Diego Costa

[Special Juan 27,387]

Very good.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

The thing about Diego is that defenders are going to become so occupied by him that he is going to create so much space for the wide players. He's a selfless player but he scores goals as well, that's a rarity amongst strikers. The only other PL striker I've ever seen that falls in that category is a certain Didier Drogba.

[Madmax 9,219]

Costa the Croc

Crocsta

[kellzfresh 7,228]

Costa the hulk

[bababoom 4,478]

Zouma - "Diego Costa is very, very crazy. Sometimes he gives me a slap across the head and tells me: 'Go'."

[Atlas Lion 1,223]

The thing about Diego is that defenders are going to become so occupied by him that he is going to create so much space for the wide players. He's a selfless player but he scores goals as well, that's a rarity amongst strikers. The only other PL striker I've ever seen that falls in that category is a certain Didier Drogba.

You are forgetting the legendary and almighty Emile Heskey

[kellzfresh 7,228]

In one dizzying teatime on Merseyside, Diego Costa turned Roberto Martinez into a little Englander, sent the sainted Tim Howard stark raving bonkers and confirmed Boring, boring Chelsea as the most explosive attacking force in the English game.

Jose Mourinhos £32million signing is not so much a striker as a destructive weather system, altering everything in his wake.

Mario Balotelli, Alexis Sanchez, Radamel Falcao and Angel Di Maria have all grabbed more headlines during a transfer window in which the Premier League flexed its financial muscle and reversed a trend as worldwide box-office stars flocked to these shores.

Sanchez is a magnificent talent, yet not the one player Arsenal needed. Likewise Falcao and Di Maria at Manchester United. Balotelli, meanwhile, is a striker who creates the wrong kind of mayhem.

Costa is the one - and Mourinho always knew it.

While Chelsea struggled for goals last season, their manager insisted he didnt want to sign just any striker in January as he knew his own agent Jorge Mendes would deliver him THE striker during this summer window.

We wondered why the Blues' boss didnt fancy a proven Premier League goal-scorer in Romelu Lukaku, until we saw the Belgian head to head against Costa on Saturday evening and we understood.

The shrug of Fernando Torres has been replaced by the scowl of Costa a footballer in Mourinhos smouldering image and suddenly Chelsea are complete.

Just three games in and it would appear that, if the Spain international stays fit, the title will head back to Stamford Bridge.

Even after the thrilling 6-3 victory at Everton, Mourinho was building his imaginary castles and inventing fantastical sieges, as is his wont.

He claimed, after a couple of unjust yellow cards, that Costa will not win any personal accolades.

He insisted his striker would continue to be the victim of wind-up merchants when this is clearly a give-as-good-as-he-gets man, rather than a callow new boy craving cotton wool.

Mourinho is as nonsensical in public as he is brilliant in the dressing-room and on the training pitch.

Of course Costa will win personal gongs, should he continue in this vein. The English game loves a raw, street footballer and its referees are more forgiving of them than any on the continent.

The glorious chaos of the Premier League is Costas natural home.

It was not just his two dead-eyed strikes, his excellent link-up play and his appetite for hard labour which marked Costa out as A-list box-office material at Goodison.

It was the way he screamed into the face of Evertons Seamus Coleman when the Irishman netted an own-goal, having earlier earned the Chelsea man a booking by instigating a spot of argy-bargy.

It was puerile, it was spiteful, it was incendiary. It was exactly the sort of thing which makes the Premier League world go round.

During major international tournaments, we are wooed by romantic foreign notions of patient passing football. When the domestic season resumes, it is clear we like it fast, furious and rough.

Heroes are all well and good, but anti-heroes are more fun.

Eric Cantona, Luis Suarez, Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira. These are the names which will echo down the generations. Costa can join them.

Everton boss Martinez took Mourinhos bait, lecturing Costa on professionalism and the ethics of English football, without explaining how Colemans baiting tactics fitted in to this Little House On The Prairie view of our game.

This after keeper Howard billed as a cross between Lev Yashin and Mother Teresa during a fine World Cup had literally been at Costas throat, somehow escaping a red card for the second time in the match, having already handled outside the box when under intense pressure from Costa.

Martinez is an intelligent manager and Howard an outstanding experienced keeper, yet Costa got under their skins. Many more will suffer the same fate.

This is a man who inspired Atletico Madrid to the unlikeliest of Spanish title triumphs last season.

A man who turned his back on his native Brazil, when the most famous national team on the planet so desperately needed him for a home World Cup.

And a man whose imminent arrival even persuaded Roman Abramovich to discover the virtue of patience.

For the Russian knew full well that a human Molotov would be flying in.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/chelseas-diego-costa-can-join-4145918

[Dy-lan 142]

Just to add in to the striker discussion, Ronaldo 9 is the best for me...Im not sure if ive every seen a player who made "rounding" the keeper look so effortless.

As for our own Diego, ive been thinking lately that its actually good that he has a fiery personality (so long as he doesnt get sent off) because the other players can feed off of it...he looks to me a player that younger lads can rally behind and follow into "battle"..With Frank gone, DD not a starter for us, Ash gone and Cech no longer a starter, I think its good that we have a fiery leader on the pitch (no knock on JT, its good to have a leader at the back and front).

Zouma - "Diego Costa is very, very crazy. Sometimes he gives me a slap across the head and tells me: 'Go'."

This is hilarious

[DYC. 7,542]

No. I'd say Ronaldo was even below average in the air. And he acknowledges this weakness himself. But besides that he had it all at the highest level. Dribbling, strength, power, speed, pace, finishing, superb with both feet. Even his passing and creativity were very good for a CF. I haven't seen any CF better than him. I can't even imagine how beastly he would have been if he was a monster in the air on top of everything.

