Chelsea is now second on the EPL table with 10 points while Swansea is the 13th team with 4 points. Then Leroy Fer dispossessed Gary Cahill, perhaps illegally after appearing to kick the Chelsea defender’s heels from behind, and poked in a shot that squirmed through the legs of Courtois and over the line.
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Television replays suggested the defender had been fouled, but Fer was allowed to advance before rolling the ball beneath Courtois. You could argue they should be beating those teams, but they did not manage it last season – they only took two points from the same games against the Hammers and the Hornets.
It was a huge goal too for Swansea after two successive defeats, and Guidolin earned credit for switching away from his 3-5-1-1 system before halftime, as well as apologising to Welsh global Neil Taylor, who was annoyed at being taken off to facilitate the tactical change.
“It’s the English league, every game is very, very tough”, Conte said after failing to win for the first time in his five competitive matches with the London club.
Swansea struggled in the new shape and only came into the game when Modou Barrow gave the team some much needed pace, but Guidolin said: “I was not very happy with both my wingers, so I decided it was the right moment to change something”.
“He is a good guy”. That kills me and kills my team.
The two Swansea goals followed in quick succession.
It was poor Swansea defending, however, as Federico Fernandez twice failed to clear.
As Chelsea pushed for a response, Hazard inexplicably pulled out of a challenge with Fabianski on the edge of the Swansea area, when he looked capable of equalising.
Kyle Naughton denied Costa a far-post header from Hazard’s chipped cross, while Oscar’s low drive narrowly missed the target.
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Chelsea have won all three of their opening league matches under Conte and face a Swansea side low on confidence, following their back-to-back defeats to Hull City and champions Leicester City.
