Will Diego Cost Chelsea?
Dave Reay
The Chelsea striker will always divide opinion. He can be infuriating if he’s in your team and the pantomime villain if he’s in the opposing line-up but nine times out of ten, you’ll want him with you rather than against you.
There’s no debating that he scores goals and vital ones at that. His late winners in Chelsea’s last two EPL victories over West Ham and Watford have shown his value to the team. Let’s not forget the 20 goals during their 2014-15 title winning campaign and the 27 that helped Atletico Madrid win their 1st La Liga title in 18 years the season before.
But there’s a side to Brazilian-born Spaniard that tarnishes his reputation as one of the best number 9s around. His tendency to wind up opponents, show dissent to the referee and simulate to earn cheap free-kicks are the darker elements to his game. Many would say that he should’ve been sent off for second yellow cards in both EPL games so far this season which would have occurred before both of his winning goals.
Because of this, he’s earned Chelsea four points that perhaps they shouldn’t have but can he change his approach or is Antonio Conte happy with the way his main striker plays at the moment? If you look at Costa’s disciplinary record since 2006-07, the numbers are terrifying.
League (Y/R) All Comps (Y/R)
2006-07 11/0 12/0
2007-08 8/2 9/2
2008-09 13/2 13/2
2009-10 9/1 9/1
2010-11 5/0 7/1
2011-12 9/0 9/0
2012-13 12/0 15/1
2013-14 7/0 13/0
2014-15 8/0 10/0
2015-16 8/0 10/1
Total 90/5 107/8
Of the 107 yellow cards, only four times has Costa been sent off for receiving a second caution.
It could be viewed in a positive or negative way but in reality, Chelsea’s number 19 seems to know exactly what he’s doing if he can get away with playing under a booking in over 100 fixtures. Conte and others at Stamford Bridge will be hoping that Costa can keep walking the tightrope.