But that is very much the English game - in the nearly 50 years I have been following CFC and football in general it was ever thus. Classic Number 9 (too few left these days) and central defenders. Each trying to wind their oppo's up.
Take the infamous Costa/Skrtel incident a couple of seasons back where there was a goal line tussle - what a big deal the media made of that but at the end of the match both Costa & Skrtel had a big grin for each other, shook hands and had a man hug!
I'm really not looking for an argument here but your Prodl argument is selective. Prodl was also being a complete dick with his shirt tugging and holding onto Costa for corners etc throughout the game. In fact some of your team's antics at corners were laughable. Not saying CFC are whiter than white on this but Watford were very Stoke-like (under Pulis) and WBA-like (under Pulis) in this respect.
In fact if you look at some of the media stills back of the Perades incident they too are selective - they show Costa pushing Perades down, Perades on the floor etc but nothing of the three full rolls and him holding his face. At least your captain Deeney has basically said that Perades was a total jerk and that his antics are not wanted in the game and that he will be having a quite word with him. Good man!
The incident was so low key that even at the second half kick off the Ref' and Costa were having a bit of a laugh with each other pointing at their eyes in recognition that the ref' had his eyes on Costa - friendly, jokey banter.
The real problem is that the media love a villain and Costa plays nicely into that role - for all the negative comments that he gets I'd wager a whole heap of clubs would bite their arm off to have him as there CF.
Tbh it gets a little wearing with the media obsession with everything negative about Chelsea - nothing gets forgotten eg the two Terry incidents (infidelity & racism). It's always getting brought up.
And yet married captain fantastic Rooney has a blow job from a whore and that's in the history bin as far as the media are concerned. He's an all-England hero now. Ditto Giggs who was bedding his S-I-L for 8 years or Rio who missed drugs tests etc etc. As I say, the media are very selective. Giggs is apparently a latter day role model and Rio is an all time great and much wanted as a pundit. No mention of their indiscretions - ever.
Even the other day in the Mirror they were saying that we are hated as we simply bought our way to success in 2004. They seemed to support this view.
Well, excuse me. How exactly were Liverpool so dominant 3 decades back. How were MUFC & Arsenal so successful prior to 2004. I can pull stat's on this but they are readily available on the web. Never gets a mention by the media.
Ditto the current richest team in the country. 40 years in the wilderness and oil money comes to the rescue. Even with blatant violations of FFP and ensuing fines the press have forgotten this and currently fete the team. No mention at all of them buying their success.
The media are currently idolising Leicester (and well done to Leicester too) but take a look at the money the Thai's are throwing at the club. Record transfer spending. Record wage bill. But are they getting any stick for this? No. They are saviours of the League by all accounts, rescuing it from big four dominance.
Don't get me wrong - I think it's a fantastic season but big spending is part of the game and has been for many years. I just dislike the anti-Chelsea bias.
Sorry for going on a bit.
