Eden Hazard

[Rambo 1,729]

Yeah, that's the truth I guess. Just hate the fact that he didn't pick us based on us being Chelsea, you know..

It was worse when Moses spoke of his desire to play for Barca. That kind of freaked me out, I hope he gets some of the "Chelsea-aura" and stay loyal to us (like so many of our players are, thank god).

No need to personalize it, these players are professionals and this is just a business at the end of the day.

[MAF 162]

You have to understand that Eden is 21 and still needs to develop. Thats a major factor in choosing a club. Playtime and position availability.

Also keep in mind he knows Lukaku from the nt, and saw him get very little playtime last season.

All those things combined would have made Chelsea a less natural choice. I imagine it took quite a bit of convincing.

[Land 331]

Didn't he assist Oscar for the first against Juve?

In order for a pass to be considered an assist the scorer must not have to dribble an opponent.idk if what he did on pirlo is considered a driblble.

[manpe 10,855]

In order for a pass to be considered an assist the scorer must not have to dribble an opponent.idk if what he did on pirlo is considered a driblble.

His first goal had nothing to do with Pirlo. Oscar took one touch and then shot, it was an assist to Hazard, similar to the one for Cahill against Reading. The second goal could be considered an assist for Cole.

Anyway, what I've noticed about Hazard is that he isn't actually the kind of player to try and dribble past a player. He will rather slow down and pass back than take someone on. With all the comparisons to Ronaldo and Messi I thought he was the opposite. Is it his usual style of play, or does he just want to play it simple at the moment? Of course it's better to play it safe than take everybody on headlessly and lose the ball, but I feel he's been too cautious lately. Today there were quite a few times where he could have gone one on one against a full back, but refused to do so. I just hope he isn't suffering from lack of confidence.

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

His first goal had nothing to do with Pirlo. Oscar took one touch and then shot, it was an assist to Hazard, similar to the one for Cahill against Reading. The second goal could be considered an assist for Cole.

Anyway, what I've noticed about Hazard is that he isn't actually the kind of player to try and dribble past a player. He will rather slow down and pass back than take someone on. With all the comparisons to Ronaldo and Messi I thought he was the opposite. Is it his usual style of play, or does he just want to play it simple at the moment? Of course it's better to play it safe than take everybody on headlessly and lose the ball, but I feel he's been too cautious lately. Today there were quite a few times where he could have gone one on one against a full back, but refused to do so. I just hope he isn't suffering from lack of confidence.

Yeah I agree. I do feel that he has been more cautious then he normally is but i've always felt that he's a bit to unselfish at times. He always tries to look for the pass rather then shoot or dribble. I feel that with his dribbling skills, close ball control and pace he should always be attempting to run at players.

He's really a gem of a player. That moment of brilliance in the Arsenal game when he uses his touch and pace to skip past an incoming challenge and then after some nice link up play cutting out Vermaelen and crossing the ball in with a rabona. I would really like him to try and do stuff like that more often.

Don't really think it's a matter of lack of confidence. If he could just focus more on his dribbling and be a little more direct i think he could be a massive goal threat. I hope RDM can somehow make him understand that.

[manpe 10,855]

I hope RDM can somehow make him understand that.

I hope it isn't Robbie instructing him to limit himself.

[Jase 43,479]

More rabona skill from Hazard again.

He really REALLY loves doing it, doesn't he?

[HRiver 1,512]

Eden Trollard.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

He really REALLY loves doing it, doesn't he?

Except it was totally needless in this case and we could have ended up with a goal had he put in a decent old-fashioned low and hard cross.

[Leif 6,006]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r4ObGylYew

[Tomo 21,681]

I think opponents are keeping a closer eye on him now after his fantastic first month, which is why Mata has all off a sudden returned to the form of last season and more.

Eventually opponents will turn their attention's back to Mata then Hazard will be back to the form of August and so on and so forth.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I think opponents are keeping a closer eye on him now after his fantastic first month, which is why Mata has all off a sudden returned to the form of last season and more.

Eventually opponents will turn their attention's back to Mata then Hazard will be back to the form of August and so on and so forth.

Yeah I said in the match thread that he was marked out of the game. I genuinely think he should take on defenders more often; twice yesterday he was one-on-one with the full back and just passed back. Although it could be RDM's tactics for all we know.

