BPL Day 1: Chelsea FC 2-2 Swansea City
Jose Mourinho comments on the game which saw GK Courtois out with a red at the 52nd minute:
‘In the first half the result was short, I think we played very well,’ said the Portuguese. ‘The team was confident and you could see that. From the moment they equalised until the end of the first half we played with lots of confidence, moving the ball very well, so I’m very happy with what we did in the first half.
‘With the penalty, red card, one player less, 2-2 obviously it changes everything. If you have one player less but you are happy with the result, you have a certain approach and normally you can hide the fact you have one player less.
‘When you have one player less and you want to try to win it’s different; you expose yourself more, the attacking players arrive at a moment where they are so tired they cannot keep the lines compact and it’s difficult to press. It changes a lot. The good thing for me was that it was a very good first half and in the second half we fought to get a result.’
‘Even in my first period here, because my record at Stamford Bridge is something incredible I never played for a draw, never. So, if today we lose, we lose, but at home a draw is only a good result in special circumstances.
‘For example, last season, when we were almost champions a draw against Man United would have been a good result. Apart from that, at home we play to win, and we tried that, it’s normal.
‘The players know it’s a bad result but they also know that one point is one point and playing with 10 men for such a long time is much more difficult.
‘Fundamentally they know that I’m happy with the quality they had in the first half and the spirit they had in the second half, so we are in peace but we are not happy with the result.’
