Eden Hazard - Chelsea Legend

[Ukraine Bolt]

17 hours ago, Saaladin said:

I don't think its harsh because in reality we are talking about 2-3 more wins. 

If Hazard is playing the way he should we get those extra points and more. 

He refuses to take people on - he refuses to attack the penalty area. It's a massive loss of penetration which is Chelsea's biggest problem this season.

Might have a few more wins if our clueless manager tried a new formation or didn't stick our most talented winger at ST and expect him to play as a target man. 

[CFCholland]

Does anyone else ever feel he is a bit too heavy?

Anyhow, if hazard leaves we brought in on ourselves, we've waited too long to bring in players on the same (or at least close to) the same level he's on.

[Ukraine Bolt]

2 minutes ago, CFCholland said:

Does anyone else ever feel he is a bit too heavy?

Anyhow, if hazard leaves we brought in on ourselves, we've waited too long to bring in players on the same (or at least close to) the same level he's on.

Heavy as in weight? I think its just his natural build and if anything helps with his low centre of gravity. 

[CFCholland]

4 hours ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Heavy as in weight? I think its just his natural build and if anything helps with his low centre of gravity. 

I agree to some extent that it's his build, but to me he hasn't looked completely topfit physically for a while now.

[coco]

3 hours ago, CFCholland said:

I agree to some extent that it's his build, but to me he hasn't looked completely topfit physically for a while now.

Loads of players already on the wind down, thinking of the summer WC, tip toeing through the tail of the season, not what you want when the club is hanging onto any hope of fourth place.

[Argo]

On April 10, 2018 at 19:47, Saaladin said:

Hazard is a top player for sure...

That being said his on-pitch ambition is lacking. He is capable of attacking the box and the last line of defense a lot more than he does but he often passes up those opportunities and instead lays it off to players with half his talent. Between the boxes he is brilliant but that is Chelsea's problem in a nut shell. All dazzle between the boxes with nothing to show for it and it is symptomatic of our top players, especially Hazard. 

It has become an unacceptable trait of his and I would be more than happy to sell him for 175 mil and buy other players. 

 

Salah has had one real EPL season and has already surpassed Hazard's accomplishments and stature.

So you think he should start taking more low percentage shots to pad out his goal tally?

[Total-Football]

58 minutes ago, Argo said:

So you think he should start taking more low percentage shots to pad out his goal tally?

Yes. All the best players constantly attempt low percentage plays that may lose them the ball but also may reward with goals. It's why guys like Salah are doing so well because they constantly attempt high reward shots/passes/dribbles. Hazards fear of losing the ball is his biggest weakness and a large reason for his lack of productivity.

[Argo]

29 minutes ago, Total-Football said:

Yes. All the best players constantly attempt low percentage plays that may lose them the ball but also may reward with goals. It's why guys like Salah are doing so well because they constantly attempt high reward shots/passes/dribbles. Hazards fear of losing the ball is his biggest weakness and a large reason for his lack of productivity.

He gets into the teens for goals every season, for an unselfish winger that's very productive. Luis Figo never scored more than 14 in a season, did he lack productivity too?

[brownindian]

Good goal today. 

[dkw]

1 hour ago, brownindian said:

Good goal today. 

Phoned it in today, as he has done for the past few months, blatantly keeping himself ready for the summer. 

[ForeverCarefree]

54 minutes ago, dkw said:

Phoned it in today, as he has done for the past few months, blatantly keeping himself ready for the summer. 

Was one of worst players today.

Ran down a lot of blind allies, playing flicks blind and cheaply conceding possession.

Took his goal well, no question but for the first hour of the game especially he stank up the joint.

[Slojo]

5 minutes ago, ForeverCarefree said:

Was one of worst players today.

Ran down a lot of blind allies, playing flicks blind and cheaply conceding possession.

Took his goal well, no question but for the first hour of the game especially he stank up the joint.

The Hazard under Conte spends more time running away from the ball than he does being on the ball. I actually miss the Hazard under Mourinho who would dictate the play and always wanted the ball to his feet, that was a superior Hazard in my opinion. 

[ForeverCarefree]

2 minutes ago, Slojo said:

The Hazard under Conte spends more time running away from the ball than he does being on the ball. I actually miss the Hazard under Mourinho who would dictate the play and always wanted the ball to his feet, that was a superior Hazard in my opinion. 

Nothing wrong with how Hazard was playing last season and Conte tried to give him more attacking responsibilities this season, playing him a front two with Morata.

Hazard’s form has dipped a lot since the new year and more so in the last couple of months.

I don’t expect players to be at their best all of the time but this has been a significantly long slump for Hazard and I’m not sure there are really any excuses for it. Hopefully today’s goal helps him kick on for the remainder of the season. 

[Slojo]

1 minute ago, ForeverCarefree said:

Nothing wrong with how Hazard was playing last season and Conte tried to give him more attacking responsibilities this season, playing him a front two with Morata.

Hazard’s form has dipped a lot since the new year and more so in the last couple of months.

I don’t expect players to be at their best all of the time but this has been a significantly long slump for Hazard and I’m not sure there are really any excuses for it. Hopefully today’s goal helps him kick on for the remainder of the season. 

Looking back on it I don't think Hazard has been utilised as well as he could have. It's not so much having more freedom under Conte, it's that he's not playing as deep which I find to be the problem. I still believe Hazard in 2014/2015 was the best Hazard we've seen in a Chelsea shirt. 

[The Brit]

Was having another poor game..then Giroud scored and like many others, suddenly he gave a sh*t...I'd be amazed if Real Madrid make a bid on evidence of last few months...you can't get away with playing like that for one game there, let alone the length of quiet spells he's had here 

[sonic90]

I don't know what to make of him at the moment, today he was particularly poor but when the subs came on and the formation came he immediately came alive.

