Jose defends Costa over diving claims

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 13: Diego Costa of Chelsea holds off Curtis Davies of Hull City during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Hull City at Stamford Bridge on December 13, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Jamie McDonald/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 13: Diego Costa of Chelsea holds off Curtis Davies of Hull City during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Hull City at Stamford Bridge on December 13, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Jamie McDonald/Getty Images)

Published Dec 15, 2014

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Whatever else gets said about Jose Mourinho, he certainly has an acute sense of timing.

Not only because he claimed Diego Costa is unfairly treated by referees having just watched him collect a booking for diving but also that he did so while Chris Foy, the latest official in question, was nearby.

It led to a rather amusing scene in a Stamford Bridge corridor following Chelsea’s win.

Mourinho had just been asked if he was frustrated about Costa’s treatment by officials, a follow-up question to his earlier assertion that only two of the Spaniard’s seven yellow cards this season — two for simulation — were warranted. That’s when Mourinho spotted Foy.

‘You have to ask Mr Foy,’ Mourinho said. ‘Mr Foy, tell the guys please. Diego Costa is crying because you gave him a yellow card! And these guys are asking me why.’

Foy reached into his pocket and offered Mourinho a tissue. It was intended and accepted as a light-hearted gesture.

But that should not disguise what was a worrying pattern on Saturday where two Chelsea players — Willian and Costa — were booked for simulation and a third, Gary Cahill, escaped what should have been his second yellow card after an embarrassing tumble in the area. Hull manager Steve Bruce was furious about that reprieve, though Mourinho feels he is also entitled to be bemused, such is his belief that Costa is the victim of unfair perceptions from his time at Atletico Madrid.

Mourinho said: ‘I remember two (of Costa’s yellows) that are understandable and fair. Against Newcastle and Liverpool. Other times he touches one guy and it is a yellow card. Everything he does is a yellow card.

‘Why? I don’t know. I think when he was at Atletico he created a certain image and people don’t believe that he can change. People don’t understand that he is intelligent enough to understand and to change — because he (has) changed.’

He added: ‘In England, normally referees are very good. And more than the referees, the fans — they are very fair in that analysis. They don’t like the elbows, the spitting. And he learned. He had lessons on it. Not just me or my staff, also people like (Cesc) Fabregas, (Cesar) Azpilicueta — the ones that speak Spanish well with him and they have his ear. The guy is clean.’

Mourinho had given Costa a four-day holiday and the striker rewarded his manager.

‘He went with his family to a weather where he can take his shirt off and get some sun. Then, in return, he said he’d come back fresh. He came back with that happiness in his legs.’

Shortly after, Foy came over with his tissue. Mourinho might have had greater cause to use it over the loss of Frank Lampard to Manchester City, though he insists it was the right decision to let him go.

He said: ‘The project is to prepare for the next 10 years, not for the next year. We made the right decision. You can argue, “You have John Terry and Didier Drogba”. Different. Drogba is a striker that is coming to help and support and JT is the best central defender in English football and it doesn’t matter how old he is. The nucleus of the team has to be developed. If you have a big player like Frank we would stop the development of the other guys.’

The victory was some way short of Chelsea’s highest standards this season and Mourinho admitted: ‘I have to agree — we have had many special performances this season and in this (game) we just had moments.’

Bruce, meanwhile, has accepted he made a mistake in taking Hatem Ben Arfa on loan from Newcastle. The Frenchman has made only eight appearances and is believed to be training alone in France.

Bruce said: ‘Sometimes transfers work out and sometimes they don’t. I can’t see there being a future. There has been no fall-out — he’s been omitted from the squad because when you are up against it, I believe you need to show a bit of resilience and unfortunately Hatem sees it differently.’

CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Cech 6; Ivanovic 7.5, Cahill 4, Terry 6, Luis 6.5; Mikel 5.5 (Ramires 82min), Matic 6.5; Willian 6.5 (Schurrle 80), Oscar 6.5 (Drogba 78), Hazard 8; Costa 7. Subs not used: Schwarzer, Zouma, Remy, Azpilicueta. Booked: Cahill, Willian, Costa. Scorers: Hazard 7, Costa 68.

Hull City (3-5-2): McGregor 6.5; Chester 6, Dawson 6 (Bruce 10, 6.5), Davies 6; Elmohamady 5, Livermore 6, Huddlestone 4, Meyler 5.5, Robertson 6; Jelavic 5.5 (Ramirez 74, 6), Aluko 5.5 (Brady 64, 6). Subs not used: Jakupovic, Rosenior, Hernandez, Quinn. Booked: Meyler, Chester, Bruce. Sent off: Huddlestone.

Man of the match: Eden Hazard.

Referee: Chris Foy 4.5. – Daily Mail

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