Chelsea caused a strong sense of déjà vu in their 2-2 draw to Swansea City. Though greatly different than the draw just over a year ago, several of the same worries resurfaced.
After controlling the game for the first 60 minutes, Chelsea simply lost it. The club fell to pieces and would have taken their first loss of the season if not for a phenomenal overhead kick by Diego Costa. It is still early days, but it is a deflating result going into a tough stretch of fixtures which includes Liverpool, Leicester, and Arsenal.
Here are six lessons learned from the first dropped points of the season.
Chelsea Suddenly Have Options
To start on a happier note, the release of the match day squad was rather pleasant. After several seasons of having a guaranteed starting XI, followed by a much less impressive bench, the Blues suddenly have depth. The Blues have so many options, any of the players on the bench could have started. This is a fantastic development stemming from several shrewd signings in the transfer window.
Cesc Fabregas is perhaps the most notable player that can’t find himself starting. He has been a strong substitute, setting up several of Chelsea’s late goals including Diego Costa’s equalizer.
The common theme of substitutes changing the game is a further evolution of the depth. In almost every game this season, Chelsea’s substitutes have contributed to improving the play on the field. This furthers the notion that the substitutes could be starting, which in turn should motivate the starting XI to play to their peak.
Antonio Conte has been extremely conservative with his changes so far, but that is easy to do when the team is winning. After a draw that feels like a loss, some of the talent from the bench will find themselves on the pitch against Liverpool.
Next: A tale of two 2-2's