[Scott Harris]

He wasn't the only one that was poor, they all were. There wasn't a single good performance until Giroud came on. There were worst performers than Hazard today, the whole defense, Fabregas, Willian and Morata were just as bad if and some worse.

[mwblue10]

1 hour ago, Scott Harris said:

He wasn't the only one that was poor, they all were. There wasn't a single good performance until Giroud came on. There were worst performers than Hazard today, the whole defense, Fabregas, Willian and Morata were just as bad if and some worse.

Agreed, Fabregas was terrible.  Morata wasn’t good but we also can’t send in a proper cross for him to bury.  Cahill is lost.  I can’t think of a single contribution that Willian had.  Azpi looked tired.  Lots of struggles across the team today.

[CFCCAN]

All top clubs need a marque player but in our case if the money was right I'd sell him; he is so inconsistent; at one time he was being compared to Messi and Ronaldo, he is  not even in touching distance of these two.  He only plays, when he wants to play and when things are going well he is not a player that can grab the game by the scruff of the neck and determine the outcome....my guess is he is one of those players that naturally plays at his best and enjoys the game when things are going well, but when they are not, or he's not in the right frame of mind he'll disappear and then he gets a strop on when the manager pulls him from the game.  He was supposed to be the player we were building the team around......the problem is we can't keep a coach, we buy bang average players or player that cost a mint but fail to produce.

If he stays then we need to buy the players that he is happy and willing to play with......or go out and get someone that will put a shift in every time they cross that white line whether they are having a good day or a bad one. 

[The Brit]

Yes they were all poor but point is Hazard is our best player, talked about as one of best players in the world, subject of potential £100m plus bid from Real...as harsh as it sounds, his form over last few months does deserve more scrutiny than others because he's supposed to be top draw and we suffer when he's going through the motions

Edited April 15, 2018 by The Brit

[Total-Football]

5 hours ago, Slojo said:

Looking back on it I don't think Hazard has been utilised as well as he could have. It's not so much having more freedom under Conte, it's that he's not playing as deep which I find to be the problem. I still believe Hazard in 2014/2015 was the best Hazard we've seen in a Chelsea shirt. 

Hazard has very good off the ball movement. He makes really good runs when in form and is very good at finding space between the lines to penetrate. Its understandable why he is played further forward as he makes such good incisive moves in the half space between centre back and fullback. His problems currently are clearly less to do with utilisation and much more to do with his own inconsistencies and mentality.

[strider6004]

Hazard is 4th in this seasons match appearances after TC, Kante and Azpi.

In some of those matches he has played as lead striker and taken a lot of knocks. Others he has been asked to drop back defensively and help out the two man midfield.

I think it was Conte that told him to bulk up to be able to withstand more knocks, possibly that has slowed him a bit.

Don't think comparisons with Salah are relevant as they are different players and could in fact complement each other in the same side.

Hazard is certainly not in the league of a Messi or Ronaldo, he doesn't possess great running speed like Vardy or the ability to hold up high balls.

For me he is a trickster, great dribbling skills with a good finish and good interplay and passing. For me he also compares with earlier players like Joe Cole and Arjen Robben.

Robben is probably the better comparison, both good finishers yet different again Robben was faster yet Hazard is the better dribbler.

Having said all that, I would want him to stay and bring in better players to take some pressure  off him.

 

[enigma]

Just keep him until his contract runs out. By then he will be almost 30 and best years behind him. Unless he stomps his feet and makes a fuss we don't  have to sell. No reason we can't  buy a couple quality  players with the deadwood we sell in the squad and on loan. Plus we have champions league money this summer. 

Edited April 15, 2018 by enigma

[big blue]

23 minutes ago, Strider6003 said:

Hazard is 4th in this seasons match appearances after TC, Kante and Azpi.

In some of those matches he has played as lead striker and taken a lot of knocks. Others he has been asked to drop back defensively and help out the two man midfield.

I think it was Conte that told him to bulk up to be able to withstand more knocks, possibly that has slowed him a bit.

Don't think comparisons with Salah are relevant as they are different players and could in fact complement each other in the same side.

Hazard is certainly not in the league of a Messi or Ronaldo, he doesn't possess great running speed like Vardy or the ability to hold up high balls.

For me he is a trickster, great dribbling skills with a good finish and good interplay and passing. For me he also compares with earlier players like Joe Cole and Arjen Robben.

Robben is probably the better comparison, both good finishers yet different again Robben was faster yet Hazard is the better dribbler.

Having said all that, I would want him to stay and bring in better players to take some pressure  off him.

 

It's also worth pointing out he had no preseason coming off the back of a bad injury, so naturally it would catch up with him at some point. 

I think he was still performing pretty well up until the city game. Since then, I feel. he has lost faith in conte's tactics. 

Willian had an unbelievable 6 game run in which he helped share the burden with hazard, but he has been worse than hazard for the last 3 games now. 

I don't think Willian and hazard are a good fit, when the flicks come off it's mouthwatering, but both players like to slow the attack down, and neither players make enough runs in behind. 

Hopefully a change in formation next season will allow another attacking player to start aswell, so we have a bit more balance. I think when Oscar, or schurrle played, we looked more balanced going forward, as both were willing runners that complimented hazard and Willian. 

Pedro was the answer last season, but he has had a poor year. 

Hopefully we see hazard stay long term as part of a more balanced and exciting attack. 

[strider6004]

I can't recall much of Schurrle's impact yet certainly agree about Oscar's work rate benefiting the forwards and his good build up play in this regard.

Agree about the runs behind too and thinking about Willian with his short bursts of brilliance does this start just when Hazard is crocked?