Jose Mourinho said he was satisfied with Chelsea's quality and effort after going down to 10 men and settling for a home draw against Swansea in a stuttering start to their Premier League title defence.
There was a feel-good factor around Stamford Bridge heading into the game, with the club basking the afterglow of last season's success and the self-proclaimed Special One penning a new long-term deal.
However, things went awry on the field as the Blues drew 2-2 -- and were fortunate to avoid becoming the first Premier League champions to start their defence with defeat.
Oscar's free kick and a Federico Fernandez own goal either side of debutant Andre Ayew's classy effort gave the hosts a comfortable half-time lead, only for Thibaut Courtois' sending-off shortly after the restart to change the dynamics.
Bafetimbi Gomis slotted home the resulting penalty and Chelsea just about held on after the goalkeeper's red card, launching a desperate late bid to turn the draw into a win.
"We tried," Mourinho said. "I repeat this for a long, long, long time, 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 good in special circumstances, like last year, for example, when we were almost champions, so a draw against Manchester United was a good result.
"Apart from that, we play at home to win and we tried that, so it is normal. The players know that. They know one point is one point.
"Playing with 10 men for such a long time is much more difficult and fundamentally I am happy with the quality they had in the first half and I am happy with their spirit in the second half, so we are in peace. We are not happy with the result."
Mourinho also did not appear to be particularly happy with referee Michael Oliver and his assistants.
The outspoken manager attempted to keep his counsel, yet he couldn't help let slip that he felt officials had "punished" his side against Swansea.
The Portuguese was short when asked about a Diego Costa's first-half penalty appeal and curt when answering questions about Courtois' dismissal for bringing down Gomis.
"I do not want to speak about red cards," he said towards the end of the news conference.
Asked whether that would be a policy this season, Mourinho retorted to laughter in the press room: "No, it is just because the first time I can control myself.
"I want to react this way so you don't say he was [complaining] from day one. In day one we were punished, but it was not on day one that I opened my mouth."
Information from Press Association was used in this report.