If Chelsea are to rely on Diego Costa for late winning goals this season, as has happened in both Premier League games so far, they will need to ensure that he is still on the pitch. At Watford on Saturday, just as against West Ham in last Monday’s success by the same score, he could easily have been dismissed by a stricter referee shortly before coming up with the decisive strike.
Once more he had been shown a yellow card for dissent, in this case claiming to have been fouled before Watford broke away to take the lead with a fierce shot from Etienne Capoue.
A second card should probably have followed for a theatrical dive as Chelsea found some belated urgency, inspired by manager Antonio Conte’s three substitutions.
Instead, the Spanish international was able to pounce onto a perfect through pass from one of the replacements, Cesc Fabregas, and beat Heurelho Gomes, who had earlier failed to hold Eden Hazard’s low drive, allowing Michy Batshuayi, another substitute, to equalise.
Conte agreed that the first card was deserved but was not prepared to agree that a second should have been shown. A passionate man, he admires similar qualities in his main striker, but has already found it necessary to warn him about improving his disciplinary record. Even without red cards, Costa will soon find himself suspended if the yellows continue to be flashed at him under the new clampdown on dissent.
“Diego must be focused on the game and not take notice of other players, or managers or the press who say bad things about him,” Conte said.
“It’s important to pay attention during the game. He’s an important player. He can score a lot of goals and I want him to put himself in the game and not think of other situations. I try to speak with all my players and with them individually too. But what I say to them I prefer to keep between me and them.”
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