Diego Costa's "Hefty" Price Tag - Truly a Bargain
Chelsea could not have wished for a better start to their 2014/15 season as they have now won all 3 matches so far in their campaign and sit comfortably on top of the Barclay's premier league.
Although much of the good fortunes being enjoyed by Chelsea at the moment is a result of excellent team plays resulting from the team's great dynamics following the infusion of top class players in key areas that seriously needed revamping after the woes of the previous season, a lot of the success being enjoyed right now could, however, be attributed to the form of one of their new signings - Diego Costa.
Costa has wasted no time in stamping his mark in the premier league as he has managed to give solid 5-star displays in every single match of Chelsea's season. And to say that he is beginning to look like the type of front man the Blues have been looking for to lead their attack for some time now will be to say the very least.
Just as he did in his 2013/14 campaign with Athletico Madrid where his contributions saw the Madrid outfit win the La Liga and finish runners-up in the UEFA Champions League, Costa's performance so far for Chelsea have been outstanding.
With stand out Man-of-the-match performances in 2 out of 3 games, the former Athletico Madrid striker has lived up to the faith put in him by the Chelsea Portuegese gaffer. Jose Mourinho was very specific on who he wanted to lead his attack (following the woes of his forward trio of Fernando Torres, Samuel Eto'o and Demba Ba), so much so that he refused to sign a striker in the January transfer window as he was waiting for the Spanish international to become available in the summer.
During an interview following the acquisition of Diego Costa, Jose Mourinho showered praises on the striker, stressing that he is glad to finally have a player that is suited to Chelsea's style of play. He further highlighted that "not just Chelsea should be happy to have him, I think the premier league should too. Sometimes the league loses important players to other leagues, and sometimes we bring new top players to the country."
Before the season kicked off, Diego Costa had given the Chelsea fans a glimpse of what was to come during Chelsea's summer preseason tour. Beside scoring in his very first game for the club, the Spaniard marked his debut on the Blue's turf - Stamford Bridge - with a stunning goal in just a couple of seconds into the match. (A feat he has just replicated in the Chelsea's last game away to Everton). He ended his account on the day with a brace leaving Chelsea supporters with plenty to look forward to.
How many goals will Diego Costa score for Chelsea this Season?
Diego Costa's goal tally of 4 goals in 3 games is indeed remarkable and justifies his transfer fee which many, including the Chelsea boss, considered quite hefty. But with arguably one of the best starts to a new season by a Chelsea striker in recent times, his performances have received applause from many especially his teammates. Chelsea returnee and legend, Didier Drogba, expressed that “Diego Costa has started very well.” “He looks special and is scoring goals and helping the team. He has settled right in and has started much better than I did.”
Costa leading the attack presents a whole new complexion to Chelsea's game. This is not just because of the goals he scores, but because of his overall contribution to the team. His physical attributes makes him a huge threat to defenders going forward, and an addition to the back line during dead ball situations when the team is forced to defend.
Last season, Chelsea were edged out of a top 2 finish by Manchester City and Liverpool - two teams with attackers firing from all cylinders while Chelsea's attackers struggled. Jose Mourinho was quick to dismiss any chance of winning the league last time around but would have nobody convinced should he decide to say the same about the present crop, especially with Diego Costa leading the front line.
£32m for a player currently is still a hefty sum. But with the impact the Spanish front man has had in his first month in the Premier league, I bet we can all agree that that sum was, as Jose Mourinho rightfully described, a bargain.