Eden Hazard

[Unionjack 7,531]

Eden Hazard to keep Chelsea guessing as he waits on Real Madrid

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/12/27/eden-hazard-keep-chelsea-guessing-waits-real-madrid/

 

Eden Hazard is prepared to keep Chelsea sweating on his future until the summer as he waits to find out if Real Madrid will make him their number one transfer target.

And Hazard has put pressure on Chelsea to solve their striker crisis in the January transfer window by revealing he does not want to become a permanent false nine.

Chelsea are looking at a range of options and have been working on a potential deal in which they take over Gonzalo Higuain’s loan from Juventus and Alvaro Morata moves to AC Milan on a temporary basis.

Hazard became Chelsea’s latest centurion with two goals in the victory against Watford, which meant he has netted three times in four games since being asked to play as a false nine while Morata has been missing.

The Belgian raised hopes among Chelsea fans that he is ready to sign a new contract by declaring that he wants to become a club legend “like Lampard, Terry and Drogba” immediately after the Vicarage Road win.

But asked later whether that meant he is now preparing to commit his long-term future to Chelsea, Hazard replied: “I am just focussed on the pitch. I will see at the end of the season.”

With a new deal worth well over £300,000-a-week on the table, Chelsea will push Hazard to make a decision sooner than the summer, when he will only have 12 months remaining on his contract.

The 27-year-old’s advisors were in London earlier this month, but Chelsea know that their best chance of keeping Hazard past this season is to hope Real prioritise one of their other big-money targets.

Other than Hazard, Real are also interested in Paris Saint-Germain pair Neymar and Kylian Mbappe but neither of those players are close to the end of their contracts.

Hazard has given mixed messages over his future both inside and outside Chelsea. He excited backroom staff recently by suggesting he was preparing to stay, but he has never communicated that officially to the club.

What happens in the January transfer window could play a major part in whether or not Chelsea can convince Hazard to give up on his dream of playing for Real.

Hazard has reaffirmed the fact that he does not believe the false nine through the middle is his best position and wants to move back out to the left.

He could get his wish at the weekend if injuries to Pedro and Callum Hudson-Odoi leave Sarri with no option but to bring in striker Olivier Grioud.

But Hazard may have to wait to see if Chelsea can sign Higuain, or another striker, before being sure of where he will play the majority of the second half of the season.

Asked whether he gets more chances to score playing through the middle, Hazard replied: “Yeah, but my position is winger. I feel better as a winger, but I have played well as a striker against Watford and Brighton. I did well as a striker, so the manager chooses where to put me on the pitch and then I try to do my best.”

Hazard’s recent switch into the middle has drawn comparisons with his Belgian compatriot Dries Mertens, who was successfully converted by Chelsea head coach Maurizio Sarri while he was in charge of Napoli.

But Hazard made it clear he has no intention of making a permanent position change by insisting Mertens is more suited to the role than him.

“Dries is more of a striker than me,” said Hazard. “I am more like a playmaker. Since I started football I like to come, touch the ball. Dries is not like this, he just wants to stay in the box. That’s why he scores a lot of goals. We are different, but yeah I know with Sarri he likes to change some positions sometimes.”

It was also revealing that Hazard disagreed with one journalist who suggested his goals through the middle could help him eclipse the 2014/15 season, when he was voted Player of the Year.

Hazard, who finished that season with 19 goals for Chelsea and already has 12 this term, said: “I score more goals, but I don’t feel I play better. I just score more goals.”

Sarri even opted to keep Hazard through the middle against Watford when Pedro was forced off with a hamstring injury, instead sending on 18-year-old winger Hudson-Odoi.

But Hudson-Odoi also suffered a similar injury problem, which gives Sarri a headache ahead of selecting his team for Sunday’s trip to Crystal Palace.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek missed the trip to Vicarage Road, but could replace Pedro if he is fit enough otherwise Sarri may have to bring in Giroud and restore Hazard to the left with Willian on the right.

Other than Higuain, Chelsea have considered Nabil Fekir, Callum Wilson, who Bournemouth are determined to keep, and Jamie Vardy as January targets.

 

[Vesper 29,019]

2 hours ago, Unionjack said:

Eden Hazard to keep Chelsea guessing as he waits on Real Madrid

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/12/27/eden-hazard-keep-chelsea-guessing-waits-real-madrid/

 

Eden Hazard is prepared to keep Chelsea sweating on his future until the summer as he waits to find out if Real Madrid will make him their number one transfer target.

