“It can happen that Fabregas isn’t in the starting XI but it can happen to all the players”. “To win on the first game of the season is really important and we played 90 minutes like Tigers”. I know we can improve through the work.
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“I think in the situation with Adriano, he made the right decision”. “We did very well and we played 90 minutes like tigers”. There was Nemanja Matić patrolling the midfield and providing a few lovely passes.
Oscar had a spurious penalty appeal waved away after light contact from Winston Reid, with Costa booked for dissent in the obligatory inquest.
West Ham never looked like scoring until Collins struck in the 77th minute.
“Diego is a great player”. His signing could make all the difference for Chelsea this term. I know that he is a fantastic finisher but I think he can still improve a lot. – West Ham boss, Slaven Bilic.
The Croatian was magnanimous enough to concede that Chelsea’s victory was “deserved”.
And Bilic knows they are now competing with clubs such as Chelsea to sign the players they feel will improve their current squad. “We relied on him too much last season and he can’t do it all on his own even though he nearly does”.
“It was very important to get off to a good start”, he said. This year Premier League starts with some changes in the ruling system and the Premier league welcomes three new teams from the Championship who have been promoted.
Asked about Costa s challenge on Adrian, Conte replied: “I did not see it”.
But it was Costa who ensured the late victory, still on the pitch despite a studded tackle on Adrian that could have earned him a second yellow card.
Costa was booked as a result, approaching the referee to complain, only to receive a quick yellow under the new Premier League rule, which states that players should refrain from approaching officials to contest decisions. It was not a deliberate one.
“Nine times out of 10, when you see that challenge on a goalkeeper, it ends up with a booking”.
“Unfortunately this was the 10th time, but I’m more interested in talking about the game than Diego Costa”.
“We have to wait on Andre Ayew”, said the Croat, whose side travel to Romania on Thursday for the first leg of their Europa League qualifier against Astra Giurgiu. But, to be honest, apart from the first 15 minutes, and the time we equalised, they were better than us.
In future, his team will have to carve out more clear cut chances, and learn to hold on to a lead, if they are to become champions.
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Bilic said: “What gives us hope is that he has done the whole of pre-season”.
