Eden Hazard

[Sheva. 5,373]

He looked lively from the first minute and created 3-4 chances.

[tapa 11]

everybody was very good today, not just him, he can do a lot more and he didn't score.

[tapa 11]

i can't quote lol. there is a problem

[tapa 11]

last year against the same team he was phenomenal now he's so boring to watch (Maybe because Mata is not more on the pitch,it's possible lol)

[mediator 2,026]

He seems slimmer than 2 months ago. He bulked a lot and now he lost some fat, probably due to a specific muscular gaining program.

[yuvala 2,167]

"We organised the team in a way where Hazard didn't need to defend, he was protected behind him so he just had to get the ball, turn and go."

[Sheva. 5,373]

"We organised the team in a way where Hazard didn't need to defend, he was protected behind him so he just had to get the ball, turn and go."

The point i was trying to make about Mata yesterday. Some players need to have the freedom to focus more in attack, especially when we're not playing against a top team.

[Jase 43,479]

"We organised the team in a way where Hazard didn't need to defend, he was protected behind him so he just had to get the ball, turn and go."

So is Mourinho, in other words, saying that he has been organizing his team in a way that the attacking players are having constantly to defend which in turn restricting their attacking abilities?

[Barbara 15,149]

So is Mourinho, in other words, saying that he has been organizing his team in a way that the attacking players are having constantly to defend which in turn restricting their attacking abilities?

no, he's saying the obvious... one of the AM should have freedom to roam. Hazard is the obvious choice for having more freedom as he's the fastest AM we have now - except if André is also playing - so he's the guy who'll be our focal point in counter-attacks to link-up with our striker. It's more about letting Hazard available to receive the first ball in the counter, just like in Oscar's goal, rather than stop restricting his attacking abilities. Stamina aside, marking your opponent doesn't take away your ability to attack. Oscar, Willian and Mata, giving their style should be able to mark and still start a counter or give some splitting pass, but they aren't the guys doing the runs (Oscar does them sometimes, Mata can't because he's beyond slow), dribbling or taking on opponents. I'd say defensive responsibilities don't take away the attacking abilities of players such as Oscar, Mata and Willian. Although it should take away André's it doesn't either because he's a Energizer Bunny and has nearly as much stamina as Ramires. Hazard on the other hand seems to tire himself faster when he retreats back too much. Mourinho had decided that months ago... Hazard is the guy he's making his bets on and he's the one I'd bet too, even if I'm much more impatient than Mourinho, reason why he's a manager and I'm not.

The point i was trying to make about Mata yesterday. Some players need to have the freedom to focus more in attack, especially when we're not playing against a top team.

I can see how it interferes in Hazard's game for the reasons I just mentioned (he runs, dribbles, takes on opponents). Mata is a completely different player, that prefers possession, have the time to decide what to do with the ball and do the unpredictable, genial, splitting pass. What does that have to do with him going deeper if more often than not he slows down our attack (by assessing his options, although he's quite the fast thinker), by holding possession and walking with the ball rather than running? No sarcasm here or trying to be smartypants, I'm interested to know (and learn) what that could be.

[yuvala 2,167]

So is Mourinho, in other words, saying that he has been organizing his team in a way that the attacking players are having constantly to defend which in turn restricting their attacking abilities?

I guess so.. anyways we have to let atleast 1 player be more "free".. Oscar is not the one because he's great at defending and does it naturally. The defensive responsibilities seem to hurt Hazard the most.

[ParNolio7 285]

"We organised the team in a way where Hazard didn't need to defend, he was protected behind him so he just had to get the ball, turn and go."

