Fair point. Either way be interesting to see what hiddink does with him, if he gets fit. I just hope he picks strikers on merit now.

But  Costa at his peak, isn't a patch on Torres at his liverpool stint, and never will be, just that we had a not so good Torres here!!!

when we were signing costa I thought that we'd be getting a really straightforward center forward; good in the air, decent at holding the ball up, mobile with good movement and penalty box finishing.

 

I didn't expect him to have certain qualities that drogba had- to be a threat from 30 yards out, to be able to occupy two defenders with no support inside 40 yards, to be able to produce spectacular goals when there wasn't any conceivable way of scoring.

 

I did hope he would compensate for being a little unremarkable when you compare him to the top strikers at big clubs by being consistent. drogba was a 10/10 striker sometimes. but he also had games (and seasons) which would not reflect how good a player he truly was. I thought that costa would come in and just do the simple things and that would be enough given the quality of creative players around him. and for a while he did. unfortunately this season he has ceased to do that, which makes him look incredibly ordinary. he isn't capable of doing the things I mentioned that drogba can do. he isn't as clever or refined as crespo, as multifaceted as henry, ronaldo or shevchenko, as technically flawless as van persie, raul or lewandowski, as cold blooded as van nistelrooy or falcao... and so on.

 

if you are going to be the primary goalscoring player at a big club you have to be special. what made costa special was his combination of unrelenting persistence and consistently doing the simple things well. this season he has spent much of his time standing left of center picking fights with defenders. it makes him look grossly unqualified for the role. as I've said before I do feel jose is largely responsible in the final analysis for what has happened. but I've never seen him go to bat for a player as much as he has for costa. it is hard to accept him openly screaming at jose from the pitch or tossing a bib about given the arguably preferential protection he was given by his manager.

He was ruthlessly cold-blooded last season. Didn't need many chances to make it count. That was the thing about him. He was clinical and predatory.

We should have been 4 or 5 up before Sunderland had a shot at us if Costa played up to his standard last year. He needs to be dropped, it's simple as that, exactly the same scenario as Torres 3 years ago. We will keep dropping points unless he's dropped, or he started to play a lot better. He's just not interested in scoring goals.

Well, well... Look who's got his mojo back?

He made the runs that he wasn't doing previously and like all forwards a goal raises the confidence. Thought he was unlucky too in getting booked as he clearly slipped going into the challenge, this when you consider Marriner thought the Behami didn't deserve a booking for the challenge on Hazard.

We should have been 4 or 5 up before Sunderland had a shot at us if Costa played up to his standard last year. He needs to be dropped, it's simple as that, exactly the same scenario as Torres 3 years ago. We will keep dropping points unless he's dropped, or he started to play a lot better. He's just not interested in scoring goals.

So a night and day difference. Anyone still think Diego was happy with Jose as his manager?

Anyone still think Diego was happy with Jose as his manager?

 

I couldn't care less any more. You play for the club and fans, not the manager, he showed us his true colours, f**k him, quicker he goes the better.

I couldn't care less any more. You play for the club and fans, not the manager, he showed us his true colours, f**k him, quicker he goes the better.

Need him to continue this upward curve if we are to get rid. A season without it and the clubs that could afford him will likely not touch him.

 

We need him to play well to move him on imo.

 

I do agree with you though. Jose sadly got what comes to a manager when they and the team fail at a side that expects better. I would like to see the same fate happen to a good amount of this squad between now and the close of the summer window.

 

While I do not expect anywhere near this amount of departures, I do think the following should be on borrowed time: Oscar, Costa, Cesc, Matic, Brana for certain. The jury is out for me for the remainder of the season of players like Pedro, Cahill, Ramires, Baba.

 

Pretty sure Remy will be off though, more so than anyone else at the club.

Judging by his his reaction to the first goal, the boos from the last game were probably a kick up the backside.

Came out today to salvage some personal pride. Even managed to stay on his feet and bring a ball down under close pressure from two defenders at one point.

Look what happens when he forgets about trying to be a faux toughman and just trys to be a footballer. Thats the Costa i want playing for Chels.

He's back, I'm excited (and trying to ignore why he's gone from flab, grump, bib flinging to lean goal scoring machine).

Welcome back prodigal.

While he's here I will support him and if that's for many years to come then fine as long as he scores goals. I just don't know if I can ever love him like I have past players. Although let's not forget our hero Drogba had his fair share of bad moments here, i.e. speaking out about wanting to leave several times, controversies with diving, the paddy he had on the pitch with Frank Lampard in the 8-0 win over Wigan and let's nor forget his own share of bad spells under different managers.

While he's here I will support him and if that's for many years to come then fine as long as he scores goals. I just don't know if I can ever love him like I have past players. Although let's not forget our hero Drogba had his fair share of bad moments here, i.e. speaking out about wanting to leave several times, controversies with diving, the paddy he had on the pitch with Frank Lampard in the 8-0 win over Wigan and let's nor forget his own share of bad spells under different managers.

Spot on Mate

World class from Diego again today.

People were writing him off when the whole team was playing awful. He deserved some of the stick but calls to sell him from people were too soon.

Well done Diego.

I was surprised by his reaction when he was kicked intentionally by a player and he rose up like nothing happened. Seems he has stopped FIGHTING!

I was surprised by his reaction when he was kicked intentionally by a player and he rose up like nothing happened. Seems he has stopped FIGHTING!

Yes today he didn't once look for a fight only the score and i think that caught the palace players by surprise they didn't know how to handle him then

Would Guus have anything to do with his change in attitude?? I think he has. Costa played with Jose's confrontational attitude.It didn't get either of them anywhere.

He must have had a word and it seems to have got through to him. Happy to see the nonesense cut out.

Looking hungry. Not 100% sharp like last season, but promising signs.

great display from costa, really looks like he has sorted his sh*t out !! lets have a blinding second half from him !!

Can't help but notice his reactions, or lack of reaction, to being constantly fouled.  It, again, makes me wonder about the mentality of some of the players under Jose?  Did Jose have them all hyped on the us-versus-them that it caused Diego to look for things that weren't there?

I think his last 2 performances have put to bed this notion that he needs to an angry, over-aggressive tosser, to be at his best, has been proven wrong.

I much prefer the calmer costa.

agreed, focus the energy on scoring !!