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Chelsea FC At The Emirates: 4 Post-Match Musings

By Ejoh Celestine

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 24: Captains Theo Walcott of Arsenal and John Terry of Chelsea with the match officials before the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on January 24, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 24: Captains Theo Walcott of Arsenal and John Terry of Chelsea with the match officials before the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on January 24, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 24: Diego Costa of Chelsea celebrates after he scores to make it 0-1 during the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on January 24, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 24: Diego Costa of Chelsea celebrates after he scores to make it 0-1 during the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on January 24, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images) /

3. Red Hot Costa

Diego Costa’s winning goal was his 6th goal in as many games since Hiddink took over as interim boss. Many claimed that Costa was one of the “3 rats” that cost Jose Mourinho his job at Chelsea and while I may agree that the Spaniard’s petulance and tendency for being too dramatic did not help his cause, his loss of form in front of goal was largely as a result of one simple fact…Jose Mourinho!

It isn’t a coincidence that Costa’s struggles in front of goal commenced the moment Mourinho decided that shutting up shop was the best way to play after Chelsea’s humiliating defeat to Tottenham on New Year Day in 2015. Costa was forced to start getting more involved in the build-up play by fulfilling the role of a target man which he lacked the skill, aerial ability and physical strength to accomplish effectively. As a result, he spent most of his time on the pitch away from the area where he is more dangerous: close to or inside the 18-yard box where he has scored every single one of his 33 goals for the Blues till date.

While he is yet to tone down his petulant streak and tendency for being too dramatic, his goal return since Hiddink took over has improved greatly simply because the Dutchman has him playing to his strengths, using his pace to make runs of the shoulder of opposing central defenders and more importantly taking advantage of his knack for finding spaces to cause damage inside the 18-yard box (goals against Arsenal, Scunthorpe and Crystal Palace as cases in point).

So no matter how disappointed the fans may have felt after Mourinho got sacked, he was largely responsible for Costa’s loss of form and the 27-year-old Spaniard did not deserve the criticism he received from the supporters in the aftermath of Mourinho’s sacking. His recent run of form has proven that as a fact.

Next: 4. Thibaut Courtois

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