Spanish full-back highlights need to play like we did in the first 25 minutes at Stamford Bridge for the majority of the match
For almost half an hour at Stamford Bridge the Swans were easily the better team. We got a goal - admittedly in slightly fortunate circumstances through a John Terry own goal - but it was no more than we deserved given the early stages of the match. Routledge went close twice, Gomis had two chances and realistically we could, and probably should, have extended our lead.
Around the half-hour mark though things started to change. Why, I can't say I know exactly, but Chelsea started to pin us back and by the time the equaliser came it was hard to say it hadn't been coming. Rangel has commented that we need to maintain the performance levels shown early in the match over the entirety of the ninety minutes which, while it's ambitious, is exactly the right target to have.
“We were great for the first 25 minutes. We were very bright and started on the front foot. We created many chances, and that is the way we intend to start games. We were very good in possession and comfortable in the first half but in the second half we were far too sloppy. That's what created problems for us in what was a very bad second half.
“The goal before half-time killed our momentum while in the second half we were sloppy and they took their chances. It was like a slap in the face. We played against not only one of the top teams in Britain or Europe, but the world in Chelsea. To maintain this level for 90 minutes is difficult.
“It was disappointing to lose, but we will take it as a learning curve. We know if we are to improve we have to maintain the level of performance for 90 minutes. We had won three out of three and the performance against Chelsea needed to be better over a longer period.
“We have to improve on certain areas and that’s what we will be working hard on in time for next week’s game against Southampton.” Angel Rangel
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/angel-rangel-swansea-city-need-7774230
Over the weekend I was debating the reasons as to why our performance seemed to drop off towards half-time, and I couldn't help but wonder if, psychologically, missing chances against a big team has a massive effect on your performance.
If you're a "smaller" team playing a relative giant, such as at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, when you go one-nil up you're always expecting a backlash once your opponents get a head of steam up. Realistically it's fair to expect Chelsea to score a couple of goals at home, so when you then proceed to miss gilt-edged chances time and time again, every miss adds to the likelihood you won't end up getting anything from the game. Had we taken two more of our chances, Chelsea scoring four goals wouldn't have been such a big problem!
I'm not saying it's realistic to expect us to score three goals in the first half at Stamford Bridge. What I'm saying is that I wonder what effect missing chances has on a team's psychology. It's an interesting theory anyway, and going back to why we dropped off after half an hour perhaps there's something in it after all.
Either way, we need to play on the front foot and take the game to our opponents. In the opening exchanges we were lively, and getting to the ball first on almost every occasion. Contrast that with how flat footed we were for Remy's goal (and Chelsea's fourth), and the difference was massive. If we'd have scored two or even three in the first half, I'm sure our second half performance would have been more confident, and we wouldn't have looked so tentative in possession.
Rangel is right when he says we need to show that same intensity, that same desire to not be beaten to the ball for the entire ninety minutes, and if we can get anywhere close to achieving that we'll have more than enough for most teams, in my opinion.