Eden Hazard

[Dion 2,476]

I agree, but while Eden's number of key passes is nothing short of amazing, it must be said that there's a key pass and then there's a key pass. These stats don't show how many of those chances were clear-cut chances. Some players create fewer chances, but more quality ones. If Eden made 92 key passes, it doesn't mean our finishers could have scored 92 goals if they were better. Far from it. Clear-cut chances stats would be more informative.

Edit: here it is(information on top creators in the EPL, generated on 31 March 2014, but it still gives a more clear picture):

Eden easily had the most total chances created (87), but out of all those chances, only 9 were clear-cut chances. To put things into perspective, the player who created the most clear-cut chances in Europe last season--Cesc--created far less total chances than Eden(less than sixty I think), but almost half of them (27) were clear-cut chances that should have led to a goal. Ibrahimovic is another example of a player who created a lot of clear-cut chances(24). Suarez was the best in the PL in that regard. Liverpool are going to miss his creativity a lot.

That said, Eden's clear-cut chances stat isn't bad at all compared to other PL playmakers'(better than Ozil and Mata), but the stat shows that he isn't that superior at creating goal-scoring chances as his key passes stat suggests, which explains why he has relatively few assists compared to the total chances created.

I agree entirely with you. Key pass stats doesn't always mean he's putting other players in position to score, but it means he's at least finding them in forward/dangerous positions. If he's the top in that regard, It means he's not misplacing too many passes in the final third, which is wonderful by itself. I didn't know where to look for clear-cut chances statistics (I was not even sure they kept track of that). The fact there is such a discrepancy between his key passes and clear-cut chances could mean he's playing it a bit conservative. I'll try to follow Hazard more closely this season.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Wenger is a really intelligent man but he's just too stubborn with his coaching philosophies.

I laugh when people say they hope he stays with Arsenal because he's holding them back and they can become much better under a different manager. Will definitely be remembered as one of the best managers in the history of the league, imo.

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

Does anyone know when he's joining the preseason tour ?

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Does anyone know when he's joining the preseason tour ?

Probably just for the last two preseason matches if the four weeks break given to the Spanish lads and Cahill is anything to go by.

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

Probably just for the last two preseason matches if the four weeks break given to the Spanish lads and Cahill is anything to go by.

Ah okay thanks.

[Blue-in-me-Veins 4,067]

Can't believe we just sold Hazard's best friend at the club (Demba Ba)! What if this makes him unhappy?

Cue the Hazard to PSG rumors!

[Tomo 21,680]

I laugh when people say they hope he stays with Arsenal because he's holding them back and they can become much better under a different manager. Will definitely be remembered as one of the best managers in the history of the league, imo.

I think Wengers a double edged sword.

No one can deny the impact he has had on English Football and Arsenal but when I see his squads in his first decade I can't understand how he didn't dominate England and take Europe by its neck. Even more so as United were in some what of a transition in the first half of the 00s, Wenger with a core of Campbell, Vieira, Cole, Pires, Bergkamp and Henry shouldn't have given United a sniff.

Also there performances in Europe were embarrassing on the whole, they had that great result in the San Siro but teams like Deportivo La Coruna were going to Highbury and winning well.

On the pitch Wenger massively underachieved in his first 8 or so years, they should have had a dominant spell like Barca did under Pep, the team were that good.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I think Wengers a double edged sword.

No one can deny the impact he has had on English Football and Arsenal but when I see his squads in his first decade I can't understand how he didn't dominate England and take Europe by its neck. Even more so as United were in some what of a transition in the first half of the 00s, Wenger with a core of Campbell, Vieira, Cole, Pires, Bergkamp and Henry shouldn't have given United a sniff.

Also there performances in Europe were embarrassing on the whole, they had that great result in the San Siro but teams like Deportivo La Coruna were going to Highbury and winning well.

On the pitch Wenger massively underachieved in his first 8 or so years, they should have had a dominant spell like Barca did under Pep, the team were that good.

That's a fair observation, even though a lot of the teams he had a strong core but were just missing that last piece of the puzzle. But really, the exact same can be said about us in the past decade and we've had some of the best managers in the world. You need a lot of things to fall in place for you to dominate.

On the other hand, Wenger has masterfully managed Arsenal finances and phenomenally oversaw their transition from Library to the Emirates while maintaining the a positive balance. That is an incredible feat. He's always been selfless and worked for the future of the club rather than his and his current team's immediate glory. For me, he's one of the most complete managers.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Goals in the last THREE seasons in ALL club competitions, for people saying he doesn't score a lot. (Stats from ESPN)
Hazard : 22, 14, 17.
Robben : 16, 13, 21
Bale : 12, 23, 22.

And in a harder league too

I'm fairly confident that next season, with our recent additions, he'll establish himself as the best player in the league.

[xPetrCechx 13,546]

[Chelsea? 892]

thank God he had a poor world cup, for our sake

Rodriguez closes on Real Madrid move

http://www.espnfc.us/story/1954888/james-rodriguez-closes-on-real-madrid-move

[Mustafa 885]

Goals in the last THREE seasons in ALL club competitions, for people saying he doesn't score a lot. (Stats from ESPN)

Hazard : 22, 14, 17.

Robben : 16, 13, 21

Bale : 12, 23, 22.

And in a harder league too

I'm fairly confident that next season, with our recent additions, he'll establish himself as the best player in the league.

A bit misleading, played far more football in that time than both Bale and Robben.

