Eden Hazard

[xPetrCechx 13,563]

[robsblubot 3,502]

Great players win you matches... That's what Eden did today.

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

No, but he should definately not have gotten a new contract before the WC had even started. This is a generation we won't ever have again and I feel it's being utterly wasted by this man.

Credit to him for creating a brilliant atmosphere, a tactical coach a la Van Gaal should be brought in now.

Muh, we had Advocaat before, with practically the same generation minus Lukaku and Divork, and he lost to fucking Armenia.

[OneMoSalah 8,776]

Was pretty awful but special players are decisive when their teams need them to be. Great assist.

[Weckerz 3,781]

Muh, we had Advocaat before, with practically the same generation minus Lukaku and Divork, and he lost to fucking Armenia.

Had a quick look: Gillet, Deschacht, Swerts, Martens, Simons, Sonck and De Camargo played that game, with De Sutter and Lamah as substitutes. Hardly this generation...

Advocaat wasn't even coach then, Vercauteren's last game.

[lionsden 4,689]

average for 85 mins apart from 2 or 3 good runs and the one that led to the goal.

[Anme 5]

WIlmots isn't a great tactical coach, but I think people underrate the mentality aspect. In previous years, we often played decent football but we lost due to a lack of concentration at the end of a game. Nowadays, we always seem to win regardless of how smooth we play. Wilmots brought a winning mentality to the team.

I also don't really see how people are expecting us to play with a more tactical coach. We don't have the players to play a high pace and play very attractive football. It's not that we have quality players like Hazard, De Bruyne that our entire team is fit to play a fast aggresive style. We'd be way too vulnerable with players like Kompany, Van Buyten, Vermaelen prone to errors.

It's just slightly surprising that, when you have a coach who brought a team from not qualifying and losing against very weak teams, to a team that has gotten 32 on 36 points in their last games of importance, the only thing you read about Wilmots (on internet fora) is how horrible he is tactically.

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

Had a quick look: Gillet, Deschacht, Swerts, Martens, Simons, Sonck and De Camargo played that game, with De Sutter and Lamah as substitutes. Hardly this generation...

Advocaat wasn't even coach then, Vercauteren's last game.

Hmm, you're right. Holy shit, those players...

[Gilvorak 3,734]

He's the first manager that was able to take these guys to an actual tournament. They adore him. What should we do? Pay Capello 10 million a year so he can come play catenaccio with our team?

That's all very well and nice but you simply can't waste this group of players. Simply can't gamble on a mediocre manager when you're such a small nation.

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

That's all very well and nice but you simply can't waste this group of players. Simply can't gamble on a mediocre manager when you're such a small nation.

Tell me what manager would be a. affordable and b. better? Getting the likes of Van Gaal is impossible unless they do it for scratch. Also, Van Gaal failed to qualify Holland for the 2002 World Cup, with a better team than he has today.

Wilmots yet has to lose his first competitive game as a coach, and during the qualification matches his tactical choices almost always proved right.

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

Another thing: how many horrible, horrible games did Chelsea play this year? Enough, right? Does that mean Mourinho is not a good coach? Sometimes your key players are just not performing. It's no more than that...

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Says a lot about his ability (and the lack of quality in the match) when he can easily win MOTM for showing up for less than 10 minutes in the whole match.

But, FFS, Eden, it won't kill you to be a bit selfish at times!

[Sheva. 5,373]

Tbf to the Belgian manager, that squad has no fullbacks to support the wingers, and their best CM's aren't exactly creative.

It's pretty much Chelsea of last season, except they can't go out and buy Fabregas and Luis.

[Xtraxion 100]

Tbf to the Belgian manager, that squad has no fullbacks to support the wingers, and their best CM's aren't exactly creative.

It's pretty much Chelsea of last season, except they can't go out and buy Fabregas and Luis.

Ok, we don't have natural full backs, but at least you have to play Vertonghen high so Hazard can do his thing. I have the feeling the squad followed Wilmots orders until minute 80, where Vertonghen and Alderweireld were going forward and so Hazard (and mirallas) did have the space to do his (their) thing. Wilmots has all credits for managing the social aspect of the team, but he lacks the tactics and guts at this stage.

[haranr 485]

Hazard CAN take Belgium right to the very top but he has to decide NOWW!!

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

Tbf to the Belgian manager, that squad has no fullbacks to support the wingers, and their best CM's aren't exactly creative.

It's pretty much Chelsea of last season, except they can't go out and buy Fabregas and Luis.

I've got the same opinion as Xtraxion even if you don't have natural fullbacks you need to push your fullbacks up high, atleast on that left side with Vertonghen.

That way Hazard can get away from his flank because now he's getting way to isolated on his side.

He's constantly getting double marked with a third player covering. The only way to counteract that is by having your fullback push up high and overlap Hazard.

Even if Vertonghen isn't that great going forward the opposition still has to cover his run and allow Hazard some more space to work with.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

The only real problem Belgium will have in future are fullbacks...they have Tielemans who will add creativity in midfield and Januzaj who will be the danger man next to Hazard, it wont be oneman team at least. And Benteke at best, Origi improving and Lukaku maturing will give them more stable options in attack. But they have no fucking fullbacks this team...

[Mustafa 885]

I don't know why.... but the more and more I watch Eden play, the more I feel like he will prosper more in the #10 role.

Why?

Look at Mertens' display in the first two games for example. He was immense in both games (imo) just cuz of his direct nature. He looks to beat his marker and deliver a cross or shoot. That's what a winger should do in my opinion. Eden does that too. But but not often enough.

On the other hand, what Hazard has that most LW's don't, is magnificent vision. The best LW in the world (Cristiano Ronaldo) has average vision. Eden almost always creates a couple good chances for his team mates whenever he's on the pitch.

Now, if he played in the role behind the striker, he would be in positions to play in on-running STs and Wingers. Like he did for Schurrle's second goal against Fulham. He skipped past two players and then calmly caressed the ball into Schurrle's path. And I think he can do that on a regular basis. Also, if he played in the role behind the striker, he'd get the ball ALOT with his back to goal. In that situation, Eden is incredibly clever in how he turns the defender on his back and sprints away from him. Can't think of a better example than his first goal against Newcastle in the 3-0 victory at Stamford Bridge.

I think this is something Jose should consider and maybe even Belgium too. Both the Belgian NT and Chelsea have players who would love to play in Hazard's position week in week out but just cant get into the team because of Hazard. As for Chelsea, I think Hazard would give us more creativity than Oscar would in the #10 role.

Just a thought...