Eden Hazard

[Tomo 21,733]

Zidane and Ronaldinho didn't play for a side concerning themselves with defending first, ensuring plenty of men behind the ball and conceding possession at will. To the extreme point of recording possession under 30%, 0 shots on target (2 shots in total) and actually being outperformed against an opposition team with a man less. The circumstances aren't the same. Play Hazard in a top team (that plays) like Barca or Real (a legendary side like 98-00 France or playing alongside Ronaldo and Rivaldo) and see how he fares. Mourinho could care less about individual performances.

Not that I want to compare Hazard to Ronaldinho and Zidane. He has a very, very long way to go to achieve that kind of status.

That minus 30% stat vs United is so misleading, it was like that because United spent most of the game passing between defence and defensive midfield.

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

They rise on the biggest of occasions though, Zidane scored in WC final, CL final and others while Ronaldinho dribbled past the whole Madrid team once to score a goal in the El Classico. Hazard needs to do that when we play the like of PSG, Barca, Bayern, Real in the CL or at least when we play against MU, City...etc not when we play against Stoke and Norwich to be recognised for these 'magical' moments. He did it against Barca in the friendly, now just need to do it in a real competition hehe.

Too many big games he failed to raise his game and as a result we suffered like the 3-0 defeat to City a few weeks ago.

Zidane was about Hazard's age when he won the world cup. Have some patience. ;-)

Ronaldinho was also playing for Barca, a team that plays a tad more fluent and attacking football.

Zidane on the other hand, played most of his international career after 2000 in a French team that really didn't play well. He practically got them in the 2006 finals by himself. He's a true badass.

He's not on their level, but are you really going to blame Eden for the City defeat?

[DYC. 7,542]

That minus 30% stat vs United is so misleading, it was like that because United spent most of the game passing between defence and defensive midfield.

Chelsea didn't show any desire to win possession by pressing them and showing real urgency to win the ball, which means they didn't want the ball (coach's instructions). I don't see how that is misleading. How do you expect attacking players to excel, or even perform at a good level, in such conditions? I'm not 100% sure on this but I think we saw similar ball possession, around 30-35%, against Atletico and PSG. And it's not just possession, it's the failure to create a good amount of goal-scoring opportunities, rather relying on set-pieces.

My point was that Chelsea's approach does not set a platform for attacking players to shine. The plan is not to assert themselves over the opposition or dominate, unlike Zidane's Real or Ronaldinho's Barca. Not to mention the difference in quality of their team mates. That leads to Hazard being labled as someone who can't perform on the big stage.

[Unionjack 7,531]

I found a photo of hazard with his wife and i have to say you would have to be pretty lucky

Though Hazard is looking pretty odd

She must be a good shag cause shes not an oil painting is she! Chuchie face!

We all know the lad will wake up from the deep sleep hes in at the moment thats obvious but we need him to be there when we need him not when hes on his man menstral cycle All the lads just seem to be acting like zombies and we need someone to set the bar a bit higher and shake the rest up. And with Eden our most creative lad along with Cescy with them missing we are buggered.

I have a bad feeling. I see us losing him. IF we fail to make Europe next season I see Eden looking towards Spain. Hes a young very sharp lad with no matter what hes saying now, a truck load of ambition plus an ego to match

Mix that with the club will be wanting to buy our way out of trouble and getting as much for him as they can. (Which would be silly with us losing our best player) But in that scenario Im afraid I can see it happen

[termninja 5,290]

He doesn't have to score that many goals, he can just translate it to assists 30 assists a season will do him wonders

[Mission 97]

At least he recognizes his current deficiencies.

"You don't need to know too much about football to compare what I did last season and what I did this season. I'm not as good."

"Individually and collectively, we're not up to scratch. Starting with me."

"We had a difficult month in August. I hope that the international break will allow me to rediscover my form."

"Now we know that every game will be a war. Every opponent will be good against us from now on."

So mature and emphatic. It's been like that since day one as well, nothing new.

