Eden Hazard

[DH1988 1,273]

Wow lets not get carried away here, his first half performance was terrible!! Mis-placed passes, scared to run at players. Someone must of had a word at half time tbh because it was a different Eden, the one we paid £32m for, the one that runs at several players and gets past with ease!

Still though, he doesn't want to pass to Torres, several times last night Torres had a through ball on and Eden just went the other way or by himself. Not that I can blame him, just an observation.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

I think this is directed at me, so I'm going to explain. Rafa continues to defend Torres, so I'm using Rafa's defending of Torres as a benchmark, comparing it to Rafa telling Hazard to improve. Pathetic.

No, it was aimed that that stupid quote from FSW.

[KonohasOrangeFlash 2,607]

Where are the people saying he should replace Lamps as our PK taker?

Seriously that pen was terrible. Other than that he was brilliant yesterday.

OK then, he misses two in his entire career and he shouldn't be No.1? I think Eden has a better PK technique whereas Frank basically almost always goes to the left or the Middle.

[Las7 951]

It's between Luiz and Hazard for me, I actually prefer Luiz at the moment but he needs to sort out his defensive lapses to ensure he is in the squad in the first place to take those penalties.

[Wiillowhobo 28]

Wow lets not get carried away here, his first half performance was terrible!! Mis-placed passes, scared to run at players. Someone must of had a word at half time tbh because it was a different Eden, the one we paid £32m for, the one that runs at several players and gets past with ease!

Still though, he doesn't want to pass to Torres, several times last night Torres had a through ball on and Eden just went the other way or by himself. Not that I can blame him, just an observation.

Really? I didn't notice that. There was an occasion where Torres should have passed the ball to Hazard on the right who was wide open and had a better shot opportunity. So I think it works both ways. But in general, when I see Torres play and he gets the ball, he overcomplicates things way too much and mostly loses the ball. If it's frustrating for me, I can understand it's quite frustrating to those players around him too. Play it simple man, your job is not to run with the ball but without it and score. You've got Mata, Hazard and Oscar to make those runs with the ball.

[Blu4Lyf 46]

Hazard's shot it once or twice in the same exact spot he did yesterday except the keeper's gone the wrong way each time. I guess people don't remember that or it wouldn't be deemed as such a 'shocking' PK.

[Peppi85 110]

Where are the people saying he should replace Lamps as our PK taker?

Seriously that pen was terrible. Other than that he was brilliant yesterday.

overhere

He takes all his penalties like that... Every penalty that doesnt go in is terrible?!

Normally he waits for the keeper to dive & then he shoots to the other corner... Don't know what went wrong there.

[bababoom 4,478]

The last few games i have been critical, but yesterday he was terrific, such an exciting player.

[bababoom 4,478]

overhere

He takes all his penalties like that... Every penalty that doesnt go in is terrible?!

Normally he waits for the keeper to dive & then he shoots to the other corner... Don't know what went wrong there.

Very risky strategy that, i would rather someone like Lampard who just smashes them in.

[Hutcho 8,443]

It says something about the quality of lampards pens that 90% of them go bottom left, which the keeper knows and he still can't stop them. Lampard is the only one i feel confident with when he steps up... I hate all short run ups... Except didier...

[Jase 43,479]

It says something about the quality of lampards pens that 90% of them go bottom left, which the keeper knows and he still can't stop them. Lampard is the only one i feel confident with when he steps up... I hate all short run ups... Except didier...

For Lampard, it's all about power and accuracy. Keeper won't have a chance to save it even if they guessed the right way, as you pointed out. As for Hazard, it's more about placement than anything else.

[manpe 10,861]

Seriously that pen was terrible. Other than that he was brilliant yesterday.

It's the kind of penalty when it goes in, everybody says "brilliant", "intelligent", "cool", "confident". But when it gets saved everybody goes "stupid", "unconvincing" etc. The Panenka penalty is the same, if you score you look badass, if you flop it you look like a donkey. The Panenka (or Pirlo penalty, call it what you want) is actually nothing special, you just place the ball in the middle when you know that there is a 90% chance that the keeper will dive either side. I prefer Lampard's method of smashing the roof off when he's hitting in the middle, less chance of cocking it up. I actually think hitting it in the middle is a bit cowardly, but necessary when you need the highest chance to score (exactly what Lamps does). But that's going off topic now.

[Hutcho 8,443]

It is true that AMAZING PENS are AWFUL PENS if they save them.... Take balotelli for example. When he strolls up and rolls one slowly just left of centre, it is a great pen as the keeper went the wrong way etc... He looks like a bit of an idiot if the keeper doesn't move though... The same with the little dinks down the middle.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

overhere

He takes all his penalties like that... Every penalty that doesnt go in is terrible?!

Normally he waits for the keeper to dive & then he shoots to the other corner... Don't know what went wrong there.

It's the kind of penalty when it goes in, everybody says "brilliant", "intelligent", "cool", "confident". But when it gets saved everybody goes "stupid", "unconvincing" etc. The Panenka penalty is the same, if you score you look badass, if you flop it you look like a donkey. The Panenka (or Pirlo penalty, call it what you want) is actually nothing special, you just place the ball in the middle when you know that there is a 90% chance that the keeper will dive either side. I prefer Lampard's method of smashing the roof off when he's hitting in the middle, less chance of cocking it up. I actually think hitting it in the middle is a bit cowardly, but necessary when you need the highest chance to score (exactly what Lamps does). But that's going off topic now.

It's not terrible because it didn't go in but because he looked so unconvincing in the run up. I am no goalkeeper but I could tell that 99% he was going right, it was so obvious from his body language. Add to that the fact that the shot had no power or placement so just by guessing right, the keeper was always going to save that.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

OK then, he misses two in his entire career and he shouldn't be No.1? I think Eden has a better PK technique whereas Frank basically almost always goes to the left or the Middle.

It's not because he missed it; he shouldn't be number 1 simply because Frank is better. I have no idea what your definition of technique is, but Frank's pens always have placement and a great deal of power which makes it hard for the keeper to keep them out even if he guesses right. You would NEVER see Frank take a pen like Hazard's yesterday.

Also, in terms of choosing sides, Frank has an almost perfect amount of variation. I've posted this before and I'll post again because those questioning Lamps really need to read it: http://www.thechels.co.uk/frank-lampard-and-the-art-of-the-penalty-kick/

[Chelsea? 892]

I'm worried he's been struggling against epl teams but can perform against Norghland. Like Torres

[Stingray 9,441]

I'm worried he's been struggling against epl teams but can perform against Norghland. Like Torres

Ow comon, really?? Like Torres?? LSD much?

[manpe 10,861]

Ow comon, really?? Like Torres?? LSD much?

I don't think he meant that he plays like Torres in the EPL. I think he meant that against a crap side he performed better, like everybody else in the team tbf. It wasn't the kind of game where you can evaluate players tbh, the opposing team had nothing to win or lose, their spirits were broken the moment they flopped their penalty and we scored ours. They weren't even trying. If the team, including Hazard, hadn't performed well, my spidey sense would have been tingling.