Chelsea v Arsenal

[craig 5,199]

I agree Costa could/should have been sent off, but not for the incident with Koscielny. Do we not see the 'deliberate' failing arms from others quite often? I don't think it's necessarily a red card offense. I feel Costa gets unfairly picked on. He's not innocent, far from it, but others do similar things and they're not picked out at as much. Perhaps it's just my blue-tinted specs?

 

West Ham have been exceptional. However, they are more of a counter-attacking side; It's worked well, but they need to find a way to win at home, when the onus is on them. Great result yesterday. Bilic is a very good coach. I do have a soft spot for West Ham -- great historic, traditional club -- and I'm looking forward to seeing what the new stadium does for them.

 

Haha. His flailing left arm was a clear attempt at connecting with Koscielny. His arm swing behind his back in an unnatural fashion, the intent was abundantly clear and, if you check still shots this morning, he connected. Clear red card.

 

And please don't use the "red tinted specs" argument... The only person with tinted specs here is you... Even SBS, who rarely admits to Chelsea issues, admits Costa could have been sent off more than once yesterday.

 

your use of "flailing arms" is normally for players contesting a ball. His flailing arm was a deliberate attempt to connect with a player. He raised his hands, he connected, there was intent...... What more is needed for a Chelsea player to be sent off ?? An awful lot according to you and Mike Dean

[Rousseau 9,605]

Haha. His flailing left arm was a clear attempt at connecting with Koscielny. His arm swing behind his back in an unnatural fashion, the intent was abundantly clear and, if you check still shots this morning, he connected. Clear red card.

 

And please don't use the "red tinted specs" argument... The only person with tinted specs here is you... Even SBS, who rarely admits to Chelsea issues, admits Costa could have been sent off more than once yesterday.

 

your use of "flailing arms" is normally for players contesting a ball. His flailing arm was a deliberate attempt to connect with a player. He raised his hands, he connected, there was intent...... What more is needed for a Chelsea player to be sent off ?? An awful lot according to you and Mike Dean

 

Aye, fair enough. My point is I've seen these situations before where players flail their arms about connecting with an opponent and haven't seen a red card drawn. You see it for anyone else and it's 'he's a lucky boy', with Costa it's 'he's a disgrace'. No one's talking about Gabriel's behaviour. I see double standards. However, I am willing to admit, perhaps, maybe, that I'm seeing it through blue-tinted specs. Maybe.

[craig 5,199]

I just watched it for the 1st time there in its entirety.

 

Costa is a scumbag. No two ways about it. Dishing it out and then when he deliberately stops to allow Paulista to walk into him backwards starts his bitching and complaining to the ref and 4th official.

 

Tough guy ? Tough guy my arse. Would love to have seen him try that nonsense with someone like Adams or Keown.

 

Paulista was naïve for sure.

 

Rousseau, how you can say that the initial chest bump was Koscielny "falling" is beyond me. Costa clearly throws his chest into him. The tussling for the ball previously I could see as being difficult for the ref to see, likewise even the flailing left arm (even though it was clearly a sending off offence), but he was clearly "at it" because, even as Paulista approaches the referee Costa slaps him on his back, not in that "lets get over this and play the game" type of slap but more of a "take this you prick" type of way. He then gets all biscuit arsed when Paulista slaps him on the chest..... and then he continues the nonsense after that too.

 

You may call it crafty, sneaky or even a "job well done" - but I for one would love to see that type of behavior removed from the game - Diego Costa, almost single-handedly, ruined what could have been an excellent game of football - the fans were cheated. Chelsea, Mourinho, and his team mates may thank Costa for making it an easier 3 points yesterday but in a terrible fashion, by deliberately going out to get a player sent off.

 

Shame on him.

[Rousseau 9,605]

I just watched it for the 1st time there in its entirety.

 

Costa is a scumbag. No two ways about it. Dishing it out and then when he deliberately stops to allow Paulista to walk into him backwards starts his bitching and complaining to the ref and 4th official.

 

Tough guy ? Tough guy my arse. Would love to have seen him try that nonsense with someone like Adams or Keown.

 

Paulista was naïve for sure.

