Diego Costa

[Blue_Fox_ 2,086]

Excellent post. This is precisely what I meant when I said he's not worth the drama. You can tolerate it more if he was actually an elite player and one that can not be easily replaced like Suarez for example.

So, we're taking the higher morale ground....but.. you can bite people and break fingers if you are an "elite" player. Because it makes it more acceptable.

Costa rarely gets sent off and doesn't really hurt anyone. But it is not acceptable because he isn't an "elite" player.

I'm sorry but i can't seem to wrap my head around it.

[Oscar 441]

I hope Spain drops Costa for the Euros

[Barbara 15,149]

I think the poster you quoted is saying in general It is very ineffective. Gabriel is only a few victim in his years of thuggery and trolling on the pitch. Costa spends more energy on the pitch trying to pick a fight then actually try to score a goal. Really poor by Gabriel most don't bite.

Another thing to look at is the implication of his actions on ref decisions in the future. We already seen him denied clear cut penalties, thanks in large to his characteristics. That is no doubt something that will continue, and you have to consider when you call his actions effective.

If most don't bite than it really isn't that bad. As I said players are physically bothering others everywhere. Costa is blatant about his moves, but he doesn't necessarily cross the line. I think he should tone down because the FA will eventually punish him for his handbags (thanks @pHaRaOn, and @Muzchap for explaining what that means).

Compare those childish provocations that stupid opposition player fall for to what Suarez do to the people, is really overboard imo.

Costa plays barely within the rules, but still within them. People are entitled to think the sport shouldn't have this and all the sportsmanship thing they want. The reality though is that football is much closer to rugby than to golf. I don't think putting his hands on Koscielny's face is on the same level as biting someone or a dirty tackle that could jeopardize a players' career. I don't even compare it to actually punches and slaps. He didn't slap Koscielny, he just slipped his hands on his face. Is it nice? No, that's why the referee can call fouls. Call it a foul and move on. Some people are reacting as if Diego has physically assaulted the Arsenal players in a way that put their physical integrity at stake. Actually they call him a criminal, a thug and other words similar and that's an exaggeration imo.

So let's start using the same words - sportsmanship, morality, limits - to the tactical foul that stops a counter-attack? OR to players drawing fouls, begging the opponents to touch them and succeeding on that.

I don't get this high horse morality some here have when the dirty moves Costa makes are within the rules after all. They can be punished with fouls being called and the eventual yellow card.

I also think some are mixing the cause and consequence of his behavior. He doesn't start playing dirt - as you name it - because he doesn't want to focus on scoring. More often than not he resorts to provoking opponents when things aren't going his way. It's the way he deals with the frustration of not playing well. That's the real problem here. He hasn't been at the top of his game, his linkup, dribbling and movement have been bad and some aspects of them aren't even that great to start with. He uses those things to mask or make up for the lack of quality on his part. I don't even think he does it purposefully, he's just a hot fuse and when things don't go his way he's a bomb about to explode, but still he finds within himself the strength to prevent him from going too far.

Let the press and the opposition fans hate him all they want. As long as he tones down a bit so FA - who doesn't punish actually punches, ill kicks, elbows and other stuff other teams' players do - won't punish him for just putting his hand on a CB's face. It's not nice, but football has never been about being nice. That's what tennis is about, not football and the purists and moralists have a field day with this behavior, but it doesn't change the fact football has always been like that. There's dirty contact to affect your opponent, there's a lot of dirty words being said to provoke opponents, there's malice in drawing fouls from unexperienced, limited or nervous players. None of those things are nice, but they are part of the sport just the same.

I draw the line when players are violent or divers. Diego isn't either.

[Unionjack 7,531]

This is why Gaby stuck his oar in. Needed some payback for making him look like a twat. I reckon he must have given Kos some acting lessons cause him throwing himself on the floor after that belly bump was truly Oscar winning.

[lionsden 4,689]

So, we're taking the higher morale ground....but.. you can bite people and break fingers if you are an "elite" player. Because it makes it more acceptable.

Costa rarely gets sent off and doesn't really hurt anyone. But it is not acceptable because he isn't an "elite" player.

I'm sorry but i can't seem to wrap my head around it.

I said "tolerable" not "acceptable". Do I need to bring out a dictionary?

Some of Mourinho's acts and behaviour aren't acceptable either but some people " tolerate" him/it because of his winning pedigree.

[zolayes 14,489]

briefly ,, Costa can do what he wants because he is OURS ,, Sorry as some people have said he crosses the line TOO often . I am afraid now he will become a target

and it is his fault and Mourinhos for encouraging it

[Blue_Fox_ 2,086]

I said "tolerable" not "acceptable". Do I need to bring out a dictionary?

