Eden Hazard

[Hamilton 2,120]

Soms nice Belgian music for Belgians biggest star!

[Coop 114]

hazard you beast it all. lost for words watching him with the hammers jose seem to talk to the midfield to get the ball to hazard more because he did get lots of touches on the ball. still have not got time to watch the match but i will download today and watch later after work. love this lad

I'm always saying that.

If you think you can do this or do that with the ball on your foot, but Hazard is also free, play it to hazard, he sees and does it better!

Verstuurd vanaf mijn V975m Core4 met Tapatalk

[Barbara 15,149]

Everyone knows Hazard is a better player now than he was last season, let alone two seasons ago at Lille, then how can people say he's better playing as a #10 if they haven't seen the current Hazard playing there for a bigger streak? He's had a few cameos there during some matches and I didn't see anything better than when he's in the wing, quite the opposite actually, he was better in the wing than when he was in the middle.

I think Oscar has been playing much better in the wing than he did in the past. Willian can also play in the wing and Salah isn't here to displace either of them, so while we could keep the same three and have Eden in the middle, I don't see it improving us. I just don't think it's viable, but not because of the options we have for the wing, but simply because I'm not convinced Eden is going to have more impact there than he's having in the wing. Unless we make him Benitez's Mata 2.0...

I didn't watch Lille (don't watch French footie), but I've read many of you saying in his last few months there he had a role similar to Mata here last year: #10 without any other responsibility other than attacking. If our system couldn't afford Mata, why can it afford Hazard (although I'm the first to say Hazard is the best footballer among the two)? For what I understand his stats improved a lot simply because he was exempted from any other responsibility... I don't feel like we should give him such freedom right now (in the future I think it's the natural course of things, but he's not ready yet). Also I'm not sure we can look at this in such a pragmatic way. Just because 2 years ago he was better in this position - having privileges he shouldn't be given now - it doesn't mean now it'll be the same. He's not the same player he was two years ago, what if all the progress he's made suits the wing more than the middle? He plays in the middle for Belgium (at least he did in the matches I've watched) and that Hazard fades in comparison to Chelsea's Hazard, even the Hazard before Mourinho... (although that may happen for a number of reasons - the system Wilmots have in place; Wilmots himself; Hazard being similar to Messi - great in the club, but not able to replicate it in the NT, etc...)

[MAF 162]

Everyone knows Hazard is a better player now than he was last season, let alone two seasons ago at Lille, then how can people say he's better playing as a #10 if they haven't seen the current Hazard playing there for a bigger streak? He's had a few cameos there during some matches and I didn't see anything better than when he's in the wing, quite the opposite actually, he was better in the wing than when he was in the middle.

I think Oscar has been playing much better in the wing than he did in the past. Willian can also play in the wing and Salah isn't here to displace either of them, so while we could keep the same three and have Eden in the middle, I don't see it improving us. I just don't think it's viable, but not because of the options we have for the wing, but simply because I'm not convinced Eden is going to have more impact there than he's having in the wing. Unless we make him Benitez's Mata 2.0...

I didn't watch Lille (don't watch French footie), but I've read many of you saying in his last few months there he had a role similar to Mata here last year: #10 without any other responsibility other than attacking. If our system couldn't afford Mata, why can it afford Hazard (although I'm the first to say Hazard is the best footballer among the two)? For what I understand his stats improved a lot simply because he was exempted from any other responsibility... I don't feel like we should give him such freedom right now (in the future I think it's the natural course of things, but he's not ready yet). Also I'm not sure we can look at this in such a pragmatic way. Just because 2 years ago he was better in this position - having privileges he shouldn't be given now - it doesn't mean now it'll be the same. He's not the same player he was two years ago, what if all the progress he's made suits the wing more than the middle? He plays in the middle for Belgium (at least he did in the matches I've watched) and that Hazard fades in comparison to Chelsea's Hazard, even the Hazard before Mourinho... (although that may happen for a number of reasons - the system Wilmots have in place; Wilmots himself; Hazard being similar to Messi - great in the club, but not able to replicate it in the NT, etc...)

