If Chelsea Had More Zorros Like Diego Costa, They Wouldn't Be Struggling

STAMFORD BRIDGE, LONDON — You'll have to forgive us for a moment. This isn't the first time we've dropped the Diego Costa-Zorro comparison on Bleacher Report in the past couple of days. It probably won't be last while the Chelsea striker dons his protective face mask, either.

Following Costa's excellent display against Newcastle United on Saturday, it remains rather apt; especially as Costa is the epitome of what we expect from a bandit. He likes to play outside the rules and test those around him; he divides opinion, for good and bad.

Ahead of Newcastle United's visit to west London, Guus Hiddink had described his side as a "team of Zorros" after Costa became the latest Chelsea player to suffer a facial injury. Nemanja Matic, Gary Cahill and Cesar Azpilicueta have all been victim to one this term, while Cesc Fabregas was also at the back end of 2014/15.

The problem with Hiddink's metaphor is that while Chelsea's players may appear to be Zorro-esque in their face masks, they haven't always acted as such.

We know the tales of Zorro's guile, of his ability to slip through the net when his enemies are in pursuit. He's a character who's celebrated for being a fox (indeed, it's what zorro translates to from the Spanish to English).

Chelsea haven't shown anything like those qualities this season—until now. Costa's rediscovered his golden touch and the Blues are looking all the better for it.

Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images

Now all Hiddink needs is for the rest of the striker's team-mates to fall in line and Chelsea's season may well be salvaged. Had we seen the sort of collective performances that earned Chelsea a 5-1 win against Newcastle from the start of the campaign, the title race would have a much different complexion.

When Costa is in the sort of form he has been of late—he's scored eight in 10 matches—there are few better strikers than him in the Premier League. He's hungry and feeds off everything around him—the challenge, the adrenaline of scoring the goals, that feeling of having the Stamford Bridge crowd in the palm of his hands.

It was vintage stuff on Saturday. Costa's movement off the ball for the game's opener was the sort of goal of we saw him firing home last season when Chelsea were running away with the title; his assist for Willian to make it 3-0 showing a player who is champing at the bit right now.

Watching Costa hunt down Fabricio Coloccini to win the ball before assisting Willian was as scintillating as that earlier finish.

Hiddink agreed.

"He wanted to play desperately and when the mask was fitted, he said he could play," explained Chelsea's interim manager.

Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images

"The way he played in the first half—in the second half as well—was good. The way the first goal was scored was typical of a striker who is in good shape.

"He knows what he is good at now. He knew before, but now he's focusing on what he has to do and he's choosing his moments perfectly. The way he scored today was typical of him."

There remains a trust issue with Chelsea. It's 12 games unbeaten for them now—a run that extends back to mid-December—yet we're still not sure what to expect from them.

Drawing six of those 12 matches doesn't help, especially when they've dropped points from winning positions at home against West Bromwich Albion and Watford.

So off colour were they against Manchester United last week, that Chelsea blowing Steve McClaren's side away in the manner they did on Saturday was a shock. It helped that Hiddink opted against using his Nemanja Matic-John Obi Mikel midfield combo, but the catalyst was Costa.

Whether he's sniffing out an injustice that would get Zorro suitably irked in one of Johnston McCulley's many tales, we're not quite sure. Whatever it is, though, Costa's playing with the sort of rhythm that makes opponents panic.

"After the recovery from December until now, there were too many draws," Hiddink added. "We said that we could be unbeaten, but we would have to have victories. That's why it's good today to have this victory.

"We tried today to have an early period [of dominance] in the game, which we succeeded in doing. We had two early goals and within 20 minutes, it was rather decisive."

GLYN KIRK/Getty Images

To stress the point, not enough Chelsea players have been decisive in that period. Only Costa has, and his team-mates have looked to him to set the tone. 

The problem this team faces is when their striker isn't quite at it himself. When Costa is struggling, this team struggles going forward in the way we saw in those recent draws with Watford and Manchester United.

Costa eventually found his groove just in time to rescue a point in the latter, but what happens when he doesn't? Watford is what happens—games where Chelsea are as effective as an inflatable dart board.

Defeating Newcastle was a major shot in the arm for their season. Now they travel to Paris on Tuesday to face Paris Saint-Germain, who will be an entirely different proposition.

In the past two seasons Laurent Blanc's side has targeted Eden Hazard to stem the flow of Chelsea. Costa will undoubtedly be their focus this time, and the expectation is that he is in for a tough ride in the French capital.

GLYN KIRK/Getty Images

If and when that happens—face mask or not—who will be Chelsea's Zorro this time? Who will inspire this team to overcome an opponent that remains undefeated in 35 Ligue 1 matches?

It's been Chelsea's Achilles' heel all season; they simply don't have enough players to provide a cutting edge when it's needed most.

Costa's doing that now, but the rest must step up. The hope is that annihilating Newcastle was the call to arms Chelsea have needed.

Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes