John Hartson was waded into the controversy over Diego Costa.
The Chelsea striker was the centre of attention yesterday as he picked up a booking in the win over Arsenal and goaded
Shortly before half-time Costa twice put his hand into the face of Laurent Koscielny with Gabriel racing in to support his team-mate.
The dispute between Gabriel and the Spanish striker continued as the players headed for the halfway line with Gabriel handed a second yellow card for attempting to back-heel his opponent.
Having started the scrap with Kosielny Costa left his opponents a man down as they headed for Arsene Wenger’s half time team talk. Chelsea scored twice after the break with Wenger’s anger aimed firmly at Costa as Jose Mourinho sneered at his opposite number.
Hartson played on the edge throughout his career with his aggression channelled towards inflicting maximum damage on opponents- almost always within the laws of the game.
No I don’t, he should have been sent off yesterday for throwing his arm into Koscielny ‘s face.he was lucky. https://t.co/w7j5T2SGFl
— John Hartson (@JohnHartson10) September 20, 2015
Taking issue with the Chelsea striker the Welshman said: “Lots of rubbish being spoken about Costa. He can’t play being nice he needs to get into the zone to play his best. Worked up and on the edge.
“He should have been sent off yesterday for throwing his arm into Koscielny ‘s face, He was lucky. It needs to be controlled aggression and yes he has taken it over the score at times.”
Speaking after the match about Costa Wenger said: “He will do the same again next week and the week after that and he always gets away with it. That is the least they could do.
“Costa can do what he wants and yet he stays on and everyone who responds to him has to be sent off. He hits Koscielny in the face yet he gets away with it.
“I understand referee Mike Dean’s decision to send Gabriel off. He was guilty and should not have got involved but why does Costa stay on the pitch after what he has done?
“Costa is always involved in provocation and he used the naivety of Mike Dean well. It is nothing to do with the strength of a referee. You expect him to make the right decision.”
Happy birthday to the King of Kings ???????????????? #legend
— John Hartson (@JohnHartson10) September 20, 2015
Stupidity by the Arsenal players…at 0-0 the game was going their way, to fall for such an obvious ploy shows how inane Gabriel was. I fully expect Costa to get banned following the TV highlights, but the damage has been done. I was told early on, if I am being sent off – make sure I take someone with me LOL. Everyone is fully aware of Costa’s style and should have been fully prepared for his antics, ensured the referee was warned to watch him and act accordingly.
Deserved sending off for Gabriel for being an clown and falling for it.
Costa is a cheat and a coward. He got as far away from Gabriel as he possibly could because the Arsenal player had decided that if he was going off then he was going to leave his mark on the Chelsea coward first……..pity his team mates held him back.
Costa is a perfect fit for Jose Mourinho. He is a cheat just like his boss. Wenger is as bad of course. He has also a history of sending his players out to cheat just like Jose does. But as much as I detest both men, Arsenal were cheated by these terrible decisions made by Dean, normally a very competent ref.
But it almost looked like Dean was making these decisions to appease the home crowd as well as Mourinho who is constantly claiming refs are against his team. Mike Dean went down in my estimation yesterday. He is normally above intimidation, but he was pressured yesterday and failed miserably.