[Barbara 15,149]

I agree, but while Eden's number of key passes is nothing short of amazing, it must be said that there's a key pass and then there's a key pass. These stats don't show how many of those chances were clear-cut chances. Some players create fewer chances, but more quality ones. If Eden made 92 key passes, it doesn't mean our finishers could have scored 92 goals if they were better. Far from it. Clear-cut chances stats would be more informative.

Edit: here it is(information on top creators in the EPL, generated on 31 March 2014, but it still gives a more clear picture):

Eden easily had the most total chances created (87), but out of all those chances, only 9 were clear-cut chances. To put things into perspective, the player who created the most clear-cut chances in Europe last season--Cesc--created far less total chances than Eden(less than sixty I think), but almost half of them (27) were clear-cut chances that should have led to a goal. Ibrahimovic is another example of a player who created a lot of clear-cut chances(24). Suarez was the best in the PL in that regard. Liverpool are going to miss his creativity a lot.

That said, Eden's clear-cut chances stat isn't bad at all compared to other PL playmakers'(better than Ozil and Mata), but the stat shows that he isn't that superior at creating goal-scoring chances as his key passes stat suggests, which explains why he has relatively few assists compared to the total chances created.

there's a reason I nominated you for newcomer of the year in the forum

My signature - which is a quote by Term-X or Liquidator is mainly because of the chances created stats. There isn't a bigger misleading thing in football and unlike @Dion suggested in his answer to you, many times it has nothing to do with doing the right thing in the final third and I'm not even talking exclusively or mainly about Eden.

By definition chance created is the pass that precedes a shot on goal. It doesn't matter how many dribbles, take-ons, distance the shooter took before finishing, whoever provided that pass will have a chance created to his name. So if someone decides to take a nonsense long shot that made no sense but his lack of brains, whoever passed the ball to him will have a chance created... I can't take this kind of stat seriously because while they represent some of the truth I think they mislead a lot.

It's no rocket science that if Hazard was that far superior creating chances he would have had more assists to his name if they were clear cut chances - or even many of them. Yes, our strikers sucked, but who said they were the only ones shooting? Oscar, Willian, Lamps, Ramires, Schurrle, Salah also received passes from Hazard before finishing. Of course in many times they could have done better, but I can't blame only our bad strikers and unlucky shots on goals for the discrepancy between his CC and assists.

But that's not even the area I think he should improve. I think he's doing just fine there - despite the exaggeration brought by the CC stats. I think he should just shoot more often and have a better decision making when it comes to dribbling, shooting, passing. At some point last season he dribbled when he should pass and passed when he should dribble. That was a picture of his start of the season, then he improved his decision making a lot and had his best months for us. Then he was making bad decisions again and spent the last three months of the season without scoring from open play for us. That's what I want him to improve: consistency on decision making and more shots on goal. The chances he creates - clear cut or not - are just fine on my account.

[Jase 43,479]

thank God he had a poor world cup, for our sake

Rodriguez closes on Real Madrid move

http://www.espnfc.us/story/1954888/james-rodriguez-closes-on-real-madrid-move

Considering Real Madrid and Barcelona are playing a game of 'Who will spend more?' or 'Who will buy the biggest player out there right now?' game every season, I wouldn't be surprised if one of them bid for Hazard next summer or whichever summer in the upcoming years. Whether we accept the bid is another thing but yeah.

[Daniel1980 1,425]

there's a reason I nominated you for newcomer of the year in the forum

My signature - which is a quote by Term-X or Liquidator is mainly because of the chances created stats. There isn't a bigger misleading thing in football and unlike @Dion suggested in his answer to you, many times it has nothing to do with doing the right thing in the final third and I'm not even talking exclusively or mainly about Eden.

By definition chance created is the pass that precedes a shot on goal. It doesn't matter how many dribbles, take-ons, distance the shooter took before finishing, whoever provided that pass will have a chance created to his name. So if someone decides to take a nonsense long shot that made no sense but his lack of brains, whoever passed the ball to him will have a chance created... I can't take this kind of stat seriously because while they represent some of the truth I think they mislead a lot.

It's no rocket science that if Hazard was that far superior creating chances he would have had more assists to his name if they were clear cut chances - or even many of them. Yes, our strikers sucked, but who said they were the only ones shooting? Oscar, Willian, Lamps, Ramires, Schurrle, Salah also received passes from Hazard before finishing. Of course in many times they could have done better, but I can't blame only our bad strikers and unlucky shots on goals for the discrepancy between his CC and assists.

But that's not even the area I think he should improve. I think he's doing just fine there - despite the exaggeration brought by the CC stats. I think he should just shoot more often and have a better decision making when it comes to dribbling, shooting, passing. At some point last season he dribbled when he should pass and passed when he should dribble. That was a picture of his start of the season, then he improved his decision making a lot and had his best months for us. Then he was making bad decisions again and spent the last three months of the season without scoring from open play for us. That's what I want him to improve: consistency on decision making and more shots on goal. The chances he creates - clear cut or not - are just fine on my account.

Yeah, chances created stat doesn't always give a clear picture. But it shows us that Eden was always involved and trying to create something. Creating clear-cut chances isn't as easy as it might seem. Besides possessing great passing skills, a player must be amazing at reading the game for that. Eden is still young and has all the talent. He can only improve his decision-making and final balls. As for more shots on goal... Yeah, I expect more goals from him this season now that he doesn't have the creative burden only on him.

[Jase 43,479]

[laeth 527]

What's going on with his contract extension? I swear he was in talks about it before the world cup.

[LukakutoStamford 779]

A bit misleading, played far more football in that time than both Bale and Robben.

Bale and Robben actually had teammates that could finish