrenn
Chelsea Deserved Less
Jose Mourinho’s fielded a side more or less identical to the one he played so frequently last season. That’s not necessarily a biting critique; he won the league with those players after all. The failure to switch things up made Swansea’s job a bit easier, though. Gary Monk came out aggressive early, perhaps hoping to throw the Blues off their guard, and it widely succeeded. Oscar’s opening goal was quickly offset by a frenetically delivered ball by Swansea newboy Andre Ayew. The own goal that almost immediately followed was more fluke than anything, and Swansea were right not to be deterred.
Only with Thibaut Courtois’ sending off and Bafetimbi Gomis’ subsequent penalty did Mourinho really find some quality in his side. Chelsea arguably played better with 10 men than they did with 11, successfully stifling Swansea’s growing threat while also managing to find outlet balls in attack, usually by the grace of the wonderful Eden Hazard. If Chelsea had found that same urgency earlier it might have been a very different game.
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