Some of Mourinho's acts and behaviour aren't acceptable either but some people " tolerate" him/it because of his winning pedigree.

http://www.thesaurus.com/browse/acceptable

I'm not really down to "personal attacks" like that, you might tone it down as it would bring out the best of what you write.

Said that.

I take it Costa doesn't have a winning mentality or pedigree to make his act "tolerable"

I'm sorry but i can't really take it seriously when someone wants to see our own bastard burn at the stake. Yet someone like Suarez is "tolerable"

If i'd take the higher moral ground, i'd know which one of the two is the real villain.

[Pacquiao 1,834]

Excellent post. This is precisely what I meant when I said he's not worth the drama. You can tolerate it more if he was actually an elite player and one that can not be easily replaced like Suarez for example.

So what you are saying is you are fine with someone being a racist thug as long as he is really good at football. What a joke you are! Suarez's behavior in his career is on another planet to Costa's, I would never want Suarez at Chelsea no matter how good he is, Costa is a wind up merchant, Suarez is a vile human being. If you condone what Suarez has done in his career then it says a lot about you.

[Pacquiao 1,834]

briefly ,, Costa can do what he wants because he is OURS ,, Sorry as some people have said he crosses the line TOO often . I am afraid now he will become a target

and it is his fault and Mourinhos for encouraging it

Players can target him if they want, its nothing new to Costa and there will only be one winner if they do.

[zolayes 14,489]

So what you are saying is you are fine with someone being a racist thug as long as he is really good at football. What a joke you are! Suarez's behavior in his career is on another planet to Costa's, I would never want Suarez at Chelsea no matter how good he is, Costa is a wind up merchant, Suarez is a vile human being. If you condone what Suarez has done in his career then it says a lot about you.

So Costa is a WUM is he your role model ,, Actually he is worse than a WUM

[zolayes 14,489]

Players can target him if they want, its nothing new to Costa and there will only be one winner if they do.

REFS and the FA will soon start to target him .. Thats what I meant

[OneMoSalah 8,776]

Good players have been cunts before. Eric Cantona was regarded a top top player and he had baggage and even now a days Suarez is the same. Nobody gave a shit when he was winding people up last year because he was scoring goals, just because hes not scoring goals doesn't mean hes not doing stuff, when hes absolutely useless and doing it yes but his performance was actually good against Arsenal for me. He does react but also some players target him, he stands up to it and if he goes over the top well fuck it other players have also done that so its not like hes the first guy to do so.

If you look at it as well, getting Arsenal down to 10 men obviously wasn't anybodies intentions but it helped swing the game in our favor even more.

[Pacquiao 1,834]

So Costa is a WUM is he your role model ,, Actually he is worse than a WUM

no footballer is my role model, but i do love how Costa plays.

[Pacquiao 1,834]

REFS and the FA will soon start to target him .. Thats what I meant

you act like Costa just goes around picking on people, he gives as good as he gets, if officials start keeping a closer eye on Costa i gaurantee he will get more players sent off in the future.

[zolayes 14,489]

you act like Costa just goes around picking on people, he gives as good as he gets, if officials start keeping a closer eye on Costa i gaurantee he will get more players sent off in the future.

GROW up if you think the Arsenal game wont cause a reaction then you are being naive .. IF he and an opponent get red carded ,, next time it will be be him

and a different opponent ... FIRST red card 3 match ban ,, second is usually 5 ,, Third is 8 .. I wont wipe my arse with your guarantees ,, look at the treatment

Clattermole gets

[Fulham Broadway 16,838]

People getting all morally superior about Diego, must have hated Droy, Doug Rougvie, Webb, all wind up merchants. Osgood was great at running his studs down defenders calves.

Ron Harris makes Costa look like an angel, so a certain poster here must hate the Chelsea legends.

[zolayes 14,489]

People getting all morally superior about Diego, must have hated Droy, Doug Rougvie, Webb, all wind up merchants. Osgood was great at running his studs down defenders calves.

Ron Harris makes Costa look like an angel, so a certain poster here must hate the Chelsea legends.

RON Harris was playing in a different era from that period my legends were Cooke Hudson and Tambling ..,,, obviously you prefer a different style of player

[Fulham Broadway 16,838]

RON Harris was playing in a different era from that period my legends were Cooke Hudson and Tambling ..,,, obviously you prefer a different style of player

Ron Harris was in the same team as Cooke, Hudson, Osgood, Hutchinson.