How Diego Costa’s success erased Chelsea’s striking nightmares

How Diego Costa’s success erased Chelsea’s striking nightmares [VIDEO]

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In a competition that loves easy media targets, Diego Costa’s arrival in the Premier League drew immediate spotlights, both for his own reputation and the void that needed to be filled at Stamford Bridge.

Bad memories are quickly forgotten in West London, particularly the grimaces that would accompany a Fernando Torres miss from six-yards out on a wide open goal.

While the Spaniard’s four years will forever be a £50+million blemish on a rise to modern dominance, a pseudo-fellow countryman has since provided the firepower that Chelsea had been lacking for so long.

Jose Mourinho added a number of key pieces to the team that finished third in the standings in 2013/14, and after the Blues scored over 30 goals less than the eventual champions Manchester City, there was none more so important than a hitman which can hit the target on a weekly basis.

“We don’t have the kind of striker able to, in a short space, to make an action, to score a goal, to open the gate,” said the ‘Special One’ after a May 2014 scoreless draw with Norwich City.

“We have to try to win as a team, to improve as a team, but also add the attacking player with that killer instinct and the number of goals that push teams to different levels.”

The search ended with the former-Atletico talisman Costa, who had seen multiple loan spells during his time in Spain but had enjoyed constant scoring success. The move to Chelsea was completed in July of last year.

From the first game of the season the £32 million investment (a small price tag when compared to what may have been paid for Torres) began to show dividends, as Costa opened his English account in the 3-1 opening day win over Burnley. Along with his first goal in blue, this would also mark the first combination with fellow new arrival Cesc Fabregas, the two quickly becoming the most feared pairing in the competition.

It would prove to be no Premier League beginners luck either, as eight goals in the next six games followed – including a hat-trick against Swansea.

Scoresheets aside, Costa is one of those rare personalities that are almost larger than the events on the pitch. He polarises stadiums as the blue faithful take any small opportunity to cry ‘Diego! Diego!’, but enrages opposition supporters with his penchant for physical battles with defenders, more often than not resulting in bookings on both sides.

Probably the most bizarre of these on-field fracases came against West Brom’s Gareth McAuley in the penultimate game of the season, the battle in-front of goal between the two momentarily overheating and while the referee was intervening, a Fabregas struck ball hit Chris Brunt in the head and resulted in an immediate red card for the playmaker.

Yet among the teams lofty successes, Costa’s first Premier League campaign was constantly clouded with a hamstring injury, noticeably affecting his performance on a number of occasions and forcing him to the sidelines for a large part of the late season. A converted spot-kick in the final game against Sunderland provided a deserved end to his first run in English football.

Mourinho is already making sure he has a number of options, but the 26-year-old will undoubtedly remain the first choice striker, and If can use the off-season to heal, a prospect of Costa at 100% is menacing to any prospective challengers. This too is if he can keep his temper under control, the eight yellow cards received over 2014/15, a number of which were for simulation, indicative of the reputation that is quickly becoming more than just a first impression.

A true throwback to an era of forwards gone-by, the mix of confidence which comes from a deadly finishing ability, and near-brutality at times when inside the 18-yard box, makes the perfect recipe for a Shakespearean love/hate relationship.

Inside the West-London camp there is nobody who is spoken higher of for the positivity that is brought to the team, from trashing his forwards last year Mourinho is now full of praise:

“He’s such a communicator, he’s such a group guy: he’s such a happy man that despite not speaking more than 10 words in English, he still speaks with everybody.

“Just because of his gestures and body language, and happiness and so on, everybody likes the guy so much.”

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A once-woeful attack has been turned upside down, Costa finishing their title winning season with 20 goals from 32 total appearances. While this is an impressive tally in its own right, it speaks volumes for the Blues, as it equals the number of goals scored by Torres in 110 games.

There may be no better home for the fiery Spaniard than Stamford Brigde, and whether you are a fan or not, there is a lot more ‘quality time’ left to be spent between Costa and Premier League supporters.

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