Team Focus: Chelsea Draw Suggests Swansea Adopting More Direct Approach

Amid all the scratching of heads about how poorly Chelsea played on Saturday, all Jose Mourinho’s diversionary tactics about his physios and faux-controversy over the penalty and red card for Thibaut Courtois, just how well Swansea City played was rather overlooked.

What was particularly impressive was the manner of the performance. At Arsenal last season, Swansea sat deep and looked to absorb pressure, leading Arsene Wenger into one of his familiar moans about opponents who refuse to let his side play. A lot of sides will probably go to Stamford Bridge this season and play that sort of spoiling game, but Swansea were expansive. They took the game to Chelsea, who seemed vaguely startled by their chutzpah.

Even late on, as the game became stretched and they had a man advantage, Swansea preferred to pass the ball out from the back, advancing with four or five rapid passes rather than hitting long hopeful balls forward for the leggy Eder to chase. No side had more shots on target on the opening weekend of the season than Swansea’s 10; the draw was the very least they deserved from the game.

Three players stood out. Jefferson Montero, who was just about the only bright spot of Ecuador’s disappointing Copa America campaign, savaged Branislav Ivanovic. Of 8 dribbles he attempted, he was successful with 6, more than anybody else in the opening round of Premier League games other than Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (9) - and that despite being forced off after 70 minutes with cramp.

Andre Ayew, whose arrival on a free transfer represents a remarkable piece of business for Swansea even if he did cots a reported £5.5m signing-on fee. He does not have the pace of Montero, and tends to drift inside rather than staying wide. His was a fine all-round display: 3 shots, 2 tackles and a goal.

But perhaps most surprising was the performance of Jonjo Shelvey. Asked after the game whether the midfielder is “high maintenance”, Garry Monk feigned ignorance as a twinkle in his eyes told the true story, but while Shelvey may require some looking after - he recently advertised for a personal chef (salary £65,000), presumably with a view to improving his nutrition - if he plays as he did on Saturday, he is worth it. In a midfield featuring Nemanja Matic, Cesc Fabregas and Oscar, he was the dominant force.

Nobody on the opening weekend of the season played more than his 6 key passes, 1 of which created the opening that led to the penalty and the red card. He also finished with a pass success rate of 89.7%, which is remarkable given he played 13 long balls and 3 crosses. He also made a tackle and 2 clearances. He may look ungainly, but Shelvey with his raw edges is the ideal man to be paired with a more patient, considered figure such as Ki Sung-Yeung. Ki was forced off in the first half, but before he went he had completed 87.5% of his passes. Jack Cork, who replaced him, ended with a pass success rate of 87.2%.

This, of course, has long been the Swansea way, the philosophy that has sustained them through the reigns of Michael Laudrup, Brendan Rodgers, Paulo Sousa and Roberto Martinez and that has made the recruitment process so much more targeted for Swansea than it is for many clubs. But this season perhaps there is a new muscularity about Swansea, an evolution from the radical possession came to something a little more direct.

It’s based, though, in those familiar principles. Having played so well against Chelsea, the next task is to produce a performance of similar authority against a team it’s expected to dominate, such as Newcastle next Saturday.

What did you make of Swansea's performance against Chelsea on Saturday? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below