Childish Costa should count himself lucky his bib didn't land on Chelsea boss - Cascarino

Tony Cascarino has backed Costa to find good form after a poor start to the campaign

TONY CASCARINO believes Diego Costa deserved to be dropped from Chelsea's clash with Tottenham.

 

The Spaniard was restricted to a place on the bench in his side's 0-0 draw at White Hart Lane and vented his anger when he realised that he wasn't going to feature.

Costa took off his bib and appeared to hurl it in Mourinho's direction as he sat down in frustration.

Mourinho dismissed the incident after the game, but Cascarino believes the Portuguese boss may have reacted differently had it hit him directly.

"These sorts of instances are more childish than anything," he told Sky Sports.

"He's probably quite fortunate it didn't land on Jose because I think there might have been a different reaction from him.

 

"He (Mourinho) has dropped numerous Chelsea players this season and he's trying to find results. Could Diego complain? No.

"He's been indifferent this year. He's reached nowhere near the level of last season but I guarantee he'll be in the team against Bournemouth this weekend."

Costa has struggled to find the net this season, scoring just four times, that has lead to the 27-year-old being linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge.

But former Chelsea striker Cascarino has backed the 27-year-old to use recent criticism to help him find good form again.

"I wouldn't be surprise if he scored [against Bournemouth]," he added. "I'd be shocked if Jose didn't get him back in the side and give him a bit of a slap on the wrists. He hasn't played as well.

 

Diego Costa wasn't pleased at spending Sunday's match on the bench

"What do you want to get from a player? You want a reaction and that's what he'll hope to get from him.

"That's what he got from Eden Hazard. He left him out and told him the reasons why and Hazard was Chelsea's best player on Sunday.

"They need him to get back to that. He can find his form again and if you want to win titles and cups, you have to reach a level Costa was at in the first four or five months of last season.

"He had an okay end to the season but this season has been very, very poor. We all know what he's capable of and he not moving anywhere near as much.

"Off the ball and trying to get chances, he is getting involved in too many fights with individuals. Long term, I think Chelsea are better with Diego in the side but the Diego Costa of last season."