 

Rousseau, how you can say that the initial chest bump was Koscielny "falling" is beyond me. Costa clearly throws his chest into him. The tussling for the ball previously I could see as being difficult for the ref to see, likewise even the flailing left arm (even though it was clearly a sending off offence), but he was clearly "at it" because, even as Paulista approaches the referee Costa slaps him on his back, not in that "lets get over this and play the game" type of slap but more of a "take this you prick" type of way. He then gets all biscuit arsed when Paulista slaps him on the chest..... and then he continues the nonsense after that too.

 

You may call it crafty, sneaky or even a "job well done" - but I for one would love to see that type of behavior removed from the game - Diego Costa, almost single-handedly, ruined what could have been an excellent game of football - the fans were cheated. Chelsea, Mourinho, and his team mates may thank Costa for making it an easier 3 points yesterday but in a terrible fashion, by deliberately going out to get a player sent off.

 

Shame on him.

 

All true...except the chest bump. They both come together there, and there is no way it's enough to cause Koscielny to fall; he's embarrassingly collapsed like a rag doll, trying to get Costa sent off.

 

Costa won the game. Very sneaky indeed; I'd even call it cheating. Diving is 'cheating', but there is a difference between a blatant dive and drawing the foul. A player would get roundly criticised by his team-mates and fans if he doesn't go down. I remember Gary Neville doing a piece on it for MNF, where is suggests it's OK for a player to 'dive' if there is sufficient cause. Neville blames the defenders for rash, naive challenges in that situation. Costa has possibly crossed the line at the weekend, but in general, I do not have a problem with players doing all they can to get their team an advantage to win the game.

 

I have tempered my opinion somewhat after seeing it again. I was just a little too quick in trying to defend him. I still feel he is an easy target.

[craig 5,199]

All true...except the chest bump. They both come together there, and there is no way it's enough to cause Koscielny to fall; he's embarrassingly collapsed like a rag doll, trying to get Costa sent off.

 

Costa won the game. Very sneaky indeed; I'd even call it cheating. Diving is 'cheating', but there is a difference between a blatant dive and drawing the foul. A player would get roundly criticised by his team-mates and fans if he doesn't go down. I remember Gary Neville doing a piece on it for MNF, where is suggests it's OK for a player to 'dive' if there is sufficient cause. Neville blames the defenders for rash, naive challenges in that situation. Costa has possibly crossed the line at the weekend, but in general, I do not have a problem with players doing all they can to get their team an advantage to win the game.

 

I have tempered my opinion somewhat after seeing it again. I was just a little too quick in trying to defend him. I still feel he is an easy target.

 

I have a problem with it when it isn't in the spirit of the game. It ruins the spectacle for fans. Even Kurt Zouma came out this morning and said that Costa is an embarrassment, or something to that effect.

 

How the hell can he be an easy target ? He is made of Teflon. The amount of aggression he shows, more often than not overly aggressive, yet hasn't seen red in 3 years - an easy target ???? for who ? Fans possibly but certainly not officials.

 

I don't think Koscielny tried to get him sent off at all, he got back up immediately and if memory serves me, he didn't go to the ref looking for a card when he did get back up - unlike Costa when he stopped in his tracks and drew Paulista into him - 1st thing was the ref looking for a card and next the 4th official.

 

Yes, it was cheating, in my red tinted specs. He continued to bait Paulista and deliberately stopped walking as Paulista was walking backwards, he drew Paulista to him to get a reaction. That said, Paulista showed an incredible amount of naivety - and, in fact, more experienced heads such as Koscielny should have drawn Paulista away from it as the two of them continued the verbal spat whilst walking back into position.

 

Horrible way to obtain a result - and it is most definitely akin to cheating. Mike Dean should be ashamed of his officiating too - if anything both teams should have been down to 10 men, frustrating that only one did and primarily due to the actions of the other who should have seen red, without a doubt.

 

But I am sure Costa is proud of his actions this morning having used his "experience" to gain an advantage for his team to get 3 points. And I am sure that Mourinho will be as smug as usual at obtaining 3 points - but Costa's card should well and truly be marked by officials after yesterday - so it will be interesting if he continues to get away with his antics in future.