No need to get so defensive, someone asked the question wether Hazards assists/goals would be higher in the middle, witch his last season at Lille shows to be true. That doesnt mean we think he should be positioned there permanently at the expense of Oscar. Although i think its certainly a possibility with Mata gone. Who do you think we should put there if Oscar gets injured or suspended? Surely the defensive contributions Eden's added to his game recently wouldnt just vanish?

The last game in EL Eden played there, he was actually very good imo. eden has stated in the past he considers it his best position, though offcourse even his own opinion on this might have changed...

[Barbara 15,149]

No need to get so defensive, someone asked the question wether Hazards assists/goals would be higher in the middle, witch his last season at Lille shows to be true. That doesnt mean we think he should be positioned there permanently at the expense of Oscar. Although i think its certainly a possibility with Mata gone. Who do you think we should put there if Oscar gets injured or suspended? Surely the defensive contributions Eden's added to his game recently wouldnt just vanish?

The last game in EL Eden played there, he was actually very good imo. eden has stated in the past he considers it his best position, though offcourse even his own opinion on this might have changed...

defensive?

I was just giving my insight in said discussion, if anything you're the one who came defensive.

I'm defending Hazard here, if you haven't noticed by the comment when I said it's natural in the future he earns the freedom to roam as he pleases. I'm just saying football isn't like math when you do exact calculations and things are like that. 2 years ago Hazard and current Hazard are completely different players. To know if he's better as a #10 we should test him now, not simply come to that conclusion because of what he's showed 2 years ago, especially in a position our current system doesn't afford (being responsibility free). In the future the system will afford it and he's the right man to receive the privilege - whether in the wing or in the middle. I don't know how saying that is me being defensive.

edit: what does Oscar have to do with anything?

I said Oscar and Willian can do decent in the wings for us to test Hazard in the middle, without deploying Salah.

[MAF 162]

defensive?

I was just giving my insight in said discussion, if anything you're the one who came defensive.

I'm defending Hazard here, if you haven't noticed by the comment when I said it's natural in the future he earns the freedom to roam as he pleases. I'm just saying football isn't like math when you do exact calculations and things are like that. 2 years ago Hazard and current Hazard are completely different players. To know if he's better as a #10 we should test him now, not simply come to that conclusion because of what he's showed 2 years ago, especially in a position our current system doesn't afford (being responsibility free). In the future the system will afford it and he's the right man to receive the privilege - whether in the wing or in the middle. I don't know how saying that is me being defensive.

fair enough, i must have misinterpreted your post. Still, my question stands, if Oscar gets injured or suspended, wouldnt Hazard be our best option for his position?

[Barbara 15,149]

fair enough, i must have misinterpreted your post. Still, my question stands, if Oscar gets injured or suspended, wouldnt Hazard be our best option for his position?

Hazard is our best player, by a very fair lead. He should play where it's the best for the team, regardless of Oscar form or lack of form.

If he proves he's the best option to do what Mourinho requires from a #10 now (which is a lot of work-rate to balance the midfield) we should go with it. I'm just not sure if we wouldn't be wasting him a bit there now. Oscar has a very important tactical role in the team right now, and I think giving that responsibility to Eden will harm the team and also Eden's progress. Right now Eden also have defensive responsibilities, but they're lighter on a winger than on a CAM - at least that's what Jose said when he explained why Mata was playing in the wing.

I think the system will mature as well as our players. In the future our pivot will be stronger (when Matic is fully adapted) and probably we won't demand as much work-rate from our #10. If by then Hazard plays better in the CAM position than in the LW position, we should play him as the #10. And if Salah is better in the wing than Oscar and Willian (which with time or maybe even right now he might be) than one of the two might be benched.

I just don't think we should sacrifice the system for Hazard now (and we'd be sacrificing by giving him a free role) or that we should sacrifice Hazard for the system now, moving him to a position where the system demands a lot more of work-rate and defensive responsibilities.

