Diego Costa

[Pacquiao 1,834]

so when do the number of goals a player scores becomes an indicator of his technical ability.

chicharito scored 20 goals and 5 assists in 10/11 for united in 2609 minutes (CL finalist, PL winner)

he scored 18 goals and had 8 assists in 12/13 and united won the PL.

that makes him technically proficient?

just like last season, costa scored goals, and thank you to him for that. he was a major part in our PL win. but like i said before, lets call a spade a spade. when not scoring goals, he can be useless. he simply is not able to add much to the team if he is not on the score sheet.

awful comparison, Hernández is a goal poacher, he is a different type of player to Costa, and you just ignore the fact that Costa didn't even play as a striker in 2012/13, and Costa still outscored the goal poacher Hernández, that season. Now that speaks volumes.

Also last season Costa completed more passes then Suarez and Lewandowski, he made more key passes then Aguero, Benzema and Lewandowski and created more chances then Aguero and Lewandowski all while playing less games.

But yeah Costa's link up play is non existent right?

[Last Sicarius 610]

Costa now looks like man who came from WWE and someone told him that now he must kick the ball into the goal xd

[didierforever 7,349]

awful comparison, Hernández is a goal poacher, he is a different type of player to Costa, and you just ignore the fact that Costa didn't even play as a striker in 2012/13, and Costa still outscored the goal poacher Hernández, that season. Now that speaks volumes.

Also last season Costa completed more passes then Suarez and Lewandowski, he made more key passes then Aguero, Benzema and Lewandowski and created more chances then Aguero and Lewandowski all while playing less games.

But yeah Costa's link up play is non existent right?

hmmm.. lets see

costa's pass% - 75% CL, 78% PL

aguero's pass% - 82% CL, 86% PL

if you are using stats, atleast use them objectively instead of highligthing your argument.

number of passes mean jacksquat. we had more number of passes. yet we got owned last night. i am sure costa would have had a lot of "completed passes" last night. so thats a good thing?

if costa is not a poacher and needs to be compared with proper strikers like benzema, aguero, suarez, hell even giroud when we talk about link up play. he is levels below them.

also, 24 year old playing as a winger in definitely a weaker league is comparable to a 22 year old scoring 20 goals in his first season in PL? that does speak volumes.

[Tomo 21,733]

Look Costa simply isn't WC by any stretch of the imagination. I couldn't care less about his goal record, Mario Gomez also had an insane record a few years ago as did Huntelaar.

You say he didn't get any chances but I remember Hazard & Ivanovic putting him through in each half & him making a complete mess out of it. Unless he's spoonfed he usually doesn't score. World Class strikers can create their own chances for themselves & others. Costa can't. He gets regularly bossed by defenders that can match his overrated physicality as well. None of that aggro nonsense works in England.

Would Barca, Bayern or Madrid sign a footballer like Diego Costa? We all know the answer.

This is a World Class striker. Zero goals yet still put in an elite performance.

It's funny you mention Drogba, as it took him 6 years and a leading us to a double to win over a fair chunk of the supporters.

After Moscow in 2008 very few were that bothered if he stayed or went, similar in 2009 to a lesser extent, in fact a bit like some with Costa now they wanted a more "flashier" or "likeable" striker.

[Pacquiao 1,834]

It's funny you mention Drogba, as it took him 6 years and a leading us to a double to win over a fair chunk of the supporters.

After Moscow in 2008 very few were that bothered if he stayed or went, similar in 2009 to a lesser extent, in fact a bit like some with Costa now they wanted a more "flashier" or "likeable" striker.

People on here have such short memories

[The Skipper 20,593]

hmmm.. lets see

costa's pass% - 75% CL, 78% PL

aguero's pass% - 82% CL, 86% PL

if you are using stats, atleast use them objectively instead of highligthing your argument.

number of passes mean jacksquat. we had more number of passes. yet we got owned last night. i am sure costa would have had a lot of "completed passes" last night. so thats a good thing?

if costa is not a poacher and needs to be compared with proper strikers like benzema, aguero, suarez, hell even giroud when we talk about link up play. he is levels below them.

also, 24 year old playing as a winger in definitely a weaker league is comparable to a 22 year old scoring 20 goals in his first season in PL? that does speak volumes.

