Diego Costa has been a highly controversial figure in the Premier League since arriving from Atletico Madrid in 2014 for £30M. He scored 21 goals that season as he helped Chelsea to League and League Cup double. Even though he had his troubles and controversies, which undoubtedly are many, collective success managed to curtail media attention in his debut season. However, in his second season, he had no such fortune as the defending champions were extremely poor. During this slump, all his deficiencies were highlighted and he was put to the sword by pundits and fans alike even though he scored 16 goals during the campaign.
Currently in his third season, he is beginning to show the form he exhibited during his first season. He has 6 goals in 7 premier league games and is increasingly looking like the lethal Atleti striker that notched 36 goals in a single season. Should he continue to put on these consistent performances, could he potentially become a Chelsea great?
The first impression he creates on many people is a familiar one. A big Chelsea forward who is powerful, agile, cool finisher and a huge personality on and off the pitch? Could be a bit comical at times and always ready for a fight? Sounds like a familiar Chelsea legend, right? If he reminded you of ‘Le Grand Maître’ Didier Drogba, then you are definitely not alone. With both players sharing a lot of similarities, it is not improbable for one to follow the others footsteps.
In fact, if we are to compare their first two seasons, Diego Costa comes out on top after bagging 37 goals in 78 games, while Drogba came short with 32 in 82. Admittedly, the latter won the Premier League during both those seasons which is undoubtedly worth more when comparing two players. Nonetheless, the parallels are there for all to see, similar goal scoring statistics, similar gameplay, only time and trophies differentiate them.
Diego Costa in recent times has come under a lot of scrutiny for his appalling, unsportsmanlike behaviour. Sometimes, these incidents tend to overshadow his footballing abilities and it becomes more difficult to acknowledge him as a great striker. As previously mentioned his performances in his first season and his second were not too different, only 5 goals apart, yet one is deemed successful yet the other, a failure. Yes, collective failure and the dismissal of their manager played a part, but his behaviour ultimately was the biggest concern.
With many media outlets linking Diego Costa back to Atletico during the summer, it would have not been surprising had he returned during the past transfer window. Especially with the way he was demonised during his poor form when he scored only 4 goals in 20 league games. But eventually he stayed even though the player still admits that he misses Madrid but is “very happy in London” . With this new season, he looks back on track and certainly has the qualities to become a great. Nonetheless, only time will tell whether he can fulfil this enormous expectation.
Article By: Yahya, @Mahyze
