Jose Mourinho was clear on many things in the aftermath of Chelsea's 1-0 defeat of Liverpool in the Capital One Cup semi-final this week.He was enthused with his team's fighting spirit as they negotiated safe passage in a tricky cup tie, winning 2-1 on aggregate overall. He was also thrilled to be returning to English football's national stadium on March 1."We're going to Wembley! Come on!" he declared.There was no mistaking his views on Kurt Zouma and Diego Costa, either.The latter has recently been charged with violent conduct for an apparent stamp on Liverpool's Emre Can in the game, an incident that both managers were quizzed on.Brendan Rodgers said it was a pointless act from a talented player, Mourinho seeing it differently."You know, I don't know what you understand by stamp. I think maybe you are influenced [...] by a campaign that is on the television with a certain pundit that is saying 'Diego Costa crimes'."This guy must be nuts. I saw the incident [...] What you call stamps and Sky [Sports] calls crimes I have to say that [it was] absolutely accidental. He goes to the ball, he chases the ball. The opponent is on the floor and they have the contact."He puts his foot [on Can's ankle] when he is looking to the ball."In the slow-motion replays and still shots that soon followed of the incident, Costa seems to have no defence. Yet in real time, Mourinho's theory appears to hold.Costa's eyes are focused elsewhere, not on his opponent or where his foot is landing.Was it malicious' Was it intentional' The FA have a tough call to make.Because it is Costa, however, have we in the media been quick in our judgement of him'The Spanish international is an exceptional talent, a player who does just as much to taunt his opponent off the ball as he does when he's finding the back of the net.It's about those marginal gains, the dark arts of football. Come full-time, every centre-back knows they've been in a game with Costa.Just ask John Terry, who had his own run-in with the Premier League's leading goalscorer when Chelsea faced Atletico Madrid last season.It's that temperament that is helping Chelsea to thrive right now.Ever since Roman Abramovich bought the club, Chelsea have been an easy target for criticism. It's always "moneybags Chelsea," "the club with no history" and so forth.Jose Mourinho knew how to combat that when he was appointed manager. His team were going to be brash to the point of bordering arrogance. Chelsea would be in the face of their opponents, pushing the limits.Sometimes they cross them and so, too, does Costa. Other times they are a beast to be admired, one that requires the Voight-Kampff test at times.Remove that element from his gameor Chelsea's, for that matterand Costa's quality evaporates. He thrives in the physical side of the game and his team-mates need that from their striker.It's a rather unfortunate turn of phrase given this latest incident involving Costa came against Liverpoolthe former home of Luis Suarezbut he gives Chelsea bite.He just needs to make sure his feet are crushing blades of grass, not bones.What we're seeing now with Mourinho's Chelsea 2.0 is an evolution in the qualities this team has. There is a balance throughout, demonstrated perfectly in Zouma's emergence of late.Until recently the French youngster was a peripheral figure, but as Gary Cahill's form has dipped, Zouma has been given more opportunities and he's beginning to take them.There were some moments he showed his naivety against Liverpool, notably when Philippe Coutinho sold him an outrageous dummy in the first half, but overall, it was another encouraging display."Very good, very good," Mourinho said of his performance. "You know, playing against [Raheem] Sterling is something I think nobody enjoys because the kid is very quick, he's very good. Zouma coped so well with that."[...] He learns so, so quick and his positioning is good, despite him being just a 20-year-old kid. He's not the end product but just a kid."What Mourinho failed to touch upon was Zouma's mentality.Whereas Costa is all guns blazing, the bull in a china shop, Zouma is more controlled. He's what you want in a centre-back.Indeed, the players are exactly what you want for those in their positions.With the Capital One Cup semi-final balanced on a knife edge, Zouma's inexperience dictated he would be nervous against Liverpool. He was also part of the team humbled by Bradford City three days earlier and he knew the threat Rodgers' side offered in attack.He stood tall, however. Zouma made the right decisions when he had to and wasn't rash. He recovered situations for his team, proving a calming influence when he could have very easily lost his head.That isn't always simple, especially when a player such as Sterling is zipping in and around you, finding pockets of space to exploit with his agile frame and pace.Costa's made the headlines for all the wrong reasons, but there's no doubt the quiet man Zouma is getting louder.Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayesRead more World Football news on BleacherReport.com
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