And Hazard has put pressure on Chelsea to solve their striker crisis in the January transfer window by revealing he does not want to become a permanent false nine.

Chelsea are looking at a range of options and have been working on a potential deal in which they take over Gonzalo Higuain’s loan from Juventus and Alvaro Morata moves to AC Milan on a temporary basis.

Hazard became Chelsea’s latest centurion with two goals in the victory against Watford, which meant he has netted three times in four games since being asked to play as a false nine while Morata has been missing.

The Belgian raised hopes among Chelsea fans that he is ready to sign a new contract by declaring that he wants to become a club legend “like Lampard, Terry and Drogba” immediately after the Vicarage Road win.

But asked later whether that meant he is now preparing to commit his long-term future to Chelsea, Hazard replied: “I am just focussed on the pitch. I will see at the end of the season.”

With a new deal worth well over £300,000-a-week on the table, Chelsea will push Hazard to make a decision sooner than the summer, when he will only have 12 months remaining on his contract.

The 27-year-old’s advisors were in London earlier this month, but Chelsea know that their best chance of keeping Hazard past this season is to hope Real prioritise one of their other big-money targets.

Other than Hazard, Real are also interested in Paris Saint-Germain pair Neymar and Kylian Mbappe but neither of those players are close to the end of their contracts.

Hazard has given mixed messages over his future both inside and outside Chelsea. He excited backroom staff recently by suggesting he was preparing to stay, but he has never communicated that officially to the club.

What happens in the January transfer window could play a major part in whether or not Chelsea can convince Hazard to give up on his dream of playing for Real.

Hazard has reaffirmed the fact that he does not believe the false nine through the middle is his best position and wants to move back out to the left.

He could get his wish at the weekend if injuries to Pedro and Callum Hudson-Odoi leave Sarri with no option but to bring in striker Olivier Grioud.

But Hazard may have to wait to see if Chelsea can sign Higuain, or another striker, before being sure of where he will play the majority of the second half of the season.

Asked whether he gets more chances to score playing through the middle, Hazard replied: “Yeah, but my position is winger. I feel better as a winger, but I have played well as a striker against Watford and Brighton. I did well as a striker, so the manager chooses where to put me on the pitch and then I try to do my best.”

Hazard’s recent switch into the middle has drawn comparisons with his Belgian compatriot Dries Mertens, who was successfully converted by Chelsea head coach Maurizio Sarri while he was in charge of Napoli.

But Hazard made it clear he has no intention of making a permanent position change by insisting Mertens is more suited to the role than him.

“Dries is more of a striker than me,” said Hazard. “I am more like a playmaker. Since I started football I like to come, touch the ball. Dries is not like this, he just wants to stay in the box. That’s why he scores a lot of goals. We are different, but yeah I know with Sarri he likes to change some positions sometimes.”

It was also revealing that Hazard disagreed with one journalist who suggested his goals through the middle could help him eclipse the 2014/15 season, when he was voted Player of the Year.

Hazard, who finished that season with 19 goals for Chelsea and already has 12 this term, said: “I score more goals, but I don’t feel I play better. I just score more goals.”

Sarri even opted to keep Hazard through the middle against Watford when Pedro was forced off with a hamstring injury, instead sending on 18-year-old winger Hudson-Odoi.

But Hudson-Odoi also suffered a similar injury problem, which gives Sarri a headache ahead of selecting his team for Sunday’s trip to Crystal Palace.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek missed the trip to Vicarage Road, but could replace Pedro if he is fit enough otherwise Sarri may have to bring in Giroud and restore Hazard to the left with Willian on the right.

Other than Higuain, Chelsea have considered Nabil Fekir, Callum Wilson, who Bournemouth are determined to keep, and Jamie Vardy as January targets.

 

What a depressing article, from every angle, including those targets.

It does contain great explanation about why Hazard is not suited to central role like Mertens.

“Dries is more of a striker than me,” said Hazard. “I am more like a playmaker. Since I started football I like to come, touch the ball. Dries is not like this, he just wants to stay in the box. That’s why he scores a lot of goals. We are different, but yeah I know with Sarri he likes to change some positions sometimes.”

