Douglas Costa is THAT Dude. Superb Player

People need to stand up and take more notice of Douglas Costa. When he was at Shakhtar, I saw bits of him in the Champions League but never took in the full experience. But ever since I saw his talent for Bayern, I was impressed by the confidence he had to show that raw Brazilian technical skill that we all know and love.

Well, he's brought some consistency to his game and isn't just the once in a while entertainer. Now he has to be one of the first names on the teamsheet because he has been truly incredible out on that wing, and gives Bayern that effective magic that can turn draws into wins.





The wing is perhaps the most difficult position to master in football. Trust me, I've tried playing it and with the limited amount of space, and how defenders try and corner you, it takes a lot of great skill to either beat your man or get your cross in.

What makes Costa such an excellent winger is his decision-making and talent. He knows that he has the ability to pull off some outrageous moves, but he doesn't do it all the time for the cameras. Costa knows when to try and beat his man, or to go on the outside and put in a cross.

A lot of wingers these days seem to have a greater ego, and love to keep cutting on the inside to get their shot off. The problem with that is it makes your team very narrow, and a lot easier for the opposition to defend.

It's also not what a winger is supposed to do.

Costa knows that he can come in on the inside and has the football brain to navigate the minefield of the pitch in the middle. But he understands his role, and can get out on the outside, beat his man for controlled speed and deliver those crosses that every striker would pray for.

Not the kind that just gets propelled in without any sense of direction or purpose. He puts it in with just enough fervour, just in front of the keeper, so all Lewandowski or Muller have to do is put the faintest of touches to score.

For a defender, Costa is a nightmare to stop because he does things so quickly. He's got great acceleration but also the balance and focus to control the football, and make the right kind of pass. So there is really very little you can do to stop Costa.

He's also got that goalscorer in him. So even if you stop his cross from coming on the inside, he has the ability to join up in the midfield and can fire in superb shots that end up tearing the top corner. This is the kind of player that managers pray for.

It's a game where the wingers have become crucial, but there are more attacking wingers than the traditional ones. Bale, Cristiano, Alexis, Hazard are seen more as attackers who are required to score as well as assist.

Costa can do what those wingers can do, but he also understands the traditional fundamentals which really helps the team. This is football, and in a very tight match against an opposition who have shut you down. It's often the winger who gets right down before the white line, puts in a cross that ends up being the winning goal.

For Bayern moving forward, Costa has to be involved and Ancelotti must encourage him to enjoy his football and express himself. There is so much more this man can do, and I can't wait to see him play for Brazil at the World Cup, fingers crossed that he's fit and available.

Costa is that dude.












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