🇧🇪 Eden Hazard

[iseah100 5,612]

"Lack of experience" is not a shortcoming in itself, it could be the cause of a shortcoming. Given the incredible run of results, there's no reason to assume that the lack of experience has lead to major shortcomings.

"Tactical flexibilty" although true is debatable as a shortcoming. For every person that says flexibility is important to deal with different kinds of opponents, there's another one who says it's important to always start from your own strengths and impose your own game. It's up to the opponent to adapt. In club team football I wouldn't prefer one opinion over the other, but in national team football, given the fact that the players only meet once every few months, one may argue (like Wilmots does) that it's more important to build routine than try to create tactical flexibility. In fact if you look at the major national football teams, you will actually notice that most of them stick to the same tactics and line-up. It's usually the smaller teams that chose to adapt to the tactics of their stronger opponent. If you take Holland as a recent example of a major national team that does adapt their tactics under Guud Hiddink, switching between 3-5-2 and 4-3-3, you can see that it's not a success. Van Gaal with exactly the same players & sticking stubbornly to the 3-5-2, in spite of all the Dutch critics begging to switch to 4-3-3 against weaker opponents, made it 3rd in the recent World Cup. So, like Wilmots tactics or hate them, I think it's wise to stick to them as much as possible. He has tried some different tactics in friendlies, like playing two strikers up front (Lukaku-Benteke against USA & Colombia) but he evaluated it negatively and stuck to the 4-2-3-1. Again, purely judging on the results, which is still the only objective way to evaluate a coach, that was a wise decision.

"Poor decision making" is purely a subjective judgement from your side. You're probably bored of me repeating this, but again based on the results one could more objectively argue that his decision making has not been that poor at all. Rather the contrary.

It's okay to throw the towel by now.

Agree to disagree.

For me, Wilmots is not that good a coach and I personally think Hodgson could have done more with that Belgium squad. Or at least match Wilmots. With all the talent they have they should really make the final of Euro 2016.

[Daniel1980 1,425]

People are complaining about hazard's performances...

FOr me, hazard is doing extremely well and even though he will always be defensively lacking, you cant really ask for anymore from him. Only thing hazard can improve on realistically is making runs without the ball..

Agreed. He needs to do more runs without the ball and run at defenders more, like he did against Arsenal. The talent is there. I think he's been very good this season, though admittedly, he needs to score a lot more if he wants to be on Messi and CR7 level.

[Chelsea? 892]

People are complaining about hazard's performances...

FOr me, hazard is doing extremely well and even though he will always be defensively lacking, you cant really ask for anymore from him. Only thing hazard can improve on realistically is making runs without the ball..

exactly what I was thinking. He is much more aggressive this year. doesn't stand on the ball

[mikeholiday 209]

Any update on his contract? Few weeks ago he was about to sign a new one.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Any update on his contract? Few weeks ago he was about to sign a new one.

Exactly. What happened with the contract news it's been under the radar.

[Nike 373]

Hazard should of scored 5 goals today.....

Fantastic match though!

[Peppi85 110]

Today (after the few balls he refused to put in) he showed a lotta grinta, he really wanted to score a goal (even after that penalty)!

[DYC. 7,542]

I know I'm going to sound crazy to some/most - I'm gonna go with most - but Hazard should've done better. I'm serious. He should've annihilated them. But that final ball, that final move, the 'kill' as Mourinho calls it, was lacking. And you could tell by his reactions throughout the game, he knew he should've done more. Look at his reaction after he scored his first goal. He was probably thinking, ... another penalty.

He finally got a goal at the end though, that made it a bit better. So, very strong performance overall, but it could've been a very, very memorable one.

[Eidur the Spider 4,515]

An absolute joy to watch. Everytime he gets the ball it feels like something great is going to happen.

Never leave, become a legend. This guy is outstanding. :blue scalf: :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

[edetarod 2,155]

agree, he could've done more

tries to be too cute sometimes

[Shakez 755]

Showed some real determination today, Mourinho's words are really reaching him. Still have a feeling his best form is yet to come

[LAM09 7,051]

He lit the Bridge up tonight.

[boshman 1,073]

If Eden was more ruthless in front of goal he would no question be up there with Messi and Ronaldo as the best players in the world. Immense tonight! Such a talent and the scary thing for everyone else is he is only going to get better!!

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

It is all good doing it against the likes of Maribo though, hope he continues this weekend against MU.

[Stats 7,142]

It is all good doing it against the likes of Maribo though, hope he continues this weekend against MU.

Yes, it was only Maribor but let's not forget that he ripped apart Arsenal as well in a similar manner.

[Daniel1980 1,425]

He seems to have great games after average games. I secretly hoped he would be meh today.

I'm disappointed, Eden. What a fucking beast.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Not that bad You could tell from minute 1 that Hazard was hungry for goals tonight and rightly so, he's been too unlucky this season. He did something he normally doesn't do enough of which was making runs into the box. You tend to score more when you do that. We have a really, really special players on our hands guys. An absolute joy to watch him play for us.

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

Lack of experience, tactical flexibility, and poor decision making. Yes, he's gotten results, but that's because a lot of these players are just that good. He's an average coach, if Belgium want to do anything like win the Euro's or Confederations Cup, they'll have to reevaluate their staff. Starting with Wilmots.

Maybe we should pay 4 million to get Louis Van Gaal. I heard he's a tactical genius.

Wilmots may not be a mastermind, but he's not bad at all. We've lost one competitive match in two years and it was the World Cup Quarterfinal. Belgium is a good team, but there are other good ones. It was our first big tournament in 12 years. We'll see what happens in two. There's already a difference in playing style noticable. Much more position changes, more movement. He's not blind. I give him the benefit of the doubt. Also, the Belgian board doesn't have the budget to attract "geniuses" like Capello, who was earning 7 million a year in Russia (wasn't he)? Wilmots makes 600.000 euros. Try getting a better coach on that budget

And to people saying we should "definitely" get to the European final. Ffs. It's not that we're the only decent team around. Let's say Germany is the best team at the moment. Then you have Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Holland, even England: all of these could beat each other if they are having a good day. No one should "definitely" get to the finals. Form, luck, a good draw, all these factors matter.

[17. Eden Hazard 30]

Great goal but his general play was actually below par this game.

[Barbara 15,149]

I know I'm going to sound crazy to some/most - I'm gonna go with most - but Hazard should've done better. I'm serious. He should've annihilated them. But that final ball, that final move, the 'kill' as Mourinho calls it, was lacking. And you could tell by his reactions throughout the game, he knew he should've done more. Look at his reaction after he scored his first goal. He was probably thinking, ... another penalty.

He finally got a goal at the end though, that made it a bit better. So, very strong performance overall, but it could've been a very, very memorable one.

I think it's okay to acknowledge it. He probably acknowledged it himself. He was absolutely unplayable today and unstoppable. I'll patiently wait for the kill instinct to be groomed on him. He could do better with some chances to score - and it has nothing to do with being a Ronaldo-like kind of player or not. He should have scored at the very least two more goals from open play.

While I do point it out - I think he was magnificent. The little details will come with time. I'm positive about it. There's no way he won't improve the kill instinct with Mourinho working so close to him and investing so much on him.