Eden Hazard

[Moros 86]

LuiS

Sorry!

[iseah100 5,612]

actually I feel we're ahead of Dortmund for sure (even if now most of their injured players will be fit again, but then we don't know how many of them will stay) and maybe even ahead of Barcelona. Yeah, they now got Suarez, but we all know he struggles in the big matches when he faces high level defenses. I don't feel like they're much better than they were last season and despite being runner-ups in La Liga, the Madrid teams were very focused in the UCL (Atlético actually divided it sort of) and still they didn't look impressive. I think they'll get better with Neymar better adapted and a better manager, in addition to Suarez, but I think our new additions still put us a step ahead of them.

Domestically we're a bit behind City imo because of their depth in the striker department and having one season with most of their players (while we did add a few key players that will get some time getting used to one another and producing their best level) and I think Real was a great team last season already. Now is anyone guesses, as they were a bit all over the place (as usual) with their signings. If they keep their level, let alone improve it, they're one step ahead of everyone else imo. Bayern under Guardiola lost a lot imo and is overrated by the lack of competition Bundesliga provided. They were humiliated by RM last season and aren't nearly as convincing and deadly as they were under Heynckes.

I'm not so sure we're ahead of Dortmund, probably level. When healthy they are one of the top 5 teams. Players like Subotic-Hummels-Gundogan-Sahin-Reus.

I think it goes

Real

Bayern

Chelsea, Dortmund, City.

Barca

[stroey 2,525]

http://youtu.be/ywG65F_Mmy4

LoL

[Blue Armour 4,278]

As is usually the case there's no real benefit to judging Hazard (or really any player for that matter) during pre-season.

I don't think he takes these matches seriously..and that did prove to be the case last season. The step up in performance when our first truly competitive fixture against Bayern came up last season was huge.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

I can't understand this ultimatum, you think that this year will be the last in which he will progress? He is only 23, he is still so young and so inexperienced and he may reach his peak only at something like 25, maybe even later. Players such as Ribery, Robben and even Malouda (a beast at his prime) reached their summit at a very progressive age for example.

If you think that Eden will become a Ronaldo v2, I might disappoint you - well, he will most probably won't. I really dought that Hazard will score as much as the Portuguese because he is not a born finisher, both because he lacks certain qualities that great finishers have - shooting and heading especially, but more importantly because he takes different aspects of the game on himself. I agree that he should shoot more but I don't think he needs to become obsessive with it, he can contribute a great deal to the team even if he doesn't score 40 goals a season.

Hazard is a fantastic player already and I personally don't worry about him that much. He will become an even more remarkable player in the future and will be remembered as one of the best even if he won't reach the hights that Ronaldo and Messi reached. If there is a player that we need to worry about it's Oscar, but that's a different discussion...

Unfortunately, this is the type of hogwash that gets peddled around here frequently. Some seem to take great delight into pointing out what Hazard is not rather than what he is. Just read some of the previous comments on this thread, you will think the player in question is a mediocre player and not our POTY and not the 2nd best player in the league (as voted by his peers last season). It's one thing having high expectations for a player, it's another having outrageous ones, making daft ultimatums (he either does this or....) and then condemning the player in question for not living up to them. A "very good player" is a joke. Eden is a world class player. If he's put on the market tomorrow, his value will easily exceed 70 mil pounds and upwards. Our rivals will die to have a player of his skill and ability.

[Hybrid Angel 2,130]

http://youtu.be/ywG65F_Mmy4

LoL

Ba is such a great guy. Was very sad to see him go. And Eden's french accent kills me. Just look at his interview at Wigan last year, crazy how his English has improved over the last season.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Ba and Luiz are gone. These were hazards fellow jokers/comedians in the team maybe Mourinho wants to forge hazards mentality or I'm I watching too much movies?

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

It is a worry that he doesn't shoot more often, or take it upon himself to run at players more. Ronaldo does it all the time because he's supremely confident that he's 'the man'.

But being 'the man' brings pressure with it. Under-perform and you're going to get stick because you've put yourself in the spotlight, don't put yourself in the spotlight and there's no criticism. Hazard needs to start backing himself and thinking everytime he gets the ball that he's going to score.

Yes he's going to miss a lot, but he'll also score far more. This is the season he either steps up to another level or he's simply a very good player.

He is obviously more of a playmaker than a finisher but I do agree he needs to take better advantage of the areas he often gets into. Also I think he slows down the play too much, he needs to attack at full speed more often than he does. So many times you'll see him get into space and be ponderous on the ball, he needs to be faster and not allow the defense to reset when we get out on the break.

[The only place to be 11,313]

He is obviously more of a playmaker than a finisher but I do agree he needs to take better advantage of the areas he often gets into. Also I think he slows down the play too much, he needs to attack at full speed more often than he does. So many times you'll see him get into space and be ponderous on the ball, he needs to be faster and not allow the defense to reset when we get out on the break.

Last night he knocked the ball on the outside of their defender and went past....how often does he do that? He so rarely actually puts the foot down that it actually surprised me. Think the last time he did that was Villa away in 2013 when his hammy went.

I think we all just want to see him be more aggressive and go at players. Maybe the addition of Luis will give him more space and confidence to do that, because he's one of the most exciting players in football on his day.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Last night he knocked the ball on the outside of their defender and went past....how often does he do that? He so rarely actually puts the foot down that it actually surprised me. Think the last time he did that was Villa away in 2013 when his hammy went.

I think we all just want to see him be more aggressive and go at players. Maybe the addition of Luis will give him more space and confidence to do that, because he's one of the most exciting players in football on his day.

