Eden Hazard

[bababoom 4,478]

He was good yesterday but always fades out, in the second half i forgot he was on.. he doesn't have a constant impact on the game.

[The Skipper 20,593]

He was good yesterday but always fades out, in the second half i forgot he was on.. he doesn't have a constant impact on the game.

Because we don't play through him all the time, he isn't the main man, like he was at Lille. Here has has to share the ball with Mata, Oscar, Moses and whoever is in the pivot and up front. It's more of a team game at CFC.

[mybodyisready 155]

He won't admit it but I think he himself would say he made the wrong decision coming here

[Muzchap 8,966]

He won't admit it but I think he himself would say he made the wrong decision coming here

Really? Why's that? He's had exposure to some great competitions, is playing with some great players and will end up a better player...

This always happens when a BIG FISH from a SMALL POND is moved to a BIG POND...

PLUS it takes at least 1 year to settle into the Prem - anybody thinking anything different has been playing too much FM / FIFA...

[Jase 43,479]

He won't admit it but I think he himself would say he made the wrong decision coming here

Why? Because we have bottled 5 chances to win trophies this season??

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

Last season, before January 28th, Eden played 28 games for Lille, scoring 7 goals and adding 7 assists. After that, in 17 games he scored 13 goals and 10 assists.

While it's true that he always has a great second round i do believe some context is required with those numbers. Lille changed their formation from a 4-3-3 (Hazard on 1 of the flanks) to a 4-2-3-1(Hazard behind the striker)

They also sold their striker Sow and played Tulio De Melo who is a target man type. These 2 factors also contributed to his rise in goals and assists.

So to sum up, want to get the best out of Hazard:

- play him on the nr 10 pos

- play a target man up front

- Give him the ball

[Manuf 1,448]

So to sum up, want to get the best out of Hazard:

- play him on the nr 10 pos - shieeeeeeeet.

- play a target man up front - CHECK

- Give him the ball - CHECK

[Chelsea? 892]

While it's true that he always has a great second round i do believe some context is required with those numbers. Lille changed their formation from a 4-3-3 (Hazard on 1 of the flanks) to a 4-2-3-1(Hazard behind the striker)

They also sold their striker Sow and played Tulio De Melo who is a target man type. These 2 factors also contributed to his rise in goals and assists.

So to sum up, want to get the best out of Hazard:

- play him on the nr 10 pos

- play a target man up front

- Give him the ball

We've seen him play #10, among the 3 creative players we have, Eden is the worse #10 of the 3. He's way better roaming around the left.

[JDY 1,290]

Will we see Eden on a cold day in Stoke?

[Stingray 9,441]

We've seen him play #10, among the 3 creative players we have, Eden is the worse #10 of the 3. He's way better roaming around the left.

The 3 first games of the epl competition he played 10. He sucked really bad then, didn't he :-) what were the stats again? All motm, couple of assists and goals? I think you saw something different than I did. So please refrain from using 'we' in your post :-)

[Jase 43,479]

The 3 first games of the epl competition he played 10. He sucked really bad then, didn't he :-) what were the stats again? All motm, couple of assists and goals? I think you saw something different than I did. So please refrain from using 'we' in your post :-)

Though Hazard may have started in the No.10 position earlier this season, he did not just play there permanently. He was constantly rotating position with Mata and then later Oscar as well. And just because he had those number of assists then, it doesn't mean his best position is or he excels in the No.10 position.

Lets break down how we got some of those goals in the first 3 league matches because of Hazard.

vs Wigan (won 2-0)

First goal came from when Hazard found himself in the No.10 to setup Ivanovic on the counter. So, ok. Then the next goal, he found himself out wide making the driving runs and dribbling into the penalty box. He wanted to get to the byline but was tackled by Ramies and we got the penalty.

vs Reading (won 4-2)

Again, we got the penalty similarly to how we got it against Wigan. Made a driving run into the penalty box from the left flank. Does some flicks and tricks before winning the penalty for us. He then assisted Cahill's goal by cutting inside from the left flank by just passing it to him to shoot from distance. His assist for Ivanovic at the end was irrelevant in any way given we caught Reading on the counter when they were desperately searching for the equalizer.

vs Newcastle (won 2-0)

His assist for Torres came when he found himself in the No.10 position in a tight area surrounded by Newcastle players.

So, as you can see, not all his assists came when he was playing in the No.10 position. Some came when playing out wide and some through the middle. He's probably just as effective in the No.10 role as he does out wide, if not better in the latter position.

While Hazard may have the vision and ability to pick out a pass, playing him in the No.10 role would just be wasting him. His main strength is getting on the ball, dribble and running at players in fast pace. He's not going to get that kind of time and space to do that in the middle but only out wide on either flanks and we can already see the impact he can have in that position when he runs at players.

Would be better playing players in positions where their abilities are best utilized rather than putting square pegs in round holes.

[zolayes 14,489]

IMO Mata is wasted if he isn't in the No 10 slot

my 3 are Moses on right Mata Hazard on left

striker ABT

[Mufassir08 2,400]

IMO Mata is wasted if he isn't in the No 10 slot

I disagree mata was in the form of his life in september playing on the right wing with oscar as a No#10.I believe mata is equally good in both positions.

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

Though Hazard may have started in the No.10 position earlier this season, he did not just play there permanently. He was constantly rotating position with Mata and then later Oscar as well. And just because he had those number of assists then, it doesn't mean his best position is or he excels in the No.10 position.

