Another difficult game to judge where we are.

11 against 11 we looked better then we have so far.

The officials had a bad game and yes it was probably more in favour then Arsenal's but the sending off was avoidable with a degree of intelligence something Arsenal have been lacking for quite a while. Wenger says Costa repeats his behavior every game yet his players continued to get involved, That's not Costa's fault that's his and his players mistake.

Costa style is combative, he has to play on the very edge and will once every so often go over the edge and that is something we have to learn to manage. I think if we manage him well enough to can also manage to harness it better.

Hopefully the Newcastle game will give us a better picture of where the team is

I very much doubt that will happen, I don't see any top team in the future having players lasting that long.

Beating Arsenal is one of life's joys isn't it.

I can imagine they are still getting their knickers in a twist about Costa, they will be calling him all the names under the sun and how he is a criminal etc.

Arsenal fan TV is always worth watching after they lose (have some respect for a guy called Claude or something as he for the most talks sense) they really are a embarrassment

I heard a phone in last night and their reactions were hilarious.
Some though can see thru all the crap and realise their own short comings without it being everyone else's fault.

I'm a neutral coming in here.

So do you guys like what Costa did?
If you were on the other end, would you be going mad during phone-in's? Would you be calling him all the names under the sun?

Just curious that all on what you think of his behavior as a player sometimes.

Not sure what I enjoy more the beating of them or the great reaction we gave to Cech and the vile and embarrassing reaction they gave to Cesc while maintaining we lack class and are "chav scum".

I actually have a life so would not be going mad on phone-ins

I would be upset if we was dumb enough to fall for his antics. He has been here for a season now and everyone knows what he is like. Plus according to the "experts" he has made a career out of doing this. There is a very simple way to combat them, It's called smiling and walking away. If you really want to "get revenge" go and win the game.

I neither like or dislike what he did. I liked the reaction to it as it continues to prove that Wenger's teams continue to make the same mistakes time and time again.

There is footage on you tube of a previous incident between the two players.

He smacked Kos in the face, then whacked him with his arm before flooring him. How can you you justify these actions on a football pitch. It has nothing to do with football.

Don't need to justify them. That's not anyone's place

To much much time is spent talking about pointless things in the game today.

What happened happened.

If you are so unintelligent or unprofessional to fall for such obvious behavior then you deserve everything you get.

Unintelligent and unprofessional, now that's definitely De Costa. How is receiving a smack in the face, an arm in the face and a shove to the floor unprofessional?

It not. Nobody said it was.

But the reason Arsenal went down to 10 men is because someone reacted in the way Costa wanted.

Zola reaction to such behavior? Get up smile and walk away (and often either help or put the small object that the players chase around into the goal which is the best way to react).

The best way to stop Costa's "crimes" is for the players to ignore it and get on with what they paid to do and play football. The second his antics no longer gets the dumb reactions they get they will more then likely stop and even if they don't they will still fail to be successful.

Flooring him
You certainly are a bunch of lightweights mate.
Instead of falling over like a girl he should of stood his ground.
I have seen far worse at a game before.
Costa wound them up and ultimately one got reeled in.

Whilst I agree with your assessment on the other two incidents, "flooring him" was a bit of a stretch. It was just a innocuous chest bump and Koscielny fell like a sack of potatoes.

If Costa had received a red card I don't think many of us here would disagree, but what I can't stand is how Costa is painted as a dreg of the footballing world and everyone else are angels compared to him. Players kicking out, punching, scratching and getting players booked happens in every match.

Here's one for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtnAeUlR54w

Costa's actions had no bearing on the result of the game. The reactions to his actions did.

You eliminate the "reactions" you eliminate the problems.

Wisey said there was certain players he knew that if he gave them a little kick in the first couple of minutes of a game he would get into their heads. Now if I "was one of those players" instead of reacting in that way would take his "cunning and clever plan" and turn it sideways and shove it where the sun don't shine.

Costa's plan only works if players fall for it. His plan is not some masterpiece from a genius (which he is far from) but rather simple and easy to combat.

Everyone just walks away and let him be.

Very true, If he had got a red card I would have no issue with it. Again like the actual sending off it would have been "his fault", He was a idiot. But he did not, All the crying and boohooing about what he did is pointless. It is still only a issue because what happened afterwards which unless amongst Costa's many talents is mind control he is not responsible for

Yup, the ref was dealing with it and Gabriel should have left it at that. Costa getting into tussles with defenders happens in every match but there are times when it isn't just Costa that crosses the line. Remember in our home game to PSG last season and Luiz just flat out elbowed Costa in the face as he was running towards goal?

Costa's style of play doesn't suit everyone and I doubt he's going to change, so the only way to deal with him is as you say, if the recipient doesn't fall for it.

We paid 30 million for him to go out and score us lots of goals, not for him to go out and play like a pub player with a nasty hangover.

Dont rise to the bait, dixon

We knew what we were getting. Just take a look at one of the games he played for Atletico, when he took on half the Real Madrid team over the course of 90 minutes.
Nearly all the successful target men have played with a bit of "attitude", Diego Costa just takes it a bit too far at times.

I just get fed up with the seemingly endless controversy and negativity our club attracts.
It's one thing after another, especially when Jose is around.

Now I heard it all.

Dixon fed up with negativity.

Yeah that bits a bonus.

Costa is a sh*t, but I think the reaction has been more to do with the fans/media being secretly delighted they have a new 'villain' to latch onto. If you look at what actually happened it wasn't nice but it doesn't justify the nonsense that's been written.

Suarez has gone, so Costa makes a great pantomime villain.

Football fans today need a story so they can relate to the game.

Its something now on par with Game of Throne's or The Walking Dead etc.

Everything is spoon fed nowadays to them.

I wonder if they actually enjoy being a football fan nowadays? Its all faux outrage and getting upset about how much XYZ is paid or how much he is worth etc etc etc.

Watch the game have a laugh and move on,

Why so serious as The Joker said