Agreed. The Messi comparisons need to stop until he takes the initiative to run at players at top speed. That's what Lionel does better than anyone in the game. When Hazard starts to do that successfully then we can say we have a ballon d'or candidate on our hands.

He has all the tools its just mental now.

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

Last night he knocked the ball on the outside of their defender and went past....how often does he do that? He so rarely actually puts the foot down that it actually surprised me. Think the last time he did that was Villa away in 2013 when his hammy went.

I think we all just want to see him be more aggressive and go at players. Maybe the addition of Luis will give him more space and confidence to do that, because he's one of the most exciting players in football on his day.

Not often but how often does he actually get into a situation where he can go one on one with the defender, where there's massive amount of space in behind ? Rarely.

Last season there were usually 2 players waiting for Hazard with a third closing off the space behind them which made knocking the ball past those 2 defenders difficult to do as the third would just step in and clear the ball.

I've said it before but when Hazard gets into one on one situations he usually goes for it. It's just that teams rarely let that happen as they know how dangerous Hazard can be in those situations.

Like you said in your post i really believe Luis will give him that bit of extra space he needs, to have a go at players.

There was actually a nice example of this against Besiktas, when Hazard takes out 2 players and draws the foul.

Luis his run made that possible as he took away 1 of Besiktas players leaving Hazard in a 1 on 1 situation with one of their central midfielders.

[mtowle182 79]

Ba and Luiz are gone. These were hazards fellow jokers/comedians in the team maybe Mourinho wants to forge hazards mentality or I'm I watching too much movies?

proper conspiracy that

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Not often but how often does he actually get into a situation where he can go one on one with the defender, where there's massive amount of space in behind ? Rarely.

Last season there were usually 2 players waiting for Hazard with a third closing off the space behind them which made knocking the ball past those 2 defenders difficult to do as the third would just step in and clear the ball.

I've said it before but when Hazard gets into one on one situations he usually goes for it. It's just that teams rarely let that happen as they know how dangerous Hazard can be in those situations.

Like you said in your post i really believe Luis will give him that bit of extra space he needs, to have a go at players.

There was actually a nice example of this against Besiktas, when Hazard takes out 2 players and draws the foul.

Luis his run made that possible as he took away 1 of Besiktas players leaving Hazard in a 1 on 1 situation with one of their central midfielders.

He is obviously more of a playmaker than a finisher but I do agree he needs to take better advantage of the areas he often gets into. Also I think he slows down the play too much, he needs to attack at full speed more often than he does. So many times you'll see him get into space and be ponderous on the ball, he needs to be faster and not allow the defense to reset when we get out on the break.

He slows down too much for my liking. That is why it seems he is crowded out EVERY single time. People like robben/Dimaria are far more dangerous for both club and country but he doesn't seem to be as crowded as Hazard. It's not because opposition is stupid to notice their dangerous, it's because hazard slows down too much when he can take advantage of a 1on1 situation.

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

He slows down too much for my liking. That is why it seems he is crowded out EVERY single time. People like robben a

Well i think he slows down, at times he even walks up to defenders with the ball , because he wants to bait the defender or have him stand still so he can then use his burst of speed to blow right by him.

I mean Hazard has a good dose of pace on him but the majority off the fullbacks do aswell so his main weapon to use is that burst of speed he has over the first 10-20 yards. It's there where he makes the difference.

Also on the counter i always get the feeling when he slows down it's because he's waiting for a teammate to make a run so he can play him in or drive at the space that the run made.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Well i think he slows down, at times he even walks up to defenders with the ball , because he wants to bait the defender or have him stand still so he can then use his burst of speed to blow right by him.

I mean Hazard has a good dose of pace on him but the majority off the fullbacks do aswell so his main weapon to use is that burst of speed he has over the first 10-20 yards. It's there where he makes the difference.

Also on the counter i always get the feeling when he slows down it's because he's waiting for a teammate to make a run so he can play him in or drive at the space that the run made.

I edited my post. But most of the time, that slowing down is the wrong decision. If he quickly gets at the defender and he gets into the 18box, he has provided a shorter route to the box. A lot of chances created by Holland in the worldcup was due to how quickly robben attacked the box, the hazard method of waiting only works when you have runners off the ball or worldclass attacking teammates which we lacked in Chelsea last season. Maybe now costa and schurlle will help with that slowing down style with their runs but hazard has to play like the onus is on him to do something more often to reach his potential.

His technique and dribbling is already worldclass IMO, he has nothing left to develop except this and finishing and mentality to attack his marker, or else he could still be at the same level in 2-3years time like wilshere/nani/quarezma and many others with ballon d'or potential at 22.

[Coop 114]

Hazard has to take more responsibility I think.

Haw robben played this wc. Asking the ball, running free. Playing like a boss.

I'm sure this will be his best season ever, he is gonna explode!

[termninja 5,290]

Ba and Luiz are gone. These were hazards fellow jokers/comedians in the team maybe Mourinho wants to forge hazards mentality or I'm I watching too much movies?

Jose will assign Diego Costa to iron Eden out. Once Diego is done, Eden will eat lighting and crap thunder while not even trying !

He also needs ball boys to kick! [emoji48]

[ParNolio7 285]

Ba and Luiz are gone. These were hazards fellow jokers/comedians in the team maybe Mourinho wants to forge hazards mentality or I'm I watching too much movies?

I actually think that's not too crazy. Ba was going to go anyway, but selling Luiz could be part of a plan to stretch Hazard a bit. Then again, anyone would sell Luiz if given 50 Mio!