Jose Mourinho Reveals Diego Costa Fitness Problems After Chelsea's 1st Defeat

Despite notching an impressive 11 goals in his first 12 Premier League games, it would appear Jose Mourinho isn't completely content with his new striker Diego Costa.

The former Atletico Madrid man has been a thrill to watch this season, mixing poise, power and predatory instincts to help fire Chelsea to the top of the Premier League. But after the Blues suffered their first defeat of the season away at Newcastle United, Mourinho claimed Costa must improve his physical condition, per Craig Hope of the Daily Mail:

"

He has to improve his condition. He was injured, he had many doubts and he had a long time without training and that obviously must have an effect on a player—the way he runs, the way he moves, his coordination.

He has to recover but I don't think there is any problem. For me, the problem is not the goals. The goals will come as a consequence of his condition.

"

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When you consider the physical manner in which Costa plays the game, it’s little surprise he picks up so many niggles. The Spanish international has always been a wholly uncompromising player, and he suffered a horrendous gash on his leg last season at Atletico after colliding with the post against Getafe. (Warning: Photo is somewhat graphic.)

Andres Kudacki/Associated Press

At Chelsea, too, he’s already been in the wars, as we can see here courtesy of 101 Great Goals:

When you play the game with little concern for your own well-being, injuries unfortunately will come around every now and then. As Mourinho admitted earlier in the season, his star striker already cannot play three games in a week because of perpetual concerns with his hamstring, per Sam Wallace of The Independent.

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For a player who is just 26 years old, these injury problems will be a worry for Chelsea, especially with a convoluted and crucial Christmas period on the horizon.

The Blues aren’t quite at the same astonishing levels they showcased in the early part of the campaign, and their recent mini-slump could be attributed to Costa’s fitness problems. After all, the forward has only netted twice in his last seven games after banging in seven goals in his first four appearances for the club.

It’s not as if Chelsea don’t have strength in depth at that position, though, as noted here by Henry Winter of The Telegraph:

Perhaps Costa is simply beginning to feel the effects of an arduous year? He was played regularly during the end of Atletico’s season when he clearly wasn’t fully fit and went straight to the World Cup with hamstring problems still lingering. He's now having to adapt to the robust nature of the Premier League and is getting clattered on a weekly basis. But as Mourinho alluded to, there is little need to be worried about Costa.

The Portuguese is a master of mind games, and perhaps this latest quip will spur Costa on in his next appearance. The manager must also show his undeniable acumen in the weeks to come and utilise a clearly fragile Costa astutely so that he can recapture the devastating form that made him such a force in the early weeks of the season.

His bustling influence at the sharp end of the pitch has transformed Chelsea into overwhelming favourites for the Premier League title, and while he may not be at his very best at this juncture, the Brazilian-born forward will still play a major role as the Blues continue to march towards Premier League glory.

Providing he stays fit, of course.