[MAF 162]

Well i'd like to see last seasons EL game where he played in the middle again. problem is i dont remember exactly witch game it was :s

i think it was Steaua or Rubin.. Anyone remember?

[mediator 2,026]

Well i'd like to see last seasons EL game where he played in the middle again. problem is i dont remember exactly witch game it was :s

i think it was Steaua or Rubin.. Anyone remember?

Wan't it Basel Away? A kind of 4-4-1-1 if i remember correctly.

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

Well i'd like to see last seasons EL game where he played in the middle again. problem is i dont remember exactly witch game it was :s

i think it was Steaua or Rubin.. Anyone remember?

Was it this game ?

[MAF 162]

Was it this game ?

Yep, cheers..

[Tomo 21,733]

Maybe my mind is doing overtime here but could Jose be planning on doing to Hazard what Wenger did to Henry? could that what he meant when he said we will know in the summer why we didn't sign a striker ?

If he improves finishing i don't see why not and he won't have the same level off responsibility he does on the wing.

[Coop 114]

Well the more Hazard touches the ball the more danger comes from it, maybe he can be more decisve in the center but I have to agree with Barbara for the moment, he currently plays best on the left side.

But who knows if he gets 5 games in the center what would become of him? I'm sure Mourinho will know what is best for him and the team.

Verstuurd vanaf mijn Find 5 met Tapatalk

[Coop 114]

Maybe my mind is doing overtime here but could Jose be planning on doing to Hazard what Wenger did to Henry? could that what he meant when he said we will know in the summer why we didn't sign a striker ?

If he improves finishing i don't see why not and he won't have the same level off responsibility he does on the wing.

Playing in a 4 4 Hazard 1 you mean?

Verstuurd vanaf mijn Find 5 met Tapatalk

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

Maybe my mind is doing overtime here but could Jose be planning on doing to Hazard what Wenger did to Henry? could that what he meant when he said we will know in the summer why we didn't sign a striker ?

If he improves finishing i don't see why not and he won't have the same level off responsibility he does on the wing.

Would love Hazard to become a false 9. Central position, license to roam, less defensive work, focal point for the attack so he'd be seeing a lot of the ball.

Can't see it happening though. Don't think Mourinho likes the concept of a false 9.

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

Playing in a 4 4 Hazard 1 you mean?

Verstuurd vanaf mijn Find 5 met Tapatalk

Think he means as a false 9, so alone upfront.

[DDA 9,691]

Hazard is our best player, by a very fair lead. He should play where it's the best for the team, regardless of Oscar form or lack of form.

If he proves he's the best option to do what Mourinho requires from a #10 now (which is a lot of work-rate to balance the midfield) we should go with it. I'm just not sure if we wouldn't be wasting him a bit there now. Oscar has a very important tactical role in the team right now, and I think giving that responsibility to Eden will harm the team and also Eden's progress. Right now Eden also have defensive responsibilities, but they're lighter on a winger than on a CAM - at least that's what Jose said when he explained why Mata was playing in the wing.

I think the system will mature as well as our players. In the future our pivot will be stronger (when Matic is fully adapted) and probably we won't demand as much work-rate from our #10. If by then Hazard plays better in the CAM position than in the LW position, we should play him as the #10. And if Salah is better in the wing than Oscar and Willian (which with time or maybe even right now he might be) than one of the two might be benched.

I just don't think we should sacrifice the system for Hazard now (and we'd be sacrificing by giving him a free role) or that we should sacrifice Hazard for the system now, moving him to a position where the system demands a lot more of work-rate and defensive responsibilities.

I think it's unfair to say Hazard is our best player. He is definitely the best at what he does and is the main man but stick him in defence and then say he's better than JT.

[Tomo 21,733]

I meant to say defensive responsibility, im on my ps3 so can't edit my posts.

Coop nope if Hazard improves his finishing he has the potential to be deadly there, it wouldn't be an exclusive false 9 playing say Oscar or Spain playing Cesc there would be.