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

Except it was totally needless in this case and we could have ended up with a goal had he put in a decent old-fashioned low and hard cross.

I think your being a bit harsh. I've watched the moment again and freezed it the moment before he takes the rabona.

Three players in the box but not really anyone he could cross it too. Oscar is covered and isn't in a good position to kick the ball or head it in. Putting it hard and low also isn't really an option as you've got the 2 Arsenal defenders defending the first zone.

Mata is running in behind Oscar and the 2 defenders but to get that ball in there over such a short distance, over the 2 defenders and on the head of Mata with his lesser foot. Very hard. Torres has peeled off and was probably the best option.

It seemed to me that he noticed Mata's run and was trying to lift the ball over the 2 defenders. I think it could have worked with the rabona but i thought he didn't hit the ball as cleanly as he normally does. For example his rabona against Qpr was hit more cleanly and had a bigger lift. The rabona has as an advantage that you can get a lot of height on the ball, over a short distance and a quick drop as you don't really kick the ball but you lift it more. ( sorry hope you understand this explanation. I don't really know the proper vocabulary for this)

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I think your being a bit harsh. I've watched the moment again and freezed it the moment before he takes the rabona.

Three players in the box but not really anyone he could cross it too. Oscar is covered and isn't in a good position to kick the ball or head it in. Putting it hard and low also isn't really an option as you've got the 2 Arsenal defenders defending the first zone.

Mata is running in behind Oscar and the 2 defenders but to get that ball in there over such a short distance, over the 2 defenders and on the head of Mata with his lesser foot. Very hard. Torres has peeled off and was probably the best option.

It seemed to me that he noticed Mata's run and was trying to lift the ball over the 2 defenders. I think it could have worked with the rabona but i thought he didn't hit the ball as cleanly as he normally does. For example his rabona against Qpr was hit more cleanly and had a bigger lift. The rabona has as an advantage that you can get a lot of height on the ball, over a short distance and a quick drop as you don't really kick the ball but you lift it more. ( sorry hope you understand this explanation. I don't really know the proper vocabulary for this)

Wow, did not expect such detailed explanation of the situation Thank you for taking the time to make it.

I know the situation wasn't ideal for the crosser mainly because no one though he would be able to keep that ball in play. But I still think that in similar cases, the ball that will give the opposition most trouble is a low hard cross, simply because defenders can't deal with it. They can't stick a foot or they score an OG; even if they stand still, the ball could still come off them and end up in the net or rebound and find the feet of an attacker. The high cross was never going to cause them problems especially that it was intended for Mata who I don't think has ever scored with his head.

My criticism for him was that he opted for something flashy instead of something piratical. Am I being harsh? May be.

[RamiCFC9 258]

Agree with people who say he should 1v1 more.He has it all pace, technic yet at times he is playing closer to Malouda (just pass the ball back) rather then Ronaldo/Messi (dribble past), obviously we need to be more direct, hope this would be addressed by Hazard and RDM.

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

Wow, did not expect such detailed explanation of the situation Thank you for taking the time to make it.

I know the situation wasn't ideal for the crosser mainly because no one though he would be able to keep that ball in play. But I still think that in similar cases, the ball that will give the opposition most trouble is a low hard cross, simply because defenders can't deal with it. They can't stick a foot or they score an OG; even if they stand still, the ball could still come off them and end up in the net or rebound and find the feet of an attacker. The high cross was never going to cause them problems especially that it was intended for Mata who I don't think has ever scored with his head.

My criticism for him was that he opted for something flashy instead of something piratical. Am I being harsh? May be.

I get what you mean. A hard low cross between the defender and the goalkeeper is always very hard to defend against, but in this situation i don't think it was possible.

I think this is just 1 of those situations where if a player does something flashy and it works people would be praising him for it but if it fails people would say it was bad and unnecessary. Creative players will try to do creative stuff. It won't always come off or be necessary but that's something that you have to kinda accept. You know, take the good with the bad.

Just my opinion.

[Jase 43,479]

Except it was totally needless in this case and we could have ended up with a goal had he put in a decent old-fashioned low and hard cross.

Agree. Had he delivered in that ball a split second or two earlier, we might have made something out of it.

[1chelsea 864]

split second something might have happened same thing go foe the rabona it might as well been in the back of the net and we all be giving credit he did it