Diego Costa – Back to his best in a Chelsea shirt?

Diego Costa is the Premier League top goal scorer this season so far with nine goals. I am asking the question if you believe he is back to his best or playing even better?

Diego Costa has received plaudits from all angles of late for his scoring record and rightly so. However, there is so much more to his game than scoring goals and as yet I personally do not believe he receives enough credit.

As Chelsea fans we love him and have done so since he first signed for the club. We loved his passion for the game when he first arrived, his hunger for goals and also that mean streak that plenty of people focused on.

In that first season with us, Costa’s goals led us to the title alongside Eden Hazard’s performances and Cesc Fabregas’ assists. Costa was on fire and scoring for fun in the first part of the season, not so prolific in the second half but he finished with twenty-one goals in a total of thirty-seven games in all competitions that year.

Last season was a very different story for a number of reasons. Returning from his summer break looking out of shape, roaming out of position and let’s be honest, looking to scrap with anyone that would entertain him before Jose Mourinho was sacked, Costa looked a shadow of himself.

Credit Guus Hiddink who, after taking over the club for a second time, spoke with Costa and explained that he just wanted him to focus on playing through the middle and to score goals. It worked a treat and Costa found his goalscoring boots once again. He finished the season scoring sixteen goals in forty-one games.

So to this season and he looks like a different player, a better player than when he first arrived. He looks fitter than ever and not having to play European football helps giving him time to rest inbetween games, he looks so sharp on the ball and in front of goal, his workrate is fantastic in games as he drops off his marker to always make himself available, he is playing with confidence with the nutmeg on Phil Jagielka on the halfway line and drive forward towards the Everton box in the build up to the Pedro goal as a perfect example but it’s the understanding he has with Eden Hazard that is something to behold every week. It’s no coincidence that both are playing fantastically well at the moment.

Antonio Conte has come into the club and has demanded team work and team spirit. As a result, with his tactical change, we have witnessed a complete team performance for four games in a row culminating with the best performance I have personally witnessed at Stamford Bridge ever with the 5-0 drubbing of Everton on Saturday.

Diego Costa typifies what is expected. There is no histrionics anymore, no fights or scuffles with anyone, he just gets on with the game, working hard for the team and is surely now playing better than ever.

Here is a video demonstrating exactly what I am talking about – Costa’s personal performance against Everton:

How would you rate Diego Costa at the moment? Back to his best or even better?