Chelsea's manic 2-2 draw with Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium underlined the crucial fact that last season's regular bouts of calamitous defending which cost the London club dear are still prone to reoccur. Unsurprising really, given that new Blues boss Antonio Conte has persisted with Thibaut Courtois in goal and a backline of Branislav Ivanovic, Gary Cahill, John Terry and Cesar Azpilicueta in each of their opening four Premier League matches.
The addition of former Leicester City midfield enforcer N'Golo Kante to the ranks has afforded the quartet greater degree of protection. However, as witnessed against Swansea, the France international can only do so much and cannot cater for careless lapses of concentration the type of which led to both of the Welsh side's goals.
Swansea's first goal saw Chelsea caught napping on the counter-attack. A precision Leroy Fer pass found Modou Barrow who was too quick for the Blues' back-pedalling defence. Barrow played in Gylfi Sigurdsson who drew a clear foul from an exposed Courtois in the penalty area. A change in the rules meant the Belgium international was booked rather than sent off by referee Andre Marriner for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity. Sigurdsson made no mistake from the spot, bringing the home side level.