For years Drogba got much worse treatment than Costa has had and the protection he received from most match officials was practically zero.

Agree with CFCHolland. Costa needs to be cooler and more focused in many situations. Yes, we don't want our main striker to be bullied the way Torres often was, but nor do we want a snarling Mike Tyson walking a red card tightrope most games.

I must be missing something about Costa. On Sky they're always saying how he's such a risk as he loses his cool... but he's not had a red card for us yet has he? Plenty of yellows, but no reds. which tells me he knows how to play the game, and wind opponents up without going overboard. yes it gets a bit nasty at times, but he never really does anything worthy of a red, just a bit of argy-bargy and squaring up. dont see him being a big risk of red cards, so dont understand the fuss that gets caused around him

 

It's never one-sided with Costa though. Opposition players spend the entire match kicking and wrestling him, WBA yesterday being a good example. Quite a few times this season he's actually been the wronged party.

Just to weigh in on one of the topics - can't say I've ever been concerned he may be sent off in a match.

Clearly aware of where the line is and what he can get away with, I think he plays that part of the game very well.

He'll rattle the defenders, draw fouls and cards, bring the focus on him. Its all calculated, and he's good at it. Defenders are constantly distracted, looking to see what he might do next, or how they can get revenge for what he did last.

I always have the feeling he's on the tightrope. He's a target for all. The managers will tell his players to get him riled up because there is always a good chance he will put the head into someone.

Like Luiz I think its only a matter of time before he costs us in a big match.

But on the flip side hes a big goal scorer and will win us a lot of games.

Edited May 20, 201511 yr by Zola

I always have the feeling he's on the tightrope. He's a target for all. The managers will tell his players to get him riled up because there is always a good chance he will put the head into someone.

Like Luiz I think its only a matter of time before he costs us in a big atch.

But on the flip side hes a big goal scorer and will win us a lot of games.

Character wise I like him a lot more than Luiz.

Yet he hasn't gotten a single red card this season; less than Fabregas, Matic, Ivanovic and Dave.

Sadly he hasn't finished as top scorer in the league but it was a great debut season for him. I still remember the days when I said he will flop, so glad I was wrong. All he need is to lower his aggression which is possible and then he will be a real monster on the pitch, I'm sure next season he will win the "Golden Boot".

Yet he hasn't gotten a single red card this season

 

well, maybe in the league . . .

Edited May 20, 201511 yr by launcher

Yet he hasn't gotten a single red card this season; less than Fabregas, Matic, Ivanovic and Dave.

 

He didn't get a single red card last season either. That's 87 games in the last 2 seasons without a red card.

 

I like the aggression as long as he keeps it in check which he has done so far (been borderline on a few occasions) for us. He needs to tone it down a little bit sometimes though when I feel it affects his normal game and he gets into a personal match with the defender. 

Edited May 20, 201511 yr by footballoholic

He did get banned for 3 games though...

He did get banned for 3 games though...

My blood pressure has just balked at that particular injustice.

He doesn't tend to get reds, it's his off the ball stuff that see's him get banned on video evidence.

That's probably worse tbh

He wants a match, then gets pissed off at defenders baiting him. Then because of the ref he realised in the second half that all he has to do is just fall over instead and whatdyaknow, he starts winning free kicks.

 

Makes you think whose fault it is that players have such a reputation for going down easy, when you get nothing for being baited for 45 minutes and actually start winning the fouls when you go down instead.

You're having a very productive morning Jonty!

Ha ha, brilliant. I'm pinching that.

shame Lee Cattarmole may not play tomorrow (if he gets another yellow its a 3 game ban) would like to see him tussle with the Guvnor

but at least  O'Shea should provide our boy with a bit of sport 

Looking at that shots per game, the amount of goals he's scored is incredible considering that most top strikers take a lot more shots. 

 

We really needed a clinical striker and we've got one now.

Only 26 league games played, yet no pundit credits him with his amount of goals. He'd easily have overtaken c*** Aguero if he played a few more / took penalties.

So what's happened with ForeverCarefree's bet with Barak? Money exchanged hands or was Costa meant to get more than 20?

I believe Barak made a donation to the forum.

Only 26 league games played, yet no pundit credits him with his amount of goals. He'd easily have overtaken c*** Aguero if he played a few more / took penalties.

I don't think the grand total of 3penalties would of made a difference....now if he got to take penalties for Liverpool, he'd of already won next seasons golden boot too!!

So what's happened with ForeverCarefree's bet with Barak? Money exchanged hands or was Costa meant to get more than 20?

At the time of the bet Torres tally was 19 and so we said 20 goals excluding penalties.

Seeing as Costa hit 20 but the 20th was a penalty we've both agreed to stump up the donation to the forum.

Had Diego not missed so many games through injury he'd probably have got more than 20 from open play but basically we're all happy.