Chelsea Terrace Talk – Irish Examiner Article By Trizia
I LOVE beating Arsenal – I absolutely LOVE IT. They just take it SO badly – it’s always somebody else’s fault, they’ve always been swindled, it’s not fair, they’re the Corinthians of the English game doncha know. There are toys scattered all around North London.
Let’s just clarify one thing before we continue – Chelsea were, by far, the better side – even when the teams were still eleven v eleven.
It was pretty evident that Arsenal players had been briefed to wind Diego Costa up – sly little digs, pushes, grappling etc – bet they thought it was a sure-fire way to get him sent off – well that back-fired quite spectacularly didn’t it?
I have absolutely no sympathy for either Gabriel nor Cazorla – Cazorla especially was lucky not to get sent off earlier.
This was Arsenal at their worst to be honest – arrogant, ill-disciplined, delusional – thinking they could just turn up at The Bridge and be allowed to dictate the path of the game – well not on Mourinho’s watch!
Given our less than successful start to the season I think Wenger believed he could just turn up and we would lay down and die – he’s not learnt much from Jose’s reign – either of them. Mourinho’s Chelsea are at their most dangerous when wounded and given the history between the managers, there was no way the Portugeezer was going to give Wenger the pleasure of putting another nail in our coffin.
It’s quite amusing that Wenger and Arsenal fans are up in arms about Gabriel’s sending off, and in the same breath berating Costa – after all Gabriel was himself guilty of trying to wind up Costa – apparently a trait that is outrageous in our centre forward and he should be banned for it – but when Gabriel does it, gets caught and sent off it’s an outrage. You dance with the devil, you’re gonna get burnt – especially when that devil has had far more practice than you!
Costa gave an interview this week where he said that he wasn’t sure that he deserves the unconditional love he is receiving from the Chelsea fans. Chelsea fans love nothing more than a passionate, proper centre forward whose one aim is to win – and that’s what Costa is. Arsenal fans and whoever can be as outraged as they like but if they were in anyway honest with themselves they would LOVE Costa in their side. He’s the kind of centre-forward that wins you things – Drogba was another – he was pretty unpopular when he joined us too.
Wenger was pretty pathetic in his post match interview – all but calling upon the FA to ban Costa – playground stuff – it’s akin to picking a fight, losing the fight, and then going to the headmaster to grass that the other boy hit you. Your plan failed, you got your ass whopped by Mourinho – again – just take it like a man and perhaps learn a lesson or two.
Of course this will all make Costa a marked man all the more. I imagine he won’t even be able to give one of his stares without getting booked now but hey – it was worth it.
The ridiculous reaction in the press will ensure the FA will get involved of course. They always respond to media hysteria and the fact that it involves Arsenal – the footballing equivalent of the Queen Mother and Mother Theresa all rolled into one can mean only one thing – a retrospective ban for our Diego.
There have been plenty of players of Costa’s ilk throughout the English game over the years – and Mourinho’s right – they do bring colour and theatre to make it the most watchable in the world. I have no issue with referees doing their thing on the pitch but trial by media for retrospective bans is ridiculous – but we all know it’s coming.
So hopefully we have finally turned that corner and we can at last perhaps get over the St. James’s Park hoo-doo this Saturday. Will JT regain his position? Will Oscar keep his place when Willian is fit again? Will Jose tell Costa to tone it down a bit? Are Fabregas and Hazard finally rediscovering their form again? I think there is a lot going on behind the scenes with Mourinho trying to overhaul the team – only time will tell.
Anyway – it’s been a good week to be a Chelsea fan – thank you once again Arsenal Football Club – the gift that just keeps giving.
Posted by Trizia
(You can see all the Terrace Talk articles here)
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