Have Shock Defeats Made Jose Mourinho More Aggressive?

It was waiting to happen and it only needed a spark for the Jose Mourinho- Arsene Wenger rivalry to reignite yet again. Though it wasn't an on-field clash between the two old foes, the war of words in the post-match press conference after the Chelsea-Arsenal EPL clash on Saturday was just as bitter as previous run-ins between the two veteran managers. (Mourinho, Wenger Clash Over Diego Costa)

This time the duo traded verbal volleys over Chelsea striker Diego Costa, a man who is no saint himself. Costa has been tagged by some as the Premier League's most divisive figure since his arrival from Atletico Madrid in 2014 and on Saturday, the Spaniard went into Chelsea's weekend clash against Arsenal with a fiery mindset, clashing first with Laurent Koscielny and then Gabriel, raising the old question yet again - is Costa a repeat offender? (Provocative Diego Costa Sparks Controversy as Chelsea Defeat Nine-Man Arsenal)

The Gunners' centre-back Gabriel though made the mistake of kicking out at Costa and he was promptly sent off, but did Costa provoke Gabriel? Regardless of what the fans think, Saturday's incidents have added a new chapter in the age-old Mourinho-Wenger rivalry. (Chelsea F.C Win Hands Bragging Rights Back to Mourinho)

Wenger spat venom saying, "He (Costa) can do what he wants and he stays on. And everybody else who responds to him has to be sent off. I think it's unacceptable what he does. If you look at the pictures, what he does to (Laurent) Koscielny before. He pushes him down in the face. He hits him in the face before the throw and he gets away with it. It's quite honestly surprising."

When Mourinho was asked about that he was quick to reply, in trademark style, "I have played against Arsenal 12, 15, 18 times, I don't know. Only once he (Wenger) didn't moan."

The defending champions have had a nightmare start to the current season and Mourinho knows that Costa is someone who is capable of leading a fightback, even though he does stretch the rules and quite often operates in the grey area between the legal and the illegal.

While Wenger demanded to know why Costa was not red-carded, the self-proclaimed 'Special One' threw his full weight behind the Spaniard, saying, "If you want to speak about Diego Costa with me, he played like he has to play. That is why you have full stadiums, you sell to televisions around the world for millions and millions because the game has to be played like that. Man of the Match for me."

So, which side of the fence are you on? Mourinho compared Costa to a rugby player, but the rules for the two sports (football and rugby) are very different. The Blues have been dealt a rude shock in the Premier League, suffering a number of unexpected defeats. Has that made Mourinho, and by default, his players more aggressive?

Mourinho will not break the rules, but will he push his players to go the extra mile on the aggression highway? Has Mourinho mastered the art of being aggressive without becoming emotionally involved?

This is what he said after the win against Arsenal, "I played my first derby in 2000, Benfica against Sporting. I told my players before the game, to win derbies you need emotional control. Without emotional control, forget it, you don't win. I played derbies in Portugal, in Spain, in Italy, in England again. And it's something, I repeat, every derby you don't win without emotional control. This is a basic thing of the game."

Despite the 2-0 win against Arsenal, the defending champions are not in the top 10 on the Premier League table. Mourinho might have had the worst start to his career as a professional manager, but he will not back down and neither will his trusted warriors like Costa. More fireworks could well be on the cards as the rest of the season unfolds.