Lets break down how we got some of those goals in the first 3 league matches because of Hazard.

vs Wigan (won 2-0)

First goal came from when Hazard found himself in the No.10 to setup Ivanovic on the counter. So, ok. Then the next goal, he found himself out wide making the driving runs and dribbling into the penalty box. He wanted to get to the byline but was tackled by Ramies and we got the penalty.

vs Reading (won 4-2)

Again, we got the penalty similarly to how we got it against Wigan. Made a driving run into the penalty box from the left flank. Does some flicks and tricks before winning the penalty for us. He then assisted Cahill's goal by cutting inside from the left flank by just passing it to him to shoot from distance. His assist for Ivanovic at the end was irrelevant in any way given we caught Reading on the counter when they were desperately searching for the equalizer.

vs Newcastle (won 2-0)

His assist for Torres came when he found himself in the No.10 position in a tight area surrounded by Newcastle players.

So, as you can see, not all his assists came when he was playing in the No.10 position. Some came when playing out wide and some through the middle. He's probably just as effective in the No.10 role as he does out wide, if not better in the latter position.

While Hazard may have the vision and ability to pick out a pass, playing him in the No.10 role would just be wasting him. His main strength is getting on the ball, dribble and running at players in fast pace. He's not going to get that kind of time and space to do that in the middle but only out wide on either flanks and we can already see the impact he can have in that position when he runs at players.

Would be better playing players in positions where their abilities are best utilized rather than putting square pegs in round holes.

A nr 10 gets on the ball a lot more often then a winger. Dribbling in tight spaces wouldn't be a problem with his close ball control, first touch, low centre of gravity and excellent acceleration. He's built for playing in tight spaces.

1 thing he needs to have to be great at the nr 10 spot is a deep lying playmaker playing behind him to take care of the distribution and to find him in those tight spaces.

I do believe his best position is the nr 10 spot. At Lille they changed their shape to 4-2-3-1 and put him behind the striker with a target man. in 5 games he scores 5 times and assisted 5 times.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Hazard was only ever going to be a short-term signing anyway. Regardless of success here, he strikes me as the sort of guy who wants to play for the very best, just like CR7. When we signed him I could only see him staying here for 2-3 years, using the Chelsea experience as a springboard, before moving to one of Europe's truly big clubs; ie. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern, Juventus, etc.

[Stingray 9,441]

Though Hazard may have started in the No.10 position earlier this season, he did not just play there permanently. He was constantly rotating position with Mata and then later Oscar as well. And just because he had those number of assists then, it doesn't mean his best position is or he excels in the No.10 position.

Lets break down how we got some of those goals in the first 3 league matches because of Hazard.

vs Wigan (won 2-0)

First goal came from when Hazard found himself in the No.10 to setup Ivanovic on the counter. So, ok. Then the next goal, he found himself out wide making the driving runs and dribbling into the penalty box. He wanted to get to the byline but was tackled by Ramies and we got the penalty.

vs Reading (won 4-2)

Again, we got the penalty similarly to how we got it against Wigan. Made a driving run into the penalty box from the left flank. Does some flicks and tricks before winning the penalty for us. He then assisted Cahill's goal by cutting inside from the left flank by just passing it to him to shoot from distance. His assist for Ivanovic at the end was irrelevant in any way given we caught Reading on the counter when they were desperately searching for the equalizer.

vs Newcastle (won 2-0)

His assist for Torres came when he found himself in the No.10 position in a tight area surrounded by Newcastle players.

So, as you can see, not all his assists came when he was playing in the No.10 position. Some came when playing out wide and some through the middle. He's probably just as effective in the No.10 role as he does out wide, if not better in the latter position.

While Hazard may have the vision and ability to pick out a pass, playing him in the No.10 role would just be wasting him. His main strength is getting on the ball, dribble and running at players in fast pace. He's not going to get that kind of time and space to do that in the middle but only out wide on either flanks and we can already see the impact he can have in that position when he runs at players.

Would be better playing players in positions where their abilities are best utilized rather than putting square pegs in round holes.

Aaah finally a post with actual content. Thanks for that and: good point you made! Still, I agree with belgiannutt because I followed him at Lille as well. He really performed as a 10 there. His playing style there actually kind of illustrates your point: he simply moves a lot around the pitch, even as a 10. He did that there as well. Here, the combo Mata/Hazard taking turns on the 10 with a lot of movement is -in my eyes- best for both of them. They do bring out the best in themselves when playing closely aligned.

[mybodyisready 155]

Why? Because we have bottled 5 chances to win trophies this season??

The club is an absolute shambles at the moment with everything that's going on. Do you think he thinks he deserves to be at a club like this?

[The only place to be 11,313]

Hazard was only ever going to be a short-term signing anyway. Regardless of success here, he strikes me as the sort of guy who wants to play for the very best, just like CR7. When we signed him I could only see him staying here for 2-3 years, using the Chelsea experience as a springboard, before moving to one of Europe's truly big clubs; ie. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern, Juventus, etc.

Real Madrid and Barcelona maybe....but when did Bayern and Juventus become more attractive options for big players than us???

I also think that's massively unfair on him. He's actually surprised me with how little of a diva he's been. He's reacted well to Benitez wanting him to defend more and he's not sulked when he's been taken off. There's enough potential at this club to keep any young star around for a long time.