His resurgence is imminent.

http://www.espnfc.com/chelsea/story/2594125/eden-hazard-accepts-his-chelsea-form-has-been-below-par

[Oscar 441]

Don't compare ronadinho to hazard. Hazard would tell you that would be a slap in the face to ronaldinho.

Hazard, right now, is fantastic. One of the top 5 dribblers in the world with decent workrate and very good creativity. He could be better, but hazard is still amazing!

[lionsden 4,689]

Why is it that 95% of his interviews consist mainly of "his aspiration to become one of the best players" and "looking up to messi and ronaldo". does he ever talk about anything else, or do interviewers ask him about anything else. Just something I have observed.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Moreover, when will all the talk about "aspiring" stop? He's 25 in Jan. He's no longer a young rising star, he's a mature player his career is in its middle age.

Not saying that he can't keep getting better, but we can't seriously keep on talking about 'potential' till his late twenties...

[Tomo 21,733]

Moreover, when will all the talk about "aspiring" stop? He's 25 in Jan. He's no longer a young rising star, he's a mature player his career is in its middle age.

Not saying that he can't keep getting better, but we can't seriously keep on talking about 'potential' till his late twenties...

He's still young enough, some players don't reach their heights till 27 plus.

I think he's just keeps responding to the tedious comparisons to Messi and Ronaldo and that he needs to do more because he isn't a stat whore, I mean if they were playing today the likes of Giggs, Pires, Zola, Bergkamp and Ronaldinho would be "not doing enough".

Messi and Ronaldo have destroyed the mind of the average footy fan.

[Tomo 21,733]

Chelsea didn't show any desire to win possession by pressing them and showing real urgency to win the ball, which means they didn't want the ball (coach's instructions). I don't see how that is misleading. How do you expect attacking players to excel, or even perform at a good level, in such conditions? I'm not 100% sure on this but I think we saw similar ball possession, around 30-35%, against Atletico and PSG. And it's not just possession, it's the failure to create a good amount of goal-scoring opportunities, rather relying on set-pieces.

My point was that Chelsea's approach does not set a platform for attacking players to shine. The plan is not to assert themselves over the opposition or dominate, unlike Zidane's Real or Ronaldinho's Barca. Not to mention the difference in quality of their team mates. That leads to Hazard being labled as someone who can't perform on the big stage.

I'm not arguing with your main point just the United stat in isolation, they were just as cautious and passive as us, they were just passive with the ball and they needed the win more than we did.

I'm not sure about all the "park the bus" games but I checked a few other than United and our possession was always around 45-50%, if United were more adventurous themselves we would hace seen more of the ball regardless of how deep we played.

[sutro 1,026]

was at the game tonight, he's clearly getting better.

Fantastic run that ended with a penalty

[zolayes 14,489]

was at the game tonight, he's clearly getting better.

Fantastic run that ended with a penalty

was worried at first till he got up and took the penalty

[Tautvix 1,321]

Nice celebration Eden...

[DYC. 7,542]

I'm not arguing with your main point just the United stat in isolation, they were just as cautious and passive as us, they were just passive with the ball and they needed the win more than we did.

I'm not sure about all the "park the bus" games but I checked a few other than United and our possession was always around 45-50%, if United were more adventurous themselves we would hace seen more of the ball regardless of how deep we played.

This is what I mean. Barca never face Real or Valencia or Atletico and do nothing because they don't need a win for example. But then people blame Hazard for 'doing nothing' or disappearing.

I don't think any team hogs ball possession to just play it around their own half and in midfield. I'd say they lacked the creativity to break down the bus. We know what that's like, we've seen it countless times against the lesser teams.

I don't agree with that last part. If you want the ball, go get it. If you don't want it, sit back. It all depends on your own intentions.

[herzogian 148]

Hazard greeting king Filip of Belgium. I like him even more now.

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

Hazard greeting king Filip of Belgium. I like him even more now.

Haha, missed that.

What a guy.

[the wes 7,212]

Hazard named the 6th best player on fifa 16

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/revealed-chelsea-s-eden-hazard-named-sixth-best-player-on-fifa-16-a2927506.html