He scored 20 in 26. That's an outstanding ratio whether you like it or not. 36 goals the season before that, arguably the most important player in his team - fired his team to the title and to the CL final. Before that, played out wide and scored 20. 5 games into the season and apparently Lukaku is a better striker than him.

I'm taking everything you say about Costa with a pinch of salt anyway, since you think Lukaku is a better player than him.

[didierforever 7,349]

He scored 20 in 26. That's an outstanding ratio whether you like it or not. 36 goals the season before that, arguably the most important player in his team - fired his team to the title and to the CL final. Before that, played out wide and scored 20. 5 games into the season and apparently Lukaku is a better striker than him.

I'm taking everything you say about Costa with a pinch of salt anyway, since you think Lukaku is a better player than him.

no he was not. i remember villa getting injured midway at a point in the season and ATM struggled a lot. costa's injury barely affected them. they even eliminated barca without costa.

again, no one is denying he is a goal scorer. but saying he is on level with aguero and lewa is being delusional.

nowhere near that.

as for his all round game, u can take it with a pinch of salt, pepper and sugar, but it is hardly any better than lukaku. and its not just 5 games. its been a the whole 2015.

[Tomo 21,733]

no he was not. i remember villa getting injured midway at a point in the season and ATM struggled a lot. costa's injury barely affected them. they even eliminated barca without costa.

again, no one is denying he is a goal scorer. but saying he is on level with aguero and lewa is being delusional.

nowhere near that.

as for his all round game, u can take it with a pinch of salt, pepper and sugar, but it is hardly any better than lukaku. and its not just 5 games. its been a the whole 2015.

People use to say similar about Drogba pre double season, good striker but not on the same level as Eto'o, Villa, even Torres etc etc, it took him dragging us to a double for the him to get the credit he deserved.

Drogba didn't get that credit because he was not the "purist" or most "flashy" choice of striker, similar is happening here imo, Costa may be off form at the minute and he may not be the most pleasing on the eye footballer but lets not forget what he brings us when he's on song.

[didierforever 7,349]

People use to say similar about Drogba pre double season, good striker but not on the same level as Eto'o, Villa, even Torres etc etc, it took him dragging us to a double for the him to get the credit he deserved.

Drogba didn't get that credit because he was not the "purist" or most "flashy" choice of striker, similar is happening here imo, Costa may be off form at the minute and he may not be the most pleasing on the eye footballer but lets not forget what he brings us when he's on song.

and that is the point. DD never needed to be on "song" to be useful for the team.

his aerial presence and his general character always seemed like to be a positive for the team. unlike costa. something as trivial as shielding the ball for a minute at the corner. costa seems to be no where near that level.

[The Skipper 20,593]

no he was not. i remember villa getting injured midway at a point in the season and ATM struggled a lot. costa's injury barely affected them. they even eliminated barca without costa.

again, no one is denying he is a goal scorer. but saying he is on level with aguero and lewa is being delusional.

nowhere near that.

as for his all round game, u can take it with a pinch of salt, pepper and sugar, but it is hardly any better than lukaku. and its not just 5 games. its been a the whole 2015.

In the second half of last season (2015) he scored 7 goals and assisted 2 times in the PL. In 10 games. He wasn't poor. He was struggling with injuries but still managed to get those numbers.

PS. Quite funny how you've gone from Lukaku's all round play being much better than Costa's to Costa's not being that much better...

Lukaku could never play on the wing and be a vital cog in the system like Costa was in 2012/13.

[The Skipper 20,593]

and that is the point. DD never needed to be on "song" to be useful for the team.

his aerial presence and his general character always seemed like to be a positive for the team. unlike costa. something as trivial as shielding the ball for a minute at the corner. costa seems to be no where near that level.

Sorry, this isn't true either. How many times in Didier's career did people get annoyed at him for not being up for it enough? People are forgetting Drogba's bad bits. It was always about whether he was in the mood or not.

I know Didier's your favourite player but stop acting like he had no flaws.

[The Skipper 20,593]

He will never replace Drogba. He was on Stones pocket yesterday.