 

Chelsea needed the win more than Arsenal did yesterday so this hardly makes or breaks either team's season - I just HATE seeing players cheating. It is ruining the game.

 

And as I am typing I notice that Costa has been charged with violent conduct. enjoy your ban Diego

[Gribz 743]

There was certainly a strong impact on Koscielny's chest and he didn't expect it hence him falling over.

 

Costa was at it the full game, asking players to get booked, a swipe at Oxlade-Chamberlain......

 

I hope he gets 3 matches, Chelsea will suffer that more than Arsenal losing Gabriel for 3 games.

[Rousseau 9,605]

I have a problem with it when it isn't in the spirit of the game. It ruins the spectacle for fans. Even Kurt Zouma came out this morning and said that Costa is an embarrassment, or something to that effect.

 

How the hell can he be an easy target ? He is made of Teflon. The amount of aggression he shows, more often than not overly aggressive, yet hasn't seen red in 3 years - an easy target ???? for who ? Fans possibly but certainly not officials.

 

I don't think Koscielny tried to get him sent off at all, he got back up immediately and if memory serves me, he didn't go to the ref looking for a card when he did get back up - unlike Costa when he stopped in his tracks and drew Paulista into him - 1st thing was the ref looking for a card and next the 4th official.

 

Yes, it was cheating, in my red tinted specs. He continued to bait Paulista and deliberately stopped walking as Paulista was walking backwards, he drew Paulista to him to get a reaction. That said, Paulista showed an incredible amount of naivety - and, in fact, more experienced heads such as Koscielny should have drawn Paulista away from it as the two of them continued the verbal spat whilst walking back into position.

 

Horrible way to obtain a result - and it is most definitely akin to cheating. Mike Dean should be ashamed of his officiating too - if anything both teams should have been down to 10 men, frustrating that only one did and primarily due to the actions of the other who should have seen red, without a doubt.

 

But I am sure Costa is proud of his actions this morning having used his "experience" to gain an advantage for his team to get 3 points. And I am sure that Mourinho will be as smug as usual at obtaining 3 points - but Costa's card should well and truly be marked by officials after yesterday - so it will be interesting if he continues to get away with his antics in future.

 

Chelsea needed the win more than Arsenal did yesterday so this hardly makes or breaks either team's season - I just HATE seeing players cheating. It is ruining the game.

 

And as I am typing I notice that Costa has been charged with violent conduct. enjoy your ban Diego

 

Again, all true. However, I stand by my opinion; and it is an opinion at the end of the day. We may have to agree to disagree. I'll admit that Costa crossed the line, and has been charged accordingly. Koscielny and Gabriel didn't cover temselves in glory either, but here we are talking about Costa as this absolute disgrace to football.

 

It only ruins the game for neutrals. If one is a Chelsea fan one is delighted to win the game. It's all about winning. There are a lot of these niggling duels between players on the pitch, that can be considered cheating, but go on all the time. Like I said, in general, I do not mind a player doing all he can to win the game.

 

Chelsea are poor, and won't do much; maybe comfortably top 4 in the end, but I doubt they'll be challenging for trophies. Most of their best performers from last year have been very poor. I think they have an ageing squad that needs to be freshened up. This is what Mourinho struggles with.

[Rousseau 9,605]

He's been charged, so I can't really defend him anymore. I trust the opinion of a panel over fans and pundits any day. I admitted he crossed the line, but I maintain that I do not, in general, have a problem with a player 'cheating' to win.

 

Is every form of cheating not in the spirit of the game? What about when a player, with no chance of getting the ball, takes out another who has got a free run at goal? Is that cheating or pragmatic play? Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher regularly talk about the need to obstruct players in a game situation. Is that cheating or pragmatic play? I don't think 'cheating' is as black and white as it's made out to be.

 

Would you rather see your team cheat a little and win, or play with impeccable sporting integrity and lose?

[Gribz 743]

Costa gets 3 matches rightly so. Gabriel's reversed which is lucky, perhaps could have been reduced to a 1 game for a second yellow.

 

As mentioned before Chelsea now have to go into 3 games with Remy or Falcao neither who look top notch at the moment.