CHOULO19

I actually think he is crucial for our attacks in the past few games. Especially against Arsenal. Simply because he is the only attacker with a direct approach. How many times did we get into the final third and play a needless extra pass or complicated things more than they should be? He's the only player who actually puts in the ball the first time he gets the chance, shoots at the first sight of goal, and we've been really missing that. Yes, his shooting was off on Saturday but he's been crucial at creating chances, something I feel we are still struggling at.

If you don't like reading people saying they don't like how he plays there's a "Close" button at the top right corner of your screen that has an 'X' on it.. That was a fun game to play!

Yeah, it's all the FA's fault. I mean this a new low for the twats. Charging a player after he slapped opposition players in the face three times in a match?! Those corrupt bastards! #CampaignAgainstChelsea

That was literally the ONLY time. It was a one time stupid mistake as he himself would tell you. Correct me if I'm wrong but I genuinely can't remember any other similar incident. That is no way comparable to Costa (I'm actually a bit offended someone would compare JT to him!). It is NOT typical of him or part of his character. Actually the way he did it so naively and blatantly only highlights how out of character it was for him. Whereas Costa does it 'expertly' which for me only makes it worse. As for drawing energy from it, you can draw energy from clean physical competition as Didier used to do. Does anyone really need more motivation than being paid a shit load of money to play a sport he loves?!

Oh, brilliant. The psychiatrists are out Yes, that is the only reason anyone would be opposed to one of our players regularly assaulting opposition defenders..... But two can play this game! Heck, I'll go full Freud and say that those who are defending Costa's actions are only doing so because they secretly want to fuck their own mums!

Oh the media can sod off. They are sleazy sport journos, they can't claim to have moral superiority over anyone. I don't care one bit about them. But it still remains that he does not NEED to do any of that. Hands open or closed make little difference to me, he doesn't need to slap nor punch anyone. You've mentioned Chopper, for me JT is a personal hero. He's physical, a hard tackler, he never shies away from contact or from confrontation, and he's one of the most passionate and emotional players I've ever seen but he's never punched, elbowed, stamped on, head butted anyone.

Surely it's all about context. It's a completely different game now. What was normal back then is no longer acceptable. It's also a completely different global culture. Yes, because those are the ONLY two available options. It is unimaginable that there exists a good striker who is able to compete physically but doesn't needlessly punch people in the face, right?!

I'm sorry but the near certainty that he will one day get a lengthy ban and the real possibility that he might sometime cost us an important match are NOT the only reasons I am upset by his behavior. Call me naive but I believe that there needs to be some degree of morality clean competitiveness and sportsmanship in football. The game is by far the biggest in the world and has HUGE cultural effects almost everywhere and ideally I'd like to see those things promoted around the world rather than cheating, underhandedness and needless violence. I think the fact that the above looks so absurd relative to what has been posted here speaks volumes about the morality and ethics of a lot people on the internet..

Pussy!

That is one of several fake Twitter accounts claiming to work for a nonexistent news outlet. Internet bullshit detection should really be taught in schools nowadays...

You're telling me that Vader doesn't seduce and fuck Luke before he admits that he is father?

Come on, the resemblance is uncanny:

I'd suggest staying away from the table till about November...

Arsenal did try to exploit both fullbacks with diagonal balls behind them and they even targeted Iva several times before they went a man down but he had a good game. He still should not be our starting RB but it was the kind of decent enough performance he put in most of the times last season. He's not getting displaced anytime soon by Baba if what we saw against Maccabi was anything to go by.

Thanks I was starting to think I had watched a different match. People were blinded by sheer hope. Demonstrably, Jose was 100% right to start Iva against Arsenal and I'm not saying that in hindsight as I said the same in the prematch thread.

Still not back to his best but obviously several steps better than what we've seen this season. I was wrong to say he should have been benched for the match.

Is it just me or does that dildo look slightly like Darth Vader?

Yeah it also helped that Arsenal had such a lightweight midfield as well. Oh yeah, he was definitely sloppy. I just felt that what he did do was probably the most crucial in us dominating. And here I'm only analyzing the game till the sending off.

He was brilliant in his pressing off the ball and excellent in his movement and linkup. My MOTM. Much of both Cesc's and Nemanja's improved performances today are down to him, I thought.

Honestly, I've never disliked a Chelsea player more. I'm not saying this for dramatic effect and honestly don't care what anyone says but Diego Costa does not belong in football. And then you have Jose trying to justify his actions.... Aside from the antics he actually had a very poor match. He made some good runs as he always does and even won some excellent second balls at 11vs11 but on the ball he was atrocious. And I mean below championship level. Why in the world he thinks he is a good dribbler I will never understand. His slow decision making in and around the box killed most of our attacks. PS: When the hell has "moralist" become an insult?!

That's what frustrates me most. Had we gotten a top fullback during the window that is capable of slotting into the starting XI then Iva would have been an extra option available to solve our CB issues.

Hello. I couldn't help but notice that your posts did not exactly address the particular points I was raising. But thank you for your needlessly aggressive post. You'll no doubt fit right in here at TalkChelsea

Why can't you leave me wallow in misery?!

Jeez that might be more depressing than the actual table!

Reporter: Is Hazard still on penalty duty after that miss? Jose: To be fair I don't think we have a problem because really how many penalties do we get in the premiere league?!