He was so good that even when he fucked up his knees several times and lost a lot of pace (akin to what happened to Torres) he still managed to remain as one of the finest strikers in the world. Before his injuries his numbers were better than Messi's at the same age. He led Brazil to a World Cup final at the age of 22. He was one of a kind type of player. Him and Zidane were the best players of that generation.

Zlatan is the most outrageous striker/player though. The things he's done on a football pitch, there will never be a player like him again.

Henry was a force of nature as well.

[iseah100 5,612]

Zlatan is the most outrageous striker/player though. The things he's done on a football pitch, there will never be a player like him again.

Henry was a force of nature as well.

I was thinking Zlatan too. Does it get more complete than him? He can do it all.

[Dion 2,476]

Zlatan is the most outrageous striker/player though. The things he's done on a football pitch, there will never be a player like him again.

Henry was a force of nature as well.

They're both very good and amongst the best strikers of recent, however many would argue Ronaldo was the best striker of all time. There's a significant gap between them and Ronaldo imo. Ronaldo was Ibrahimovic's idol ffs

I have to say Ibrahimovic has a talent to score amazing and special goals though. He has scored in every way possible. But in the art of pure goal scoring efficiency I don't think he matches R9. I think what always amazed me most about Ronaldo was his 1v1 against GKs, it was almost as guaranteed a goal as a penalty, I don't know how he did it but it was like he always scored.

But enough derailment already. Costa is no Ronaldo but still a much better striker than I used to believe. He's not very adept at aerial play but he's very clinical on the ground, very composed - his second goal against Everton is a testament to that - and can link up surprisingly well. I'd say he's one of the finest strikers in the world right now.

[TheOneChan95 225]

Rated 85 in Fifa 15 according to EA. Sounds about right to me

[DYC. 7,542]

I was thinking Zlatan too. Does it get more complete than him? He can do it all.

Zlatan is something else, he has everything. I'd say he's one of the most talented players I've ever seen and for me, his genius tops everyone else's. He comes up with the most imaginitive moves and pulls them off. He's simply the most spectacular player. And the best thing of all, he's turning 33 within a month and he doesn't even look like slowing down. It's just too bad he plays in Ligue 1. He's better than he's ever been strangely enough and he should be playing in a top league.

They're both very good and amongst the best strikers of recent, however many would argue Ronaldo was the best striker of all time. There's a significant gap between them and Ronaldo imo. Ronaldo was Ibrahimovic's idol ffs

I have to say Ibrahimovic has a talent to score amazing and special goals though. He has scored in every way possible. But in the art of pure goal scoring efficiency I don't think he matches R9. I think what always amazed me most about Ronaldo was his 1v1 against GKs, it was almost as a guaranteed goal as a penalty, I don't know how he did it but it was like he always scored.

But enough derailment already. Costa is no Ronaldo but still a much better striker than I used to believe. He's not very adept at aerial play but he's very clinical on the ground, very composed - his second goal against Everton is a testament to that - and can link up surprisingly well. I'd say he's one of the finest strikers in the world right now.

No, I wasn't saying they were as good as him. Simply naming other striker greats. Ibra lacks the impact Ronaldo had in big games, though Henry wasn't that far off. Henry was absolutely brilliant in his prime. An amazing goal-scorer and an amazing player overall. I'll always commend Zlatan for performing for Sweden though. They're a poor team, seriously lacking in creativity but he really carries them.

Ronaldo could score with his eyes closed. He was a freak.

As for Costa, he's very good but not special. But if he continues like this, he will be. Not the most gifted of players but his power and drive could get him very far.

[bababoom 4,478]

Wasn't very good today for Spain, they were using him as a target man but as we all know his hold up play isn't the greatest... Spain play far too slow which means France can just sit back and look for the counter. It left Costa isolated especially since he didn't have any space to run into.

[zolayes 14,489]

WE didnt need the world's BEST striker ,, just a very good one AND a reasonable back up ,

WE have both now with Drogba in reserve and even Schurrle and Fabregas if desperate ,,

FFS we can even put Brana and JT up .

THis year should be a goal fest wtf if we let a few in ,who will care ,,,,,

[Stats 7,029]

Costa has one bad game: "Must be Spain's system. He is not 100% match fit. He worked hard for the team at least. Had no service".

Lukaku has one bad game: "Overrated. Mouth too big for his boots. Shows why he could never play for a big club like us. His performance proved he has no high ceiling".

The double standards are ridiculous. I don't read anything into Costa's performance tonight but because Lukaku has started off not at his best this season the overreaction to him is just ludicrous

[zolayes 14,489]

Costa has one bad game: "Must be Spain's system. He is not 100% match fit. He worked hard for the team at least. Had no service".

Lukaku has one bad game: "Overrated. Mouth too big for his boots. Shows why he could never play for a big club like us. His performance proved he has no high ceiling".

The double standards are ridiculous. I don't read anything into Costa's performance tonight but because Lukaku has started off not at his best this season the overreaction to him is just ludicrous

please let it rest .. I want Lukaku to do well but many here DON'T .. this will just provoke them

[Tomo 21,730]

Costa has one bad game: "Must be Spain's system. He is not 100% match fit. He worked hard for the team at least. Had no service".

Lukaku has one bad game: "Overrated. Mouth too big for his boots. Shows why he could never play for a big club like us. His performance proved he has no high ceiling".

The double standards are ridiculous. I don't read anything into Costa's performance tonight but because Lukaku has started off not at his best this season the overreaction to him is just ludicrous

That opinion has hardly been created by the match against us.

Either way im done with arguing about Lukaku, he will be benched for Eto'o before long anyway.