Only way Sarri runs a false nine next game is if his front 3 is 

LW Willian

RW RLC

False 9  Eden

I expect Morata to get the start though, over Giroud,  if he is fully fit

With RW Willian and LW Eden

Kovacic is injured (I think) so Barkley over RLC I will guess

We already know what the back 4 will be, sigh

 

 

[Vesper 29,019]

Hazard tempers recent excitement regarding his Chelsea future

He’s as hard to pin down off the pitch as he is to tackle on it

https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/chelsea-fc-transfer-rumours-news/2018/12/28/18158366/hazard-tempers-recent-excitement-regarding-his-chelsea-future

At the end of the great mid-90s action movie Speed (the one with the iconic and hilarious bus jump) Sandra Bullock turns to Keanu Reeves and warns him that “relationships based on intense experiences never work”. But it’s a Hollywood ending and it works. (At least until Speed 2: Cruise Control, which is the Mourinho Season of Speed movies.)

The Hollywood ending for Chelsea and Hazard is making us wait for it a bit longer however.

After the intense experience of a match-winning brace against Watford made him the tenth player in club history to reach 100 (and 101!) goals, Eden Hazard declared his desire to become a Chelsea legend and cement the relationship 6.5 years in the making. But if Hazard is to reach the status of Lampard, Terry, or Drogba, he’s going to have to sign his new contract first and not leave us for Real Madrid. And so his declaration was taken as intent, or at least a hint, of his true plans. After months and months of waffling and winking at Madrid, he was finally giving us the star treatment.

Alas.

In the cold light of day, the reality remains that he’s not going to make a decision until the end of the season.

 

snip

[Vesper 29,019]

Chelsea transfer news: Eden Hazard asks pals about life at Real Madrid

CHELSEA midfielder Mateo Kovacic says Eden Hazard is asking him questions about Real Madrid.

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1063754/Chelsea-transfer-news-Eden-Hazard-Mateo-Kovacic-Real-Madrid

[Jase 43,479]

6 hours ago, Unionjack said:

Eden Hazard to keep Chelsea guessing as he waits on Real Madrid

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/12/27/eden-hazard-keep-chelsea-guessing-waits-real-madrid/

 

Eden Hazard is prepared to keep Chelsea sweating on his future until the summer as he waits to find out if Real Madrid will make him their number one transfer target.

And Hazard has put pressure on Chelsea to solve their striker crisis in the January transfer window by revealing he does not want to become a permanent false nine.

Chelsea are looking at a range of options and have been working on a potential deal in which they take over Gonzalo Higuain’s loan from Juventus and Alvaro Morata moves to AC Milan on a temporary basis.

Hazard became Chelsea’s latest centurion with two goals in the victory against Watford, which meant he has netted three times in four games since being asked to play as a false nine while Morata has been missing.

The Belgian raised hopes among Chelsea fans that he is ready to sign a new contract by declaring that he wants to become a club legend “like Lampard, Terry and Drogba” immediately after the Vicarage Road win.

But asked later whether that meant he is now preparing to commit his long-term future to Chelsea, Hazard replied: “I am just focussed on the pitch. I will see at the end of the season.”

With a new deal worth well over £300,000-a-week on the table, Chelsea will push Hazard to make a decision sooner than the summer, when he will only have 12 months remaining on his contract.

The 27-year-old’s advisors were in London earlier this month, but Chelsea know that their best chance of keeping Hazard past this season is to hope Real prioritise one of their other big-money targets.

Other than Hazard, Real are also interested in Paris Saint-Germain pair Neymar and Kylian Mbappe but neither of those players are close to the end of their contracts.

Hazard has given mixed messages over his future both inside and outside Chelsea. He excited backroom staff recently by suggesting he was preparing to stay, but he has never communicated that officially to the club.

What happens in the January transfer window could play a major part in whether or not Chelsea can convince Hazard to give up on his dream of playing for Real.

Hazard has reaffirmed the fact that he does not believe the false nine through the middle is his best position and wants to move back out to the left.

He could get his wish at the weekend if injuries to Pedro and Callum Hudson-Odoi leave Sarri with no option but to bring in striker Olivier Grioud.

But Hazard may have to wait to see if Chelsea can sign Higuain, or another striker, before being sure of where he will play the majority of the second half of the season.

