Chelsea will miss Diego Costa despite the fact that Sarri-Ball has been on full display at Stamford Bridge. All three areas of the London club’s midfield have been firing on all cylinders; the defence has only allowed four goals in the Premier League, Jorginho and N’golo Kante have starred and Eden Hazard has been leading one of the most potent attacks in football.

Although this is the case, Chelsea are missing a formidable striker.

Álvaro Morata has been a bust to date, only finding the back of the net once so far this season. Olivier Giroud has provided three assists, but has yet to score. It goes without saying that this Chelsea squad would be world-beaters had they kept Diego Costa.

Chelsea Will Miss Diego Costa and his Goals

How the Current Attack Looks

Morata and Giroud have both appeared five times thus far in league play. The Spaniard has gotten the bulk of the starts but has done little to cement that position.

Giroud has been more active in attacking movements but seems to be better suited coming off the bench.

The majority of Chelsea’s goals have come from the wing. Hazard has bought into Maurizio Sarri‘s of play, as he is currently tied for first in most Premier League goals with five.

After a strong World Cup showing, he has shown no signs of decline with Chelsea. His goal to knock Liverpool out of the Carabao Cup is a testament to that.

Pedro has also gone through a revival reminiscent of his Barcelona days. He has scored three times in four starts, averaging a goal every three shots he takes.

With Pedro on scintillating form, Willian has adopted more of a role as a conductor. He has a goal and an assist to his name but is also completing about 85 per cent of his passes.

What Diego Costa Would Bring

Chelsea’s wing play has been nothing short of excellent. Jorginho and Kante have the ability to control the midfield, plus Matteo Kovacic and Ross Barkley are always available to add a spark.

With all these key pieces in place, Costa would thrive in Sarri’s system. Costa has been recognized as one of football’s elite strikers for years now.

Although his short temper can be worrisome, his playing traits overshadow everything else. He can boss aerial battles, his physicality presents a challenge to any defender in the game, and he’s shown time and time again his ability to create a goal out of nothing.

Costa, however, has struggled for Atleticó Madrid this season. The season is still young, however, and this is sure to turn around. When it does, Chelsea will miss Diego Costa and all his goals.

He led the Blues in scoring in their two most recent Premier League championship campaigns and was revived in his return to Atleticó, including two goals in their 4-2 victory over Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup.

Although Giroud has the reputation of a target man, he hasn’t proved it this season. Morata has been a mess since his arrival. His inconsistent sparks of brilliance, such as his goal versus Arsenal this season, have not been enough to justify his price tag.

He was rumoured to be leaving this summer to teams such as AC Milan and Juventus, but neither panned out. This in itself shows Chelsea know they have an issue in their front line.

The Last Word

Unfortunately for the Blues, there’s little reason to believe Costa would reconsider a return. He was successful in Madrid and pushed to go back.

As a Spanish international, it should not come as a surprise if decides to retire in Spain. As of now, it looks as if Chelsea will be competing for the title versus Liverpool and Manchester City.

The main difference between Chelsea and their two competitors, of course, is the striker position. Liverpool has Roberto Firmino to complement the wing play, while City has two elite strikers in Sergio Agüero and Gabriel Jesus.

Costa has had the best showing in the Premier League besides Agüero, so he would have been key for Chelsea’s run. A transfer for a striker could be on the cards in January.

However, Chelsea will miss Diego Costa and letting him go and not finding a replacement of similar quality may prove to be an indefensible error.

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