Eden Hazard

[Barbara 15,149]

No need to get so defensive, someone asked the question wether Hazards assists/goals would be higher in the middle, witch his last season at Lille shows to be true. That doesnt mean we think he should be positioned there permanently at the expense of Oscar. Although i think its certainly a possibility with Mata gone. Who do you think we should put there if Oscar gets injured or suspended? Surely the defensive contributions Eden's added to his game recently wouldnt just vanish?

The last game in EL Eden played there, he was actually very good imo. eden has stated in the past he considers it his best position, though offcourse even his own opinion on this might have changed...

defensive?

I was just giving my insight in said discussion, if anything you're the one who came defensive.

I'm defending Hazard here, if you haven't noticed by the comment when I said it's natural in the future he earns the freedom to roam as he pleases. I'm just saying football isn't like math when you do exact calculations and things are like that. 2 years ago Hazard and current Hazard are completely different players. To know if he's better as a #10 we should test him now, not simply come to that conclusion because of what he's showed 2 years ago, especially in a position our current system doesn't afford (being responsibility free). In the future the system will afford it and he's the right man to receive the privilege - whether in the wing or in the middle. I don't know how saying that is me being defensive.

edit: what does Oscar have to do with anything?

I said Oscar and Willian can do decent in the wings for us to test Hazard in the middle, without deploying Salah.

[MAF 162]

defensive?

I was just giving my insight in said discussion, if anything you're the one who came defensive.

I'm defending Hazard here, if you haven't noticed by the comment when I said it's natural in the future he earns the freedom to roam as he pleases. I'm just saying football isn't like math when you do exact calculations and things are like that. 2 years ago Hazard and current Hazard are completely different players. To know if he's better as a #10 we should test him now, not simply come to that conclusion because of what he's showed 2 years ago, especially in a position our current system doesn't afford (being responsibility free). In the future the system will afford it and he's the right man to receive the privilege - whether in the wing or in the middle. I don't know how saying that is me being defensive.

fair enough, i must have misinterpreted your post. Still, my question stands, if Oscar gets injured or suspended, wouldnt Hazard be our best option for his position?

[Barbara 15,149]

fair enough, i must have misinterpreted your post. Still, my question stands, if Oscar gets injured or suspended, wouldnt Hazard be our best option for his position?

Hazard is our best player, by a very fair lead. He should play where it's the best for the team, regardless of Oscar form or lack of form.

If he proves he's the best option to do what Mourinho requires from a #10 now (which is a lot of work-rate to balance the midfield) we should go with it. I'm just not sure if we wouldn't be wasting him a bit there now. Oscar has a very important tactical role in the team right now, and I think giving that responsibility to Eden will harm the team and also Eden's progress. Right now Eden also have defensive responsibilities, but they're lighter on a winger than on a CAM - at least that's what Jose said when he explained why Mata was playing in the wing.

I think the system will mature as well as our players. In the future our pivot will be stronger (when Matic is fully adapted) and probably we won't demand as much work-rate from our #10. If by then Hazard plays better in the CAM position than in the LW position, we should play him as the #10. And if Salah is better in the wing than Oscar and Willian (which with time or maybe even right now he might be) than one of the two might be benched.

I just don't think we should sacrifice the system for Hazard now (and we'd be sacrificing by giving him a free role) or that we should sacrifice Hazard for the system now, moving him to a position where the system demands a lot more of work-rate and defensive responsibilities.

[MAF 162]

Well i'd like to see last seasons EL game where he played in the middle again. problem is i dont remember exactly witch game it was :s

i think it was Steaua or Rubin.. Anyone remember?

[mediator 2,026]

Well i'd like to see last seasons EL game where he played in the middle again. problem is i dont remember exactly witch game it was :s

i think it was Steaua or Rubin.. Anyone remember?

Wan't it Basel Away? A kind of 4-4-1-1 if i remember correctly.

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

Well i'd like to see last seasons EL game where he played in the middle again. problem is i dont remember exactly witch game it was :s

i think it was Steaua or Rubin.. Anyone remember?

Was it this game ?