Asked whether he gets more chances to score playing through the middle, Hazard replied: “Yeah, but my position is winger. I feel better as a winger, but I have played well as a striker against Watford and Brighton. I did well as a striker, so the manager chooses where to put me on the pitch and then I try to do my best.”

Hazard’s recent switch into the middle has drawn comparisons with his Belgian compatriot Dries Mertens, who was successfully converted by Chelsea head coach Maurizio Sarri while he was in charge of Napoli.

But Hazard made it clear he has no intention of making a permanent position change by insisting Mertens is more suited to the role than him.

“Dries is more of a striker than me,” said Hazard. “I am more like a playmaker. Since I started football I like to come, touch the ball. Dries is not like this, he just wants to stay in the box. That’s why he scores a lot of goals. We are different, but yeah I know with Sarri he likes to change some positions sometimes.”

It was also revealing that Hazard disagreed with one journalist who suggested his goals through the middle could help him eclipse the 2014/15 season, when he was voted Player of the Year.

Hazard, who finished that season with 19 goals for Chelsea and already has 12 this term, said: “I score more goals, but I don’t feel I play better. I just score more goals.”

Sarri even opted to keep Hazard through the middle against Watford when Pedro was forced off with a hamstring injury, instead sending on 18-year-old winger Hudson-Odoi.

But Hudson-Odoi also suffered a similar injury problem, which gives Sarri a headache ahead of selecting his team for Sunday’s trip to Crystal Palace.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek missed the trip to Vicarage Road, but could replace Pedro if he is fit enough otherwise Sarri may have to bring in Giroud and restore Hazard to the left with Willian on the right.

Other than Higuain, Chelsea have considered Nabil Fekir, Callum Wilson, who Bournemouth are determined to keep, and Jamie Vardy as January targets.

 

BOR-THE-FUCKING-ING...

[Jase 43,479]

 

[the wes 7,212]

[!Hazard! 3,394]

1 hour ago, the wes said:

That Willian number is absolutely shocking (but not surprising) considering they have played together for 5 and a half seasons

[robsblubot 3,529]

2 hours ago, !Hazard! said:

That Willian number is absolutely shocking (but not surprising) considering they have played together for 5 and a half seasons

Willian does not assist, he shoots... wide.

[Vesper 29,019]

12 hours ago, !Hazard! said:

That Willian number is absolutely shocking (but not surprising) considering they have played together for 5 and a half seasons

This shows how important a good CF is!!

just those 3 (Morata, Costa, Giroud) have assisted on 11 of his goals, and all three have hardly played with him, compared to some of the others.

[Vesper 29,019]

Chelsea could decide Eden Hazard's future for him in January - Maurizio Sarri

Snip

http://www.espn.com/soccer/soccer-transfers/story/3738126/chelsea-could-decide-eden-hazards-future-for-him-in-january-maurizio-sarri?platform=amp

Sarri, exasperated by the relentless speculation around his superstar, believes it's "time to decide" Hazard's future so that Chelsea can plan with or without him.

When it was put to him that Chelsea have little control over the situation as long as Hazard is reluctant to discuss a contract extension, Sarri replied: "I don't think so. The club can decide for him."

Asked if that meant Chelsea potentially selling Hazard in January rather than at the end of the season, he added: "I don't know, but I think it's right that the club knows the future and has the chance to programme [plan] the future."

Snip

 

Good! I 1000% back Sarri on this.

[Jase 43,479]

 

[Jase 43,479]

2 minutes ago, Jason said:

 

 

 

[OneMoSalah 8,785]

Ffs Martinez stop talking shite hes better as a winger why would he want to reinvent himself as a 9. Hes only played as a 9 because we dont have better players there. 

[Hamilton 2,120]

Eden was the Belgian with the most goals in 2018, 21 goals. One more then Mertens but also played 5 more games.

[Jase 43,479]

 

 

[Jase 43,479]

"I don't think it necessarily changes anything about the Hazard situation. The way I understand it is that both him and Chelsea are waiting for Real Madrid to make the move.

"Until Real Madrid have decided that Hazard is going to be our next superstar and say 'we want him, no one else and here is the money', nothing will move.

"I don't think, or have heard anything on the contrary, that Real Madrid have ever done that. That is why we see this flip-flopping from Hazard.

"One day he says he wants to stay, the other day he says he might leave. I don't think he himself knows right now because there is not an offer on the table."

[Jase 43,479]