Some people may not like Diego Costa, which is fair enough.

However, when the reasons behind this sort of opinion are considered, it’s fair to say that the Premier League is far more entertaining with him in it. He likes to ruffle a few feathers, he enjoys the physical side of the game and he shows a lot of passion. Basically, he’s a typical English centre-forward…apart from the fact he’s Spanish.

The ‘stamp’ on Liverpool's Emre Can has caused a lot of controversy and it is this aggressive side to Costa’s game that makes him an unpopular figure amongst many. However, as well as it being slightly annoying and irresponsible, his bullish attitude is also something that must be celebrated. When fans settle down to watch a Chelsea game, a lot of them will focus on who Costa is lining up against in terms of the centre-backs he will face.

There is no doubt whatsoever that he will look to give the defenders he is facing a hard time, relying on his own physicality and strength as much as his skill to get the better of opposition players. Although we may not like it when he lines up against our own team, watching him play from a neutral perspective is a joy to watch. He’s the pantomime villain, a player who is not scared to run the patience of the referee. He is the type of foreign import this league needs, a breath of fresh air amongst the playacting prima donnas that are becoming more of a common sight in the Premier League in recent memory.

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Costa is no angel and he can be responsible for the occasional effort to manipulate the referee. However, there’s a reason as to why the Chelsea fans call him ‘The Governor’. He has a presence of authority on the pitch that makes him stand out. It could be his ridiculously rugged looks that make him look more 46 than 26 or his insistence on wearing short sleeves and gloves. Whatever it is, a character like Diego Costa is exactly what the Premier League needs.

Didier Drogba had a similar aura about him when he first joined Chelsea. Opposing fans didn’t like him due to the fact that he wasn’t afraid to put himself about on the pitch and upset defenders due to his physicality. Costa is very similar to Drogba in that sense - he is a character. Yes, the likes of Aguero, van Persie and Bony are excellent players to watch but they don’t stir the same reaction from fans that Diego Costa does. He is the new Luis Suarez without the bite, the Cantona without the kung-fu kick (at the moment anyway).

Whatever way you look at it, Diego Costa is good for the Premier League. Not only is he a physical character, he is also one of the best strikers in the league. If Costa just bullied defenders all game and couldn’t score a goal to save his life, he wouldn’t be as popular as he is today. However, this isn’t the case. In 19 league games this season he has 17 goals, figures that cannot be matched by any other striker in the league. He also has an excellent shooting accuracy percentage of 72%, showing that he is lethal when he has the opportunity to shoot at goal.

The striker has turned Chelsea into the team every side wants to beat. He is never far from controversy but that’s what makes him such an excellent player to watch. Whether you love him or absolutely despise everything he stands for, the Premier League wouldn’t be as great a spectacle without him playing in it.

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