[MAF 162]

Was it this game ?

Yep, cheers..

[Tomo 21,681]

Maybe my mind is doing overtime here but could Jose be planning on doing to Hazard what Wenger did to Henry? could that what he meant when he said we will know in the summer why we didn't sign a striker ?

If he improves finishing i don't see why not and he won't have the same level off responsibility he does on the wing.

[Coop 114]

Well the more Hazard touches the ball the more danger comes from it, maybe he can be more decisve in the center but I have to agree with Barbara for the moment, he currently plays best on the left side.

But who knows if he gets 5 games in the center what would become of him? I'm sure Mourinho will know what is best for him and the team.

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[Coop 114]

Maybe my mind is doing overtime here but could Jose be planning on doing to Hazard what Wenger did to Henry? could that what he meant when he said we will know in the summer why we didn't sign a striker ?

If he improves finishing i don't see why not and he won't have the same level off responsibility he does on the wing.

Playing in a 4 4 Hazard 1 you mean?

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[Belgiannutt 3,201]

Maybe my mind is doing overtime here but could Jose be planning on doing to Hazard what Wenger did to Henry? could that what he meant when he said we will know in the summer why we didn't sign a striker ?

If he improves finishing i don't see why not and he won't have the same level off responsibility he does on the wing.

Would love Hazard to become a false 9. Central position, license to roam, less defensive work, focal point for the attack so he'd be seeing a lot of the ball.

Can't see it happening though. Don't think Mourinho likes the concept of a false 9.

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

Playing in a 4 4 Hazard 1 you mean?

Verstuurd vanaf mijn Find 5 met Tapatalk

Think he means as a false 9, so alone upfront.

[DDA 9,570]

Hazard is our best player, by a very fair lead. He should play where it's the best for the team, regardless of Oscar form or lack of form.

If he proves he's the best option to do what Mourinho requires from a #10 now (which is a lot of work-rate to balance the midfield) we should go with it. I'm just not sure if we wouldn't be wasting him a bit there now. Oscar has a very important tactical role in the team right now, and I think giving that responsibility to Eden will harm the team and also Eden's progress. Right now Eden also have defensive responsibilities, but they're lighter on a winger than on a CAM - at least that's what Jose said when he explained why Mata was playing in the wing.

I think the system will mature as well as our players. In the future our pivot will be stronger (when Matic is fully adapted) and probably we won't demand as much work-rate from our #10. If by then Hazard plays better in the CAM position than in the LW position, we should play him as the #10. And if Salah is better in the wing than Oscar and Willian (which with time or maybe even right now he might be) than one of the two might be benched.

I just don't think we should sacrifice the system for Hazard now (and we'd be sacrificing by giving him a free role) or that we should sacrifice Hazard for the system now, moving him to a position where the system demands a lot more of work-rate and defensive responsibilities.

I think it's unfair to say Hazard is our best player. He is definitely the best at what he does and is the main man but stick him in defence and then say he's better than JT.

[Tomo 21,681]

I meant to say defensive responsibility, im on my ps3 so can't edit my posts.

Coop nope if Hazard improves his finishing he has the potential to be deadly there, it wouldn't be an exclusive false 9 playing say Oscar or Spain playing Cesc there would be.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Hazard in the middle against Basel (away) last season was fantastic. He kept receiving the ball, turning past people with ease and leading the team on the counter.

He can definitely be more dangerous there, because he will receive the ball in better positions, compared to on the left when he has to dribble past 4 people to get a shot.

But there's no reason to change anything right now.

[Jase 43,479]

Was it this game ?

It was Basel away actually, not the home game.

[Tomo 21,681]

Would love Hazard to become a false 9. Central position, license to roam, less defensive work, focal point for the attack so he'd be seeing a lot of the ball.

Can't see it happening though. Don't think Mourinho likes the concept of a false 9.

I reckon potentially he could be our Henry , started as a winger got moved up front and turned into one off the best in the world.

It would save us a hell off a lot off money.

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

It was Basel away actually, not the home game.

He seems to be playing a lot on the number 10 position in this game aswell.