Eden Hazard

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

No it's not. Hazard lacks the natural instinct of an attacking midfielder (the good/great ones anyway and not the crappy ones) i.e the natural instinct to play the game exclusively with their head up, analysing and assessing situation around them very quickly, spotting the gaps and making the right decision from a creative standpoint most often than not. this is why quality AM's are able to spot the movements around and ahead of them before anyone else.

Fabregas gave an interview during his Arsenal days regarding creativity, He said he's always analysing plays before he even gets the ball and that helps him make better decisions. This type of players are natural thinkers first and foremost and it's something that can't be taught.

Hazard quite often miss these movements and makes the wrong decision at times as he has the tendency to slow the game down, hold on to the ball too long and in the process either end up drawing fouls or releasing the pass when it's too late. In situations where space in the box is at a premium and the opposition is defending very deep, timing,decision making and execution i,e a perfectly weighted accurate pass delivered just at the right time is very crucial. Aside from the issue of vision is also doubts over his passing ability. The ability to slot a perfectly weighted through ball consistently is limited to only a select few. That's why there are so many under hit and over hit passes in football. it's not easy.

This isn't a criticism of hazard either as that's just not his game, only very few players can shine in that position and he's not one of them, the same can be said of other world class players such as Robben,Neymar, Ribery, Bale and so on.

and why are we discussing this anyway as it's a case of if it's not broke, why fix it?

Everyday you say something more outlandish than the day before. 'Hazard lacks the natural instincts of an attacking midfielder'???? Try this, he is the prototypical attacking midfielder! spend some time watching this guy, his idol play the 10.

The reason Hazard isn't our 10 has more to do with the demand Jose puts on the position.

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

We have built a very strong foundation at the club so that even Hazard leaves it doesn't mean the end of Chelsea FC. Of course we will replace him ADEQUATELY PEOPLE, if he leaves that is. There are loads out there like Reus, Bale, Isco...etc all talented enough to take up his mantle. Obviously if he leaves we can be damn sure we will replace him, and not the case of Valencia as Ronaldo replacement as with MU in 2009 either.

We are not a one club man, never was and never will be. If we offer lets say 250k and he refuses we can sell him for like 100m or a deal with Madrid involving Bale+some cash or Isco+huge cash or just pure cash and go for someone like Reus. Look at Alexis, he is arguably having a even better season than Hazard atm. Players like him are always available. Hazard is talented but he is also not the only best winger in the world, even if he is no3 the no4 or 5 will always be able to replace him.

Just relax guys, the way I see it is he stays for a few more years/until end of his peak years on excellent money and helps us win trophies/become a legend or leaves for like 100m and we get someone equivalence of Sanchez, Reus, Isco, James, Bale...etc(you get my point) to replace him. Even someone like Griemann is not bad either, he won't dribble past 100 players a season like Hazard but he will score more goals and contribute in other aspects and so on. Either of these options is fine, we are one of the biggest club in the world now globally and commercially, we don't rely on A SINGLE PLAYER to define who we are. That is for the clubs like Arsenal, Liverpool...etc

[dee25 1,044]

No it's not. Hazard lacks the natural instinct of an attacking midfielder (the good/great ones anyway and not the crappy ones) i.e the natural instinct to play the game exclusively with their head up, analysing and assessing situation around them very quickly, spotting the gaps and making the right decision from a creative standpoint most often than not. this is why quality AM's are able to spot the movements around and ahead of them before anyone else.

Fabregas gave an interview during his Arsenal days regarding creativity, He said he's always analysing plays before he even gets the ball and that helps him make better decisions. This type of players are natural thinkers first and foremost and it's something that can't be taught.

Hazard quite often miss these movements and makes the wrong decision at times as he has the tendency to slow the game down, hold on to the ball too long and in the process either end up drawing fouls or releasing the pass when it's too late. In situations where space in the box is at a premium and the opposition is defending very deep, timing,decision making and execution i,e a perfectly weighted accurate pass delivered just at the right time is very crucial. Aside from the issue of vision is also doubts over his passing ability. The ability to slot a perfectly weighted through ball consistently is limited to only a select few. That's why there are so many under hit and over hit passes in football. it's not easy.

This isn't a criticism of hazard either as that's just not his game, only very few players can shine in that position and he's not one of them, the same can be said of other world class players such as Robben,Neymar, Ribery, Bale and so on.

and why are we discussing this anyway as it's a case of if it's not broke, why fix it?

