Talking Points: Costa bites back; signs of life for Hull

Oli Fisher
Chelsea: Continue winning ways

Chelsea: Five men in Lampard's team

Chelsea managed to move back eight points clear at the top of the Premier League table with a 2-0 win over struggling Hull.

Diego Costa and Gary Cahill scored late in each half as Antonio Conte’s men continued their charge, but what did we learn from a routine victory?

 

Answering the critics

Much of the media attention leading up to this game was surrounding Chelsea’s star striker Diego Costa.

To be honest, that is perfectly understandable given that despite this being a “Super Sunday” fixture, it was set up to be a routine win for Chelsea, so the papers needed something else to talk about.

You could perhaps forgive the Spaniard for being somewhat distracted, but he came out and performed the way a true professional does.

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Costa attracts, shall we say, “mixed views” from opposition fans, but when on form there is no doubt that he is a contender for best striker in the Premier League.

Chelsea had found the opening stages difficult as a resolute Hull side frustrated the Blues, but sure enough Diego found a way to show his class.

A lovely low finish broke the deadlock and settled the nerves around Stamford Bridge, and it doesn’t tell the story of a well-rounded performance.

He chased, he battled, and ultimately he scored in his 100th appearance for Chelsea. The papers may well go back to writing about him again tomorrow, but he ensured that for now it will all be positive headlines.

 

Signs of life

Despite the ominous situation Hull City find themselves in, and despite failing to cause a shock in West London, they can hold their heads high.

Marco Silva knew the size of the job he had when he flew over to accept the job on Humberside, but already we can see exactly what he is trying to do.

He may not have the biggest or the best squad to work with, and you can still understand the people who suggest they are destined for the second tier again, yet that didn’t stop them having a go at the team which are most likely going to be champions.

The key word used by Silva was about “competing”. Not just coming to make up the numbers and keep Chelsea at bay, but actually battling with them, and trying to play their style.

There were stages in the game where the home side did look a bit rattled, and with a penalty appeal for the visitors wrongly turned down, plus saves forced from Courtouis, and there were signs of life from the supposedly doomed Tigers.

Hull sit two points from safety – a margin which is not significant at this stage. The real question remains whether Silva will get the backing in January so he can scrape together a team to keep them in the Premier League.

Still, after seeing another relegation-threatened team in Leicester get swept aside earlier, perhaps Hull shouldn’t be the ones most worried after today.

 

The machine keeps rolling

Chelsea were not at their best today, something admitted by manager Antonio Conte, yet they still recorded yet another comfortable home win.

That is the sign of not just a good team, but of champions, and the ‘C’ word will be being used a lot more frequently around West London since Christmas.

Eighteen wins from 22 games, just 15 goals conceded, 47 scored and doing all this when they were afterthoughts for the title going into the season.

The stats speak for themselves: this is one of the most dominant teams in the Premier League era, and they are doing it in the first season of what should be a long-term Conte project.

The story of Chelsea’s 2016/17 season so far is one that for me has been thoroughly under-appreciated and undervalued. That said, it iss easy to overlook when there are the underlying storylines of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, Pep v Jose in Manchester, Spurs continuing their legacy under Pochettino and Arsenal looking to take the next step.

Full credit to Chelsea though; they keep going regardless.