Chris Sutton tips ‘panic signing’ Diego Costa to lack fitness in Wolves debut v West Ham United
Diego Costa is a “panic signing” who won’t be at his fittest for a Wolves debut against West Ham United after the international break, says Chris Sutton.
After summer signing Sasa Kalajdzic was immediately ruled out for the season with an ACL tear the Hammers’ opponents on Saturday (1 October) turned to the former Chelsea striker on a free transfer after he terminated his Atletico Mineiro contract in January.
But as he hasn’t played a game in over “300 days” Sutton isn’t expecting fireworks from the former star in Stratford, which is a good thing for David Moyes who badly needs a win to kickstart a faltering season.
In his column for Mail+ Sutton said: “Diego Costa is box office. A ferocious piece of work that defenders hate to face. But do not expect to see the same Costa that wowed us between 2014 and 2017 as Chelsea’s snarling super striker.
“Costa’s debut could come against West Ham on Saturday and Wolves need goals as the joint-lowest scorers in the Premier League.
“I’m happy to be proved wrong, but this screams a panic signing to me and I don’t expect Costa will be at his fittest.”
Faded
As a London rival at Stamford Bridge Costa faced the Irons five times, scoring three and assisting another, so fans will know all about him at his best.
But his record since leaving the Premier League is nothing to write home about so Moyes has to ensure that his defence gives the former Spain international no time to adapt.
He will also need to have the message drilled into them not to react to the 33-year-old’s wind-up tactics, which could be all the more prevalent if he is struggling to get on the ball.
Considering the luck West Ham have had this season it would not shock fans to see Costa manage to draw a sending off from a defender on the way to a lucky win, but that sort of thing simply must be avoided.
Since the VAR-assisted defeat at his old club Chelsea on 3 September shut down the revival that looked to be on the cards the club then fell to a loss at Everton for the Toffees’ first win of the season.
The 1-0 reverse on 18 September has put a distinctly gloomy malaise back over the current campaign again, and with the visitors to the London Stadium one of the few teams currently doing as badly it is vital that points are recorded.
The Hammers go into the game in the relegation zone on just four points, with their opponents just one place and two points ahead, so a defeat would be all the more damaging as another side pulls further away.
It is time for Moyes to bring in the likes of Flynn Downes and Maxwel Cornet from the start in search of a spark to get a result.