Eden Hazard

[Unionjack 7,531]

We all know Eden is a fantastic player when hes on. But you must agree that theres been 3 or 4 games this last couple of months when hes been missing.

Now whether thats been because hes been marked out, or the oppositions kept our CMs from getting the ball to him or its down to the mood hes in.

When he comes out on the pitch doing his boogie and hes up for the craic then hes on fire. But watch him. Theres games he comes out and theres nothing in his eyes. Like hes gone to the office.

But theres aloit of times that we just dont feed our top 3 enough. We have a big lack of creativity behind them that just cant get the balls to them. And IMHO we need to change that bit.

[positivefootball 195]

Another disgraceful performance.

[Roquila 1,335]

I don't think he has improved at all since joining us.... I'm still baffled how someone with so much talent can't consistently put up a good performance.

[Sir Mikel OBE 4,919]

I like how he dropped deep to look for the game. In many cases I feel he would disappear in matches, but it seemed he made an effort for that not to happen in the first half today.

 

In the second half he showed he couldnt handle dropping that deep though for too long. Too physical for him. If Conte insists on playing both Kante and Matic against smaller sides like hull, I think it would be a good idea to start Fabregas along with Pedro and Costa instead of Hazard. Would allow him to come off the bench to run at a tired defense, and would allow Fabregas to start with his passes to break down the opposition.

[Beepu 1,714]

Thought he did well, considering that Hull had 9 players back most of the time leaving very little space for him. Nowhere near a disgraceful performance.

[El P. 1,354]

I think something is wrong in his approach to the games lately. Either is that Contes' plan doesn't work for him anymore, or I don't know. He is same Hazard from beginning of that 13 games win haul, same quality, but something is not ticking right. Maybe him being our only creative spark on whole field took it's tool and he cannot be that dangerous in front of goal like before.

I miss those 3-4 shots per game stats from beginning of 13-games haul, when he was beast like that I think we played the best football.

[OhForAGreavsie 5,891]

On 20/01/2017 at 0:08 PM, Belgiannutt said:

 

 

I really disagree with the notion that Hazard isn't a consistent player. It's perfectly normal for a player to have "quiet" games in a season. They are human you know. 

There's not a single player in the world that measures up to the ridiculous definition of consistency some on here have.

Even Messi and Ronaldo have quiet games the difference is that they're tremendous goalscorers playing for teams that are so dominant they don't even need them to perform well to dominate the opposition.

[Tomo 21,733]

On January 9, 2017 at 6:42 PM, BlueLyon said:

Neymar didnt score in 11 games for Barca. They dont want to sell him. Yet here, the jury is already out to get rid of Eden. I just wonder if those are same people who wanted to sell him in summer. 

This is how football works. You dont play every single game on top. No player does it. Eden is top player, he aint world class. He has world class ball control, but otherways he is only very very good. He still has alot to prove in europe and sure he has talent for that. 

That said, he is still by far our best player along Costa and its just ridiculous people already started talking shit. 

Im just waiting for Costa to go 3 games goalless, then sure people will go from Costa is best in world to Costa is bang average. Funny world.

I swear we are the only fanbase around so relaxed about the prospect of losing our best players, its bizarre.

[Bernard N Y Burgesson 139]

No so why do we want to gang up on the guy. We should be greatful we have him even when he is not in form cause he is still better than pple who are in their peak

Sent from my SHV-E250K using Tapatalk

[kellzfresh 7,229]

He was okay against hull. Good in the first half and out-muscled in the 2nd half. He hasn’t had a great performance for 4 straight matches now but we've coped well.

But without hazard on peak performance we will stand no chance against liverpool and their high intensity style. If hazard has a great performance like against mancity or Everton, we will win.

But Conte should start using 3-5-2 against big teams and let hazard be upfront pressing with costa. Because even smaller teams like Hull are targeting that space Hazard leaves between Matic and Alonso and maguire managed to get some good chances to score by attacking when Hazard doesn't cover back like Pedro.  

Liverpool will attack that space again and if hazard isn't compensating his lower workrate (than Pedro/willian) by scoring in attack, we may not win against liverpool

[Atholy 1,293]

I have only seen yesterday's first half. So I cannot judge on the second one...

But I cannot understand people who are saying Hazard didn't show up, had an awful game, etc... If there would be any scouts in the stands, I'm 100% sure ALL of them would have written in their little notebooks: #10 of the blue team is very special.