Did Drogba always dominate defenders? In every single game? He'll never replace Drogba, what sort of statement is that? They're different sort of players.

[didierforever 7,349]

Sorry, this isn't true either. How many times in Didier's career did people get annoyed at him for not being up for it enough? People are forgetting Drogba's bad bits. It was always about whether he was in the mood or not.

I know Didier's your favourite player but stop acting like he had no flaws.

he had flaws. he was mercurial. lets take 09-10 wigan game for example. acted like a baby.

BUT, he was never useless in his game play like costa.

PS - lukaku has already played games on the wings and destoryed arsenal multiple times if i remember correctly. also, if my opinion about costa is to be taken with a pinch of salt, yours about lukaku needs to be taken with a handful of salt since you thought lukaku was "invisible" yesterday.

[Tomo 21,733]

and that is the point. DD never needed to be on "song" to be useful for the team.

his aerial presence and his general character always seemed like to be a positive for the team. unlike costa. something as trivial as shielding the ball for a minute at the corner. costa seems to be no where near that level.

Let's not rewrite history here, there was many times Drogba was almost invisible in a game, especially in the last two seasons where he almost couldn't be bothered if it was any opponent below Spurs, Everton standard, Costa may have his faults but I don't think he will ever see any opponent as beneath him trying his hardest, something Didier did on a few occasions.

The point being however is back in 2008-2009 period similar chat was being made for Drogba than what's happening with Costa now, "he will never be on the same level as Villa or Eto'o" the same way people say it now about Costa regarding Aguero, Benzema etc etc

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

Let's not rewrite history here, there was many times Drogba was almost invisible in a game, especially in the last two seasons where he almost couldn't be bothered if it was any opponent below Spurs, Everton standard, Costa may have his faults but I don't think he will ever see any opponent as beneath him trying his hardest, something Didier did on a few occasions.

The point being however is back in 2008-2009 period similar chat was being made for Drogba than what's happening with Costa now, "he will never be on the same level as Villa or Eto'o" the same way people say it now about Costa regarding Aguero, Benzema etc etc

Drogba was a big game player, if we are talking about pure football ability then a prime Drogba was never as good as a prime Villa or Eto'o, there is a reason why those 2 have multiple seasons of 20-30 goals while Drogba only had 2 with us: 2006/07 and 2009/10.

[Tomo 21,733]

Drogba was a big game player, if we are talking about pure football ability then a prime Drogba was never as good as a prime Villa or Eto'o, there is a reason why those 2 have multiple seasons of 20-30 goals while Drogba only had 2 with us: 2006/07 and 2009/10.

Well if we are going to go down the pure footballing route then Costa is already as good as Drogba has been since he has scored 20 plus goals the last two seasons and led his teams to titles in both, in fact the season before that he hit 21.

Also I didn't keep up with his record vs Barca and Madrid in Spain but for us his big game record ain't too shabby, goal in the cup final, has scored the only time he's faced Arsenal, both times vs Spurs, was unluckynot t net at Ethiad last season and played akey part in Andres goal, winner at Anfield...

[Blue Armour 4,311]

I mean in terms what he did for this team. Diego is overreacting in almost every action.

So what? Diego's temperamental, just like Didier Drogba was. Didier used to go down at times sometimes even halting our attacking play without getting a free kick. If ever, Costa stays on the ground less often.

I know things are not looking good for the team atm, but lets not get carried away here. Costa is pretty much the same striker he was last season, albeit without sharpness, but given good service, I still trust him to do what he did for us last season. Put the ball in the back of the net.

[Tomo 21,733]

So what? Diego's temperamental, just like Didier Drogba was. Didier used to go down at times sometimes even halting our attacking play without getting a free kick. If ever, Costa stays on the ground less often.

I know things are not looking good for the team atm, but lets not get carried away here. Costa is pretty much the same striker he was last season, albeit without sharpness, but given good service, I still trust him to do what he did for us last season. Put the ball in the back of the net.

Exactly, Drogba is a bonafide Chelsea legend and i think that plus the fact his last action of both spells here was on the parade bus down kings road makes some people forget that Drogba was frustrating a lot of the time, some games he didn't bother against shit teams, I don't think we will ever have that problem with Diego.