Costa admits he's 'running a bit behind' thanks to Liverpool suspension

There has been so much drama in the SW6 over the last month or so that the part where Diego Costa was suspended for three games after the FA declared the un-provable proven -- curious how this particular Occam's Razor didn't quite cut the Ashley Barnes incident the same way, by the by -- has almost been forgotten.  Perhaps the only reason it hasn't really is because Costa's form seems to have taken a bit of a dip ever since.  In fact, he readily admits that to be the case.

"When I was at my best, I had that suspension [after Liverpool] that I still don't even know why it happened.  Now, I'm running a little bit behind, trying to do my best, working hard and hopefully I'll be 100 percent."

So far, all of Diego's goals for Chelsea have come in the Premier League, where he has 17 in just 19 appearances.  In Cup and European games combined, he has 0 in 8.  He's more than ready to kiss that statistical anomaly goodbye on Sunday.

"I don't pick tournaments to score, or rivals or other teams to score against.  I'm a striker, every game I play I want to score. If it hasn't happened in the cup, I'm hoping to God it happens on Sunday."

And of course it goes without saying that despite the slight scoring drought and him being a marked man due to his reputation as a dirty player, he's not going to change his ways.  I'd say that's a good thing.

"I'm not going to change my way of playing."

"I do know now that I have to be a little bit more careful because it's not the same when I do something or when someone else does it.  Something I do, it's talked about much more than another player.  I have to be extra careful but I'm never going to change the way I play. That's what got me here, that's the way I play."