Diego Costa and his Ever Changing Sleeves

Diego Costa cannot seem to get comfortable at Chelsea.

It's not that he can't score goals (he has 13 goals in 15 Premier League games), and it isn't that he has found it hard to adjust well to the intensity of the Premier League, as can be seen in the photograph below.

Diego Costa in action against Liverpool's Martin Skyrtel.  I think in a pick game of soccer Costa would be likely to kick someone in the balls for no reason  and enjoy it.  He just has that look about him. 

No no no, none of that.  He's been great on the field for Chelsea, and well worth the millions of pounds to bring him to Stamford Bridge.

But dear dear me he can't seem to figure out what to do with the length of his sleeves.

Today he did it again.  He started the Chelsea' match against West Ham United with long sleeves and blue gloves, perfectly fitting for a cold, rainy Boxing Day in London.

But then when he comes out for the second half, he's wearing a short sleeved shirt, leaving the gloves in tact.

I think having the players change shirts is fairly common during half time.  You'll see a player going into the tunnel with a muddied of bloodied jersey only to see him start the second half with a clean shirt fresh from the laundry.  But most players -- in fact almost all players -- seem to stick with the sleeve length they had at the first half.

Not Costa.  I swear I've seen him change sleeve length between halves in at least three games.

And it isn't simply the changing of sleeves.  Most players find a sleeve length they like and stick with it.  Some are forever in short sleeves like Chelsea's John Terry, Stoke's Charlie Adam, Man City's James Milner.  David Beckham rather famously wore long sleeves throughout much of his career, even when arriving at the warmer climes enjoyed by the LA Galaxy (he eventually did switch to short sleeves and it was actually news worthy at the time).

Other players make sensible decisions based on the weather.  Chelsea midfielder Oscar favors long sleeves for much of the English season, but will wear short sleeves if it's warm enough.  You know, like any normal, well adjusted human being would do.

Diego Costa?  Here we are not quite halfway through the season, and we've been treated to a dizzying array of sleeve and glove combinations.  Long sleeves, short sleeves, 3/4 length sleeves (really!), all with or without gloves.

I understand that all athletes are probably just a little OCD about certain things.  When I ran track and cross country in high school I took very special care to lace my shoes just so.  Basketball players have their routines for taking free throws.  Maybe Costa's brand of OCD has to do with the heat exchange rate coming off of his hands and arms.  Maybe it has to be juuuuuuuust so.

Or maybe he makes changes based on how he's playing.  In today's game he had a brilliant first half but failed to score a goal in his long sleeves and gloves.  He comes out with short sleeves and gloves for the second half and scores Chelsea's second goal of the match, putting the game on ice.  Maybe there is some superstition here, maybe he is trying to find the sleeve and glove combination that will further unlock his goal scoring potential.  Or maybe the correct sleeve and glove combo is necessary to maintain the delicate balance of moxie and iron that make up a goal scorer on form.  Perhaps the small changes to the sleeves and hands are like making adjustments to the trim of a ship of war as it's loads change over time, seeking the attitude that gains a perfect blend of speed and power even as the condition of the ship is changing.  That perfect trim is ever changing, ever malleable, ever adjustable, ever tweakable.

I think this may be a problem for Nate Silver to solve.  You'd have to wait till the season has played itself out to increase the sample size (hopefully Diego Costa has at least 13 more goals in him), but then maybe someone should do a statistical analysis to see which sleeve and glove combo yielded the most goals.

For my money, by the accursed eye test, I think he is at his best when he plays with gloves and short sleeves.
Hail to The Guv'nor!  Go Chelsea!        

Yeah, for some reason some Chelsea supporters are trying to call him "The Guv'nor".  No idea why.  I love Chelsea Football Club (I lobbied hard to name Elizabeth "Chelsea"...no dice) but this....this is stupid.  I hope it doesn't stick.