Eden Hazard

[Stingray 9,441]

It is interesting when you rewatch the game with Eden's performance in mind. Every time he dropped really deep - even coming to the goal area. When we had a break out he often got the ball well on his own half. He chose to play to the CM's a lot, who in turn broke of/slowed down any attack.

It makes me think a lot of Eden (non)performance is due to his tactical instructions. They balance the team defensively, but keeps his distinct threat too far away from the goal. This exemplified by the fact that when he DID get the ball close to goal with Oscar closely, something happened (eg 65th minute where Oscar just couldn't put his foot on that cross). Unfortunately we either didn't get much in that position and when we did, he was double marked the whole time. I keep feeling an in form Mata would have taken advantage of that ...

Ow well .... move on !

[polo 18]

he doen't use his left foot when he has the possibilty(for a centre)

[yuvala 2,167]

I also think that the changes he's going through are because of a different tactic. He's defending much more, and we're not as vulnerable as we used to be.

Also the fact that we don't have a proper striker, so they have like 2-3 men marking Hazard every time.. no need to mark Torres\Ba\Schurrle(when he's a striker).

It might be different with Lukaku upfront, we'll see.

[Bir_CFC 3,455]

In games like yesterday when we are playing for a draw and looking to counter. Should start Hazard in the middle. You play him on the wing and they just mark him out of the game.

While Oscar has his qualities he doesn't command as much respect out of the opponents defence as a Mata would. Another reason why they were happy to leave Oscar to mark Eden. They wouldn't do that to Mata. And if they did, well we know what he has done to em.

[Jase 43,479]

That happens when you play without a real CF, Lukaku would of created more depth into the game..

Don't think you can really just put it on the strikers. And this has gone on for awhile now. At the moment, we are just constantly playing through the middle, trying to play intricate passes to open up defences and congest up the midfield. There is not enough width in the team right now to stretch the opposition. No one is getting to the byline, go on the outside of the opposition's defence. When you do that, you are then likely to cause more problems and create more chances through cutbacks and/or crosses for our striker or any midfielders to score. But the thing is, we aren't doing that. If you have noticed, we only won 7 corners in 3 games so far. That is poor. And this issue isn't helped with our current FBs who are dodgy attacking wise.

[Stingray 9,441]

In games like yesterday when we are playing for a draw and looking to counter. Should start Hazard in the middle. You play him on the wing and they just mark him out of the game. While Oscar has his qualities he doesn't command as much respect out of the opponents defence as a Mata would. Another reason why they were happy to leave Oscar to mark Eden. They wouldn't do that to Mata. And if they did, well we know what he has done to em.

Exactly!

[Greyco 143]

Don't think you can really just put it on the strikers. And this has been gone on for awhile now. At the moment, we are just constantly playing through the middle, trying to play intricate passes to open up defences and congest up the midfield. There is not enough width in the team right now to stretch the opposition. No one is getting to the byline, go on the outside of the opposition's defence. When you do that, you are then likely to cause more problems and create more chances through cutbacks and/or crosses for our striker or any midfielders to score. But the thing is, we aren't doing that. If you have noticed, we only won 7 corners in 3 games so far. That is poor. And this issue isn't helped with our current FBs who are dodgy attacking wise.

In modern football it's the fullbacks that provide the width. Yesterday Chelsea was too negative and Cole and Ivanovic hardly pushed high up the field, the few times they did were the best moments in the game for Chelsea.

Thought Hazard wasn't that bad yesterday, just an average day at the office. Was left isolated a lot tho. But when he had the ball, he often did something good with it. The few chances Chelsea had were set up by Hazard with Oscar getting on the end of them.

[Jase 43,479]

In modern football it's the fullbacks that provide the width. Yesterday Chelsea was too negative and Cole and Ivanovic hardly pushed high up the field, the few times they did were the best moments in the game for Chelsea.

Thought Hazard wasn't that bad yesterday, just an average day at the office. Was left isolated a lot tho. But when he had the ball, he often did something good with it. The few chances Chelsea had were set up by Hazard with Oscar getting on the end of them.

That maybe true but it doesn't mean the wide players ahead of them shouldn't be providing the width too and yesterday's game wasn't the first time it has happened. We have seen Hazard causing great damage before when he gets to the byline but he's not doing it enough.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

Don't think you can really just put it on the strikers. And this has been gone on for awhile now. At the moment, we are just constantly playing through the middle, trying to play intricate passes to open up defences and congest up the midfield. There is not enough width in the team right now to stretch the opposition. No one is getting to the byline, go on the outside of the opposition's defence. When you do that, you are then likely to cause more problems and create more chances through cutbacks and/or crosses for our striker or any midfielders to score. But the thing is, we aren't doing that. If you have noticed, we only won 7 corners in 3 games so far. That is poor. And this issue isn't helped with our current FBs who are dodgy attacking wise.

I don't blame our FBs though. They are two of the best in the Premier League overall and you shouldn't need to rely on them to attack. (And Ivanovic is overall good in attack, he just doesn't have speed) We just have too many players clogging up the middle. Oscar is our most well-rounded attacking midfielder but he's maybe our worst finisher so we're sacrificing scoring for defensive solidity. I think the issue with Hazard is that Mourinho requires pretty strict defensive discipline and players are going to have to adjust to that. It's still only 3 games in.

[Jase 43,479]

I don't blame our FBs though. They are two of the best in the Premier League overall and you shouldn't need to rely on them to attack. (And Ivanovic is overall good in attack, he just doesn't have speed) We just have too many players clogging up the middle. Oscar is our most well-rounded attacking midfielder but he's maybe our worst finisher so we're sacrificing scoring for defensive solidity. I think the issue with Hazard is that Mourinho requires pretty strict defensive discipline and players are going to have to adjust to that. It's still only 3 games in.

Yes, we shouldn't rely on our FBs attack all the time but they are still important. In the case of Ivanovic, he hardly ever gets to the byline and usually just stays near the halfway line whipping in crosses to goodness knows who. Moreover, his positioning at times doesn't help either as he tends to be rather narrow and not hugging the touchline. And that is why I prefer Azpi at RB than him because he does all of that attacking play so much better than Ivanovic (and defends better too!). The only problem with him, generally with most of our players, is the final delivery in the attacking third. Not to mention as well, Jose might prefer Ivanovic more at RB to compensate for the lack of height in the team and physical presence to defend set-pieces situation. As for Cole, while he still gets forward and open up spaces for others, he's not the same bombarding LB he once was.

[Hkibou 622]

he doen't use his left foot when he has the possibilty(for a centre)

His left foot has good power but is not very precise for long range passes and centres. For centres, which require a lot of accuracy, he'd rather do a rabona than shooting with the left foot, that says it all !

I feel that he has confidence in his left foot only for shots on goal and passes that stay on the ground.

[Vybz Kartel 1,613]

Hazard seems to link up better with Mata than anyone else I dont know why Mourinho does not get this. To get the best out of Hazard he needs Mata

[mediator 2,026]

Hazard seems to link up better with Mata than anyone else I dont know why Mourinho does not get this. To get the best out of Hazard he needs Mata

Agree, cole, oscar and co can't link up with him like Mata does

[zolayes 14,489]

not a game to judge our attackers ,,,Jose went for a draw and got it ...

[Melanicus 5,208]

Even got movie named after himself.

[polo 18]

the best ever

[Amblève. 4,995]

What. A. Fucking. Workrate.

[The Skipper 20,593]

I want to see him playing like this for the rest of the season.