Hi everyone! Welcome to my new series that I’ll be carrying on with all season. I feel like our beautiful new website design is almost like a fresh start to reinvent ourselves here at ReadChelsea, meaning new types of content as well! Prior to every Chelsea match, we’re going to take a look back at our last encounter with our opponent in the same ground.
Right, let’s get on with the football. On 13 September 2014, Swansea City visited Stamford Bridge at a time where the season still felt brand new and exciting, even though we were already a month in. Whilst top-of-the-table Chelsea were flying high going into that Saturday’s kickoff, it was Swansea who dominated in the first half. I know I was worried! A run from the Swans down the left-hand side resulted in a hard cross on the ground into the six-yard box, which resulted in the dreaded John Terry own goal. I’m going to blame it on a bit of miscommunication at the back; if JT had let it go, Cesar Azpilicueta probably would have cleared it. Chelsea was a goal down after just eleven minutes, oh well.
September 13th, 2014 wasn’t all about John Terry own goals, though. One man stole the show that day, and he goes by the name of Diego Costa. The fiery Brazilian-born striker was quickly making a name for himself in the Premier League up to that point. But after the final whistle blew that day, anyone who was a fan of English football couldn’t help but be aware of the fact that Chelsea now had one of the league’s best strikers on their hands. I know, I too thought we’d never be able to say that again since Drogba first left. Those two seasons with Fernando Torres up top were dark, dark times.
Anyway, just before half-time, Diego Costa headed home his fifth goal in three-and-a-half games from a corner that was swung in by Cesc Fabregas. Those ‘just before half-time’ equalizers are the best for a team’s confidence.
A little over ten minutes into the second half, Costa netted his second of the afternoon and Chelsea were in business. At that point, Swansea may have realized just exactly who they were up against. A lovely one-two played between Fabregas and Eden Hazard led to the former slotting it across the area to Costa who easily tapped it past the keeper.
And eleven minutes later, a defense-splitting through ball from Ramires led to the boot of Diego Costa which whacked the ball past Fabianski again and into the back of the net from close range.
I hadn’t purchased my new Chelsea shirt yet because I didn’t know which player I wanted to go for that year. As soon as that ball hit the back of the net, I said to my mom, “Yeah, I’m going out to buy my Diego Costa shirt after this game ends”. True story.
Remy later came on to make his Chelsea debut and scored nine minutes from full-time with a clinical finish into the bottom corner. This began his season with The Blues that I branded “every time he comes on, he scores”. Just a couple minutes later, Jonjo Shelvey scored for Swansea after being played through by Wilfried Bony, but it wasn’t much more than a consolation for the visitors.
The last time Chelsea and Swansea faced off at Stamford Bridge, it was truly a tale of two halves. Swans manager Garry Monk recently said ahead of this season’s opener: “Down there we were excellent for 45 minutes last season and if we can produce 90 minutes like that it will be great”. However, on that day last year it was Diego Costa who stole the show by scoring his first Chelsea hat-trick. He hit the ground running and never looked back. The Spaniard was instrumental to Chelsea’s dominant, title-winning season, and had he not been injured so often, I think he’d have won the Golden Boot.
If you want to relive the action in video form, you can do that here:
Well, that’s what happened last time. Today’s kickoff just can’t come any sooner. Same result this time around, please!