Very good decision this. Hazard was a lot more active and came into the box a lot more. Team stood perfectly, everybody seemed to be in their best position. My hopes for the title are rising again :-)

[Sheva. 5,373]

I can see how it interferes in Hazard's game for the reasons I just mentioned (he runs, dribbles, takes on opponents). Mata is a completely different player, that prefers possession, have the time to decide what to do with the ball and do the unpredictable, genial, splitting pass. What does that have to do with him going deeper if more often than not he slows down our attack (by assessing his options, although he's quite the fast thinker), by holding possession and walking with the ball rather than running? No sarcasm here or trying to be smartypants, I'm interested to know (and learn) what that could be.

You answered your own question. Mata isn't as fast and can't take on opponents like Hazard. He also doesn't have great stamina, so making him defend like this only affects his game in attack.

Anyway i am happy Mourinho said this, because TOPTB was saying on friday- everyone needs to defend etc etc.

Mourinho showed he can allow that freedom to some players, he just doesn't want to do it for Mata and i'm fine with that.

Now just sell the Spaniard in January, i hate seeing his face on the bench.

[Barbara 15,149]

You answered your own question. Mata isn't as fast and can't take on opponents like Hazard. He also doesn't have great stamina, so making him defend like this only affects his game in attack.

Anyway i am happy Mourinho said this, because TOPTB was saying on friday- everyone needs to defend etc etc.

Mourinho showed he can allow that freedom to some players, he just doesn't want to do it for Mata and i'm fine with that.

Now just sell the Spaniard in January, i hate seeing his face on the bench.

Then I guess I couldn't express myself... I meant that as Mata's game is slower and he slows down play, why defending affects his attacking abilities? If he's deeper in the field, he'll carry the ball slowly, and will try to see the best play. If he has freedom, he'll have to wait other players to run because he - himself - doesn't run, so it's almost like if he's the second to last man in our side of the pitch, waiting for others to recover possession for us rather than himself, he'll receive the ball and either of two things will happen 1) he'll pass it to the striker, if it's a good alternative; 2) he'll wait for the team to move forward again, by either holding the ball, or slowly moving to the attacking half. Hazard with the same freedom would most likely run and dribble, leading the rest of our team to run as well, just like he did a few times yesterday. When we have possession is when Mata is the most dangerous and whether he helped recover or not that possession either by going deep when opposition has the ball or pressing high in their own half, I don't see how this affects his ability to receive the ball and do his thing.

Hazard on the other hand, if he's too deep, then he has an entire team ahead of him to dribble, run by and take on. That's why giving freedom to Hazard makes sense in my head, and giving freedom to Mata - like we did for two seasons - doesn't. We end up exposed exactly for those reasons, he's slow, he favors possession football, and in waiting others to recover possession he overloads Lampard who isn't defensively good for himself, let alone to make up for Mata.

The only way I see for us to have Mata as the guy with freedom, is if we have two Oscars, one on each side of him to make up for him without exposing Lampard's deficiencies defending. To have 2 Oscars we sacrifice Hazard from the team, as while Eden improved significantly his defending stats, he's nowhere near Oscar. So the question remains, who should we sacrifice Hazard or Mata because clearly we can't keep both of them free from defending. The other day I spent a long time thinking of a way to make this team work again with Mata in a way that having Mata doesn't compromise even further our weak pivot and doesn't detract Hazard's performances.

Just so we're clear, I don't think the problem is Mata, but how he fits in a team that have a few problems in the midfield as it is.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Is it just me or has his off the ball movement really improved a lot ?

and he also seems to be making a lot more runs in behind the defence.

Exactly. If he only has ronaldo's off the ball movement he'll be a fantastic player. Ronaldo's movement was the reason portugal created so many chances against sweden.

I said some days ago that hazard needs to attack the box more and it seems he's working on that movement.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Surprised at that Mourinho statement because Hazard tracked back his usual amount I thought last night. Was down by his own corner flag when Demel 'ghosted' past him.

Either way it's clear Mourinho wants to make him into a new Ronaldo which is why he's stuck with him this season. With Oscar and Rami putting in such massive shifts it frees him up a little, but he still has to do his fair share of pressuring and tracking back.