Middlesbrough: Antonio Conte has praised Diego Costa for learning to control his emotions and argued he has turned himself into one of the world’s best strikers as a result.
The only goal of the game at the Riverside Stadium on Sunday was Costa’s 10th of the season for Chelsea, but there was far more to his game on Teesside than just a poacher’s eye for a chance.
Costa was superb, holding the ball up whenever his team needed an outlet, creating a series of chances for teammates to score the second goal that would have made their sixth successive league win far more comfortable.
The Spain striker has always had that ability to be the focal point of a team, as he showed during his first season in England, but Conte believes he is also benefiting from the fact that he has started to channel his energy in the right way.
Costa was booked four times in his first seven club games of the season, but has not picked up a card since the defeat by Arsenal at the end of September.
Conte said: “Diego is always important, not only for the goals but because he is our point of reference when we are attacking. He played so well with Pedro and Eden [Hazard].
“He has been very impressive in the way he has found a way to score a goal and he has to continue in this way. We need him to carry on.
“For me, it is also important we have this question [about his temperament] because in the past people always asked me about his reaction, his behaviour and his passion on the pitch. I think he is a striker who is one of the best in the world because he is showing his passion in the right way.
“He is very focused on trying to help the team, with or without the ball.” Middlesbrough made Chelsea work hard to secure the win, but the contrast with 12 months ago could not be starker.
Chelsea were 16th this time last season, just three points off the relegation zone. Conte, whose side have not conceded a goal in the league for 590 minutes, added: “I’m pleased because of the run we are on and I’m pleased we have won in a different way.
“If you look at our recent games, this was different. We have won only 1-0 against a strong team with good organisation. But I’m pleased because we had to suffer, they made things hard. We never lost our compactness and that’s very good. I’m pleased with the performance. We have to continue in this way. “I could not have believed, after the third goal at Arsenal, that we would not concede another goal. It’s a big surprise after those two defeats against Liverpool and Arsenal, to have won six in a row and not conceded a goal.
“It is very difficult to answer questions about whether we are favourites to win the title. I’ve just arrived at a new club after they had a bad season. “Nobody thought Chelsea were a team who would be fighting for the title when we lost those two games, we did not look like a team that would be fighting to the end, but that is what we have to do.
“We have a busy period coming up, but we are ready to play many games in a few days. We have not only been working on our tactics since I arrived, we have also been working on the physical aspect. “You have to have high intensity in this league, to run from the start and link that with a high technical skill. That is what we are trying to do.” Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka said: “I am really pleased with the attitude of my players. I am not worried about the look of the league table at the moment because all I am concerned about is the performances.”
