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"Mourinho can't stand back from this one" - Pat Nevin on how battle of wills with Diego Costa will play out

It came as a slight surprise to most - and probably to Diego Costa more than anyone - but Jose Mo...
Newstalk
Newstalk

21.10 30 Nov 2015


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"Mourinho can'...

"Mourinho can't stand back from this one" - Pat Nevin on how battle of wills with Diego Costa will play out

Newstalk
Newstalk

21.10 30 Nov 2015


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It came as a slight surprise to most - and probably to Diego Costa more than anyone - but Jose Mourinho decided to spring one anyway by starting Eden Hazard in the centre forward role against Tottenham on Sunday.

While the Chelsea winger did not find the net, he performed well in the 0-0 draw and Costa's anger was apparent with his bib-tossing incident at the end of the game.

Ex-Chelsea midfielder and analyst Pat Nevin was on Off The Ball tonight and says Hazard was doing what Costa had been failing to do as a striker by trying to get into the six-yard box.

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"He got into good positions. Costa, he wasn't getting into those positions at all," he said.   

But on Costa's behaviour, Pat says "Mourinho can't stand back from this one" and that he cannot play the forward until he shapes up.

"You know in the end if a battle comes down, the manager has to stand up and you absolutely know that there is no way in the world that Mourinho's going to back off from that one."  

Pat also described Robbie Brady's season for Norwich so far as "sensational", citing his immense work-rate as the versatile Ireland winger makes his mark at club and international level.

He also feels that Brady can aspire to reach the level of Everton and England left-wing back Leighton Baines. 

"He's not the tallest but there are plenty of players getting to the very top being not the tallest. Particularly you'd have to look at Leighton Baines, for a period of time there he was unstoppable down that left hand side. He was known as a left-back but let's be honest, he was the best full-back in the country for a period of time. 

"He can get to that level. There's no reason why he shouldn't do but he also offers you something different that Leighton doesn't offer you. He's got the goals from the free-kicks, he's got the delivery, he's got the hammer down the left hand side but do you know what? He can also go and play down the right. You've never seen Leighton Baines play on the right."

Norwich drew 1-1 with an Arsenal side that picked up even more injuries and Pat chatted about the Alexis Sanchez one, which has seen Arsene Wenger receive a bit of flak. 


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