Wow. I think this is the most off the mark assessment of Hazard I've ever come across, with all due respect. It's almost as if you've never watched him before. That isn't meant as an insult, it's just shocking that a Chelsea fan can say with straight face "Hazard lacks the natural instincts of an attacking midfielder." I can list examples after examples after examples of how wrong this is, hell take the goal we scored against City last weekend. You say that Hazard lacks the ability to asses situations before he gets on the ball but he was actually the one that instructed Ivanovic and pointed to the spot he wanted the ball delivered. Iva didn't switch play to Hazard by his own accord, it was Hazard that facilitated it. When that ball came from Iva, Eden played it first time because he had already seen the goal happen in his head before Iva had even crossed the freaking ball. That's the very definition of 'playmaking' and there are quite literally countless and countless of examples where Hazard has demonstrated this ability.

Hazard isn't perfect. There're areas of his game that he needs to refine but as an attacking midfielder, he's the complete package. He does it all. His decision making might still need some improvement, but saying that he has no "speed of thought" to play in the no. 10 position is conclusively wrong. On all accounts. I think I'm just going to stop here, log off and file this whole conversation under the heading of "bizarre things you read on TC".

[lionsden 4,689]

All these vitriol and outpour of emotion just because of a difference of opinion. but then again, i'm not really surprised.

[Special Juan 28,133]

All these vitriol and outpour of emotion just because of a difference of opinion. but then again, i'm not really surprised.

Well counter back with a response......the stage is wide open.

[dee25 1,044]

"Outpour of emotion" he says.. Yes how dare I have the temerity to disagree with Lord Lionsden. If there's one thing that makes me laugh are certain members on here who say things just for the mere sake of being controversial. They look at which way the wind blows and go the opposite way and somehow they actually believe that their opinion is "enlightened" just because they dared to deviate from the norm. It's funny how these people can continuously dish it out, but the moment you challenge their views they resort to straw-man responses like"outpour of emotion". Child please.

[Cech's helmet 220]

We need to get Hazard on the ball. I've noticed this year in some games he simply isn't getting the ball enough. I really think putting him in a no10 role will get him more involved and more dangerous in front of the goal.

The closer to the goal he is, the better. The guy is smart enough to play with his back to goal and get out of tight spaces. Putting Eden in the middle also means Willian gets to play in what I believe is his favorite position at left wing, where he can cut in and shoot. Oscar for me will always be a CM. He's just not technically as good as Eden/Willian to play in tight area's, he needs space/freedom. He can only get that playing as a CM/Box to box kinda role.

[lionsden 4,689]

Anyway.

Regarding the contract situation. If he's still with the same agent then I'm not surprised it's taking this long. Didn't he make us pay him £6m (an absolutely ridiculous fee for an agent) and was the reason City and United backed off the deal. 300k is just insane especially in this ffp climate and only messi and ronaldo can justify earning that much per week.

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

Anyway.

Regarding the contract situation. If he's still with the same agent then I'm not surprised it's taking this long. Didn't he make us pay him £6m (an absolutely ridiculous fee for an agent) and was the reason City and United backed off the deal. 300k is just insane especially in this ffp climate and only messi and ronaldo can justify earning that much per week.

Tbf he is on like £170k already, £250k seems not that big of a increase for someone like him. The problem though is the conflict it might create in the dressing room like Jose said(one of a few things he is actually serious about in his pcs usually) about why we had to reject signing Di Maria, Falcao or Shaw this summer. £300k though I think is a bit ridiculous, I agree only a few players in the world deserve that and Hazard as good as he is, is not in one of them yet(neither is Rooney but point still stand).

[DH1988 1,348]

He binned his agent due to some stuff with his brothers as far as I remember reading and Jose mentioned because he's doing if himself it's taking longer than usual.

[lionsden 4,689]

Tbf he is on like £170k already, £250k seems not that big of a increase for someone like him. The problem though is the conflict it might create in the dressing room like Jose said(one of a few things he is actually serious about in his pcs usually) about why we had to reject signing Di Maria, Falcao or Shaw this summer. £300k though I think is a bit ridiculous, I agree only a few players in the world deserve that and Hazard as good as he is, is not in one of them yet(neither is Rooney but point still stand).

You are right apart from the fact that 300k would put him alongside Rooney as the joint 4th highest paid player in European top flight league, It does set a bad precedent.

[lionsden 4,689]

He binned his agent due to some stuff with his brothers as far as I remember reading and Jose mentioned because he's doing if himself it's taking longer than usual.

That's strange. I have never heard of a player representing himself at this level. At worst they will use their father or a family member as a rep.

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

That's strange. I have never heard of a player representing himself at this level. At worst they will use their father or a family member as a rep.

His father is his agent now.

[Styles 9,790]

• Hazard has had a hand in 8 goals (4 goals, 4 assists) in his last 9 Premier League appearances.
• The Belgian has also scored in 4 of his last 5 away games for Chelsea in all competitions.

Hopefully he keeps this form going until the end of the season.

[Tchekitchek 37]

He played a bit below his level in the last two games, but he had still an assist and a goal.