Because even in a 'terrible game from him':

• He's literally involved in ALL our attacks.
• He comes to look for the ball all over the pitch, even on our own half.
• He's the guy who speeds up the game with a little flick or diagonal pass.
• It might look that he slows down play because he chooses for the safe passes. But this is because he thinks way more quickly than all us together. Because if he sees an opening, he always passes diagonally, after which he normally makes a good run to receive the ball back. 
• Not too many take on's yesterday, correct. However there were 9 Hull players behind the ball all the time... so it makes no sense to want him dribbling around 3-4 players all the time. He would literally lose the ball several times (he's not a robot) and then people would say he cannot go past defenders anymore :). 
• Matic, Alonso, Kante, Moses (somewhat less) are all looking for him to break the dead lock.
• His only creative link-up options are Costa & Pedro (Fabregas if he's playing) => this is our main problem!!!! 

IMO yesterday was a difficult game because Hull was parking the bus... But more over because almost every creative spark depends on Eden (or Costa)!!  The rest of the team is just passing around and looking for them. The bottle neck in Build up yesterday for me was Alonso. A lot of fluent attacks ended with him getting stuck. Also his crosses never reached target in the 1st half. You could blame the other for not being in the 16 yard box... but I think a player should know NOT to cross when only Diego is in a box together with 6 Tigers!!

 

So when we are dissapointed with a game like this from Eden... when ALL scouts would put him in there booklet. We just have to realize that we are so spoiled!!!! I think we will only realize once Eden is not on our pitch anymore. And if he would ever play at Barcelona (for example)... I'm afraid we will see him at full potential in creativity and our jaws will drop down again! 

Until then... cherish the fact we have Eden Hazard playing in our Chelsea kit !!! Because OH MY he will be missed so much once he would be gone!

[Unionjack 7,531]

15 minutes ago, Atholy said:

• His only creative link-up options are Costa & Pedro (Fabregas if he's playing) => this is our main problem!!!! 

IMO yesterday was a difficult game because Hull was parking the bus... But more over because almost every creative spark depends on Eden (or Costa)!!  The rest of the team is just passing around and looking for them. The bottle neck in Build up yesterday for me was Alonso. A lot of fluent attacks ended with him getting stuck. Also his crosses never reached target in the 1st half. You could blame the other for not being in the 16 yard box.

Yes. agree mate. We very much lack any creativity either in CM or CB which are where our breaks are starting.  The only one that can do anything with the ball centraly is Cescy who is a magician. But because hes not as fast as we need him to be or defensive as we would like him to be he gets left on the bench. But if he gets the time and space he needs he could feed all the front line.

Luiz is our best ball player in defence. Maybe if we utilize him more as a deep pocket playmaker as well, let the CDMs guard him with the 2 CBs he could do 2 jobs. He was always good as a midfielder and now his heads on proper he might just be better.

But either way we do need to be looking for more creative players for the bus park.

Alonso did a great job ast week tho. He got the crosses in fine. Yesterday there was nobody there to meet them alot of the times.                                                  

[FabHazard 655]

Disappointed with his mood and attitude in recent games..He was poor defensively against Hull and left his area open for Hull to attack..In attack he was below average and lost possession so many times which is normally unusual for a player like him ...What i did not like about him is lack of pressing from him and playing with lacklustre attitude..It was no surprise for me to see him get substituted by conte..if he plays like this against Liverpool and Arsenal we will get battered.. I want him to go to the next level but he always seems to lack killer instinct to get to that potential

[Tomo 21,733]

2 hours ago, Atholy said:

I have only seen yesterday's first half. So I cannot judge on the second one...

But I cannot understand people who are saying Hazard didn't show up, had an awful game, etc... If there would be any scouts in the stands, I'm 100% sure ALL of them would have written in their little notebooks: #10 of the blue team is very special.

Because even in a 'terrible game from him':

• He's literally involved in ALL our attacks.
• He comes to look for the ball all over the pitch, even on our own half.
• He's the guy who speeds up the game with a little flick or diagonal pass.
• It might look that he slows down play because he chooses for the safe passes. But this is because he thinks way more quickly than all us together. Because if he sees an opening, he always passes diagonally, after which he normally makes a good run to receive the ball back. 
• Not too many take on's yesterday, correct. However there were 9 Hull players behind the ball all the time... so it makes no sense to want him dribbling around 3-4 players all the time. He would literally lose the ball several times (he's not a robot) and then people would say he cannot go past defenders anymore :). 
• Matic, Alonso, Kante, Moses (somewhat less) are all looking for him to break the dead lock.
• His only creative link-up options are Costa & Pedro (Fabregas if he's playing) => this is our main problem!!!! 

