Chelsea striker Diego Costa has been on the bench in his side’s last two games, and the clip below arguably shows why Jose Mourinho believes that he deserves to be there.
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The Spaniard came on at half-time for the Premier League champions during their 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening, but he was unable to change the course of the game.
While the defeat keeps the Blues in 14th place in the table, with just 15 points from 15 games having already lost eight games this season, it would have done little to ease the pressure on Mourinho who remains in charge ahead of this week’s Champions League clash with Porto.
Despite giving Costa the opportunity to prove himself, as well as backing him on Friday by dismissing transfer speculation, as reported by The Independent, Costa did little to repay that faith with his display this weekend.
Although he appeared to be fired up after initially taking to the pitch, his lack of effort in getting on the end of a superb cross from Willian would have left Mourinho incensed by the Spanish striker’s lack of desire to get on the end of it and put his body on the line for the team.
Instead, it was midfielder Nemanja Matic who headed towards goal, and although the Serbian international will be bitterly disappointed with his miss, it doesn’t escape from the fact that many would have expected Costa to be in that position and heading the ball home.
The former Atletico Madrid star was highlighted by Match of the Day pundit Ian Wright in the background, with the replay later showing him walking away from the play as Matic sent his header over which only served as further proof that the Spaniard is nowhere near the top of his game currently.
Costa has scored just four goals in 18 appearances in all competitions so far this season, and it remains to be seen whether or not the 27-year-old continues on the bench or is able to fight his way back into Mourinho’s first-team plans.
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