LAY OFF DIEGO! BY JACK GAUGHAN
Time to highlight how defenders target him, demands Mourinho
JOSE MOURINHO believes double standards are afoot in the continued hounding of Diego Costa and urged television companies to highlight the wanton treatment he receives.
Chelsea’s talisman striker scored one and made another — an Alan Hutton own goal — in the win over Aston Villa as he returned from a three- match ban handed out retrospectively by the FA for a clash with Arsenal’s Gabriel Paulista.
That was a decision that angered Mourinho and t he manager launched another impassioned defence of Costa.
Mourinho feels that the antics of Costa’s markers, attempting to wind him up and tap into his temper, are being ignored.
He is resigned to the FA not acting and praised the striker’s equanimity after an afternoon where he was subject to plenty of brinkmanship.
‘I’m pleased he didn’t react, but I would be even happier i f the people who find his hypothetical or real negative moments were honest the other way and show and show and show,’ said Mourinho.
‘He will be targeted until the moment people point the finger at them and show the i mages, re-show the images and have the top pundits speaking about it.’
The most pronounced tangle Costa endured against Villa came when he and Ashley Westwood postured on the turf. Replays appeared to show Westwood grab Costa’s groin. Asked whether he felt the FA would act, Mourinho replied wryly: ‘Let’s see what happens.’
He also accepts Costa has not been blameless during his stint in English football. Fifteen yellow cards and t wo t hree - match suspensions are testament to that. Chelsea have missed him greatly.
Mourinho said: ‘When you lose him we’re a bit in trouble because the team always depends on a striker like him, from a character and personality like him.
‘Diego isn’t a leader in the dressing room, he doesn’t even speak English well, but in the game, the way he plays, the way he gives his body to the cause is brilliant.’
Another Spain i nternational, Pedro, has found life tough since his £21million move from Barcelona i n August, but his opinion of Mourinho has switched sharply.
‘We knew we played in games that caused so much debate and discussion but we leave all that there,’ said Pedro. ‘This is a new era.’
Meanwhile, Tim Sherwood says he gets ‘bored’ watching his Aston Villa side and has told them they must not be scared to lose.
He is under pressure, with Villa stuck in the bottom three having lost their last five league games.
They have scored just two goals in their last four and Sherwood admitted: ‘The last few weeks I’ve felt bored watching it. People going square, sideways, I’m not telling them to do that. I’m telling them to express themselves.’
There are suggestions that failure to beat Swansea on Saturday would see him sacked, but after this defeat he rejected the view that he must be more pragmatic to save his job.
‘Why do we need to be more pragmatic?’ he said. ‘I would never be pragmatic. I’m trying to instil in them not to be scared to lose.
‘If anyone should be scared to lose then it should be me. But I’m not. I want to go out on the front foot and if I die, I die on my sword.’
A press officer denied Sherwood t he opportunity t o answer questions about Villa’s summer recruitment policy of l argely signing youngsters to replace departed star names.
But Sherwood added: ‘ We’re a team in transition with a young group of players. It’s obvious for everyone to see.’ CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Begovic; Azpilicueta, Zouma, Terry, Baba; Ramires, Fabregas; Willian (Remy 90), Loftus-Cheek (Matic 46), Pedro (Hazard 83); Costa. Subs not used: Oscar, Mikel, Cahill, Blackman. Booked: Willian. ASTON VILLA (4-2-3-1): Guzan; Hutton, Richards, Lescott, Richardson (Amavi 64); Westwood, Gueye; Gill, Grealish, Ayew (Traore 69); Gestede. Subs not used: Bacuna, Sinclair, Sanchez, Bunn, Crespo. Booked: Ayew, Richardson, Grealish. Referee: Roger East. Attendance: 41,596.