IMO yesterday was a difficult game because Hull was parking the bus... But more over because almost every creative spark depends on Eden (or Costa)!!  The rest of the team is just passing around and looking for them. The bottle neck in Build up yesterday for me was Alonso. A lot of fluent attacks ended with him getting stuck. Also his crosses never reached target in the 1st half. You could blame the other for not being in the 16 yard box... but I think a player should know NOT to cross when only Diego is in a box together with 6 Tigers!!

 

So when we are dissapointed with a game like this from Eden... when ALL scouts would put him in there booklet. We just have to realize that we are so spoiled!!!! I think we will only realize once Eden is not on our pitch anymore. And if he would ever play at Barcelona (for example)... I'm afraid we will see him at full potential in creativity and our jaws will drop down again! 

Until then... cherish the fact we have Eden Hazard playing in our Chelsea kit !!! Because OH MY he will be missed so much once he would be gone!

Thankyou, i was looking for his stats on the game, many times he has a 'poor' performance on the naked eye but then looking at the after match stats he has actually been very productive.

[quickpassnmove 924]

the nimble-footed centre back was prepared to take on any attacker (Harry Maguire). Maguire and Courtois were MotM. Maguire snuffed out Hazard any time he was near.

I'm not criticizing Hazard.  We all know he's not a player that puts many good shots on frame. We need people to score other than Diego but I don't think Hazard was ever that kind of player.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

6 hours ago, quickpassnmove said:

the nimble-footed centre back was prepared to take on any attacker (Harry Maguire). Maguire and Courtois were MotM. Maguire snuffed out Hazard any time he was near.

I'm not criticizing Hazard.  We all know he's not a player that puts many good shots on frame. We need people to score other than Diego but I don't think Hazard was ever that kind of player.

There was a time this season that I was beginning to think that he's become that type of player. In October and November was one of the best performances from any winger in the world. Actually hazard was playing like a top 5 world player. But since the Everton match his shot ratio has reduced and while he's had fantastic performances against mancity, bournemoth and some other team, it's not as consistently daring like before(dribbles and shots have gone way down) and he's not fabregas, so I'm not expecting him to suddenly start giving defence splitting passes and getting assists but I miss his October and November form. 

Pedro started playing this season in October rotating with Willian, he has that goalscoring quality (has scored 7 goals, 2 behind Hazard who has 9 in all competitions) but Pedro has poor matches where his first touch let's him down a lot, which harms the team’s gameplay and Willian doesn't score more than 10 open play goals a season in his life so we need a daring, consistent goalscorer to take the pressure off hazard and take us to the next level when we enter the Champions League. Basically combine willian's ball control under pressure with pedros runs off the ball and goalscoring and we have a perfect right winger to complement hazard.

[Thor 2,392]

Teams are sitting back more against us, and it is becoming harder for us to break down defences. To add to that, we don't have the quality around Hazard to help him to create and kick it up another gear. Our link up play is great when the game is open, but we aren't good enough in closed down games because we don't have the players for it.

 

He is a top 5 player in the world. Teams load up against him. More so than other top players, because he simply doesn't have the talent the other 5 have around him. Easier to shut down Hazard when he is one of the few you have to concentrate on. Not so much the case for Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar, Saurez, etc. 

[quickpassnmove 924]

12 hours ago, Thor said:

Teams are sitting back more against us, and it is becoming harder for us to break down defences. To add to that, we don't have the quality around Hazard to help him to create and kick it up another gear. Our link up play is great when the game is open, but we aren't good enough in closed down games because we don't have the players for it.

 

He is a top 5 player in the world. Teams load up against him. More so than other top players, because he simply doesn't have the talent the other 5 have around him. Easier to shut down Hazard when he is one of the few you have to concentrate on. Not so much the case for Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar, Saurez, etc. 

That's exactly right. I would still prefer to talk less about Hazard's shortcomings and more about the fact that the CM and LB near him don't present any consistent, high-paced threat for combination play. Hazard is still being attacked on his own island there, on the right. Passes between Matic, Hazard and Alonso will never produce a great threat against sides that sit back so much and focus on Eden.