The Chelsea manager said before the game that his out-of-sorts Spanish striker was lacking confidence and Costa certainly did not look a happy soul when, late on, he realised he was not going to be brought on as a substitute. His behaviour was normal.
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“If he wants to hurt me it would not be with a bib”. “I don’t think his form warranted him playing”.
Despite the absences of Loic Remy and Radamel Falcao, Eden Hazard was used as Chelsea’s furthest forward attacker in the goalless north London derby – rather than last season’s top scorer. I am happy with my decision and the players.
Yet Mourinho played down suggestions that his relationship with Costa has broken down and that the striker’s attitude has become a cause for concern.
“Diego is physically fine, no problems”. He’s always a positive guy in the team.
“Diego is privileged because he was the last player (to go) on the bench”, said Mourinho after the match.
Mourinho revealed Costa was ready to play and warmed up when instructed to during the second half.
“The message to every one of my players – not (just) Diego, to every one of my players – when we play as a team and when, especially, we defend as a team, the team is much better”, Mourinho added.
Chelsea now lie 14th in the EPL standings after a poor start to the season, yet Hazard has dismissed talk of a rift opening between the players and manger Jose Mourinho, insisting everyone is unhappy following their inconsistent start to the campaign.
“When I asked him to warm-up he did”.
Mourinho expects to have a fully-fit squad, including Terry and long-term injury victim Thibaut Courtois, for next Saturday’s clash with Bournemouth.
“After these three results in a row, we can look to December – when we have three matches at Stamford Bridge and two matches away at Manchester United and Leicester, two of the top teams – with enthusiasm”.
Eden Hazard accepts Jose Mourinho is “the boss” at Chelsea, following the manager’s claim that the Belgian isn’t his ideal No.10.
Spurs were not their usual, high-energy, pressing, relentless selves while Chelsea were pre-dictably cagey as they feel their way back into the season.
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“The game went in the direction we wanted to take, we had a very good period in the first half where we should score, and in the second half we had a couple of chances and one of them is a giant chance”. We’re the youngest team in the Premier League and the maturity we showed today we have shown in different games. We won against Norwich, we drew here and we play a good game at home next week which we have to win. “We will continue to work hard and continue to take pleasure from our game”.
