It was a bit of dour gameweek, innit? The international week perhaps could have come at a better time, with 6 draws out of 10 fixtures, winding down a relatively uneventful weekend. Even though there were not enough excitement to go about, T4O has a look at a few heroes that came to the fore.
#3 Diego Costa – 8.5/10
Chelsea FC
Result: Hull 0 – Chelsea 2
Chelsea looked like they were in all sorts of trouble, on the back of their back losses to Liverpool and Arsenal, that’d have taken the wind out of anyone’s sails. That’s how Chelsea started off vs Hull City at the KCOM stadium, a team that wasn’t too sure of themselves. Diego Costa has had a forgettable couple of weeks, as his slump of form coincided with Chelsea’s downturn. First, manhandled Liverpool’s Dejan Lovren, and then by Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny, took the edge off the brute found his reputation of being a brawler.
Against Hull City, though, the big man found his form scoring one and assisting one, to stem the rot in Antonio Conte’s run, having been without a win for the past three weeks.
#2 Laurent Koscielny – 8.7/10
Arsenal FC
Result: Burnley 0 – Arsenal 1
Laurent Koscielny has taken on the challenge of an Arsenal team that has been without a true leader at the helm, like a boss. The man has been a one-man defensively shield for his team plenty of occasions, doing the work of two men; something he’d be quite familiar with, having been partnered by Per Mertesacker.
Against Burnley, he was the one who chalked up the fighting goal, fittingly, that gave Arsenal a crucial win to keep their foot on the gas in their chase of that elusive Premier League title. The Frenchman is looking more and more like the skipper Arsenal deserves.
#1 Bobby Firmino – 9/10
Liverpool FC
Result: Swansea City 1 – Liverpool FC 2
Juergen’s juggernaut keeps rolling on with as much disdain for anyone that comes in its way, much like a Limp Bizkit rhyme on a good day. The pointy, sharp end of the spike that’s stuck up in the front of that juggernaut, has Bob Firmino’s name on it.
Liverpool were looking down the barrel as they went out to snipe the Swans, but saw the table turn withing the opening minutes with Leroy Fer’s attempt finding the back of the net. It was an uphill task from there on, that was, of course, until Bobby Firmino was given the freedom by Juergen to adopt a free role. What resulted was simple and effective, an immaculately headed goal against the run of play, first put Liverpool in the ascendancy, after which the Brazilain flair saw his marker having to rugby tackle him down in order to stop him getting his shot way, producing a penalty for James Milner to convert. Easily Liverpool’s best cloak and dagger attacker.
