"It's obvious. You don't need to know too much about football to compare what I did last season and what I did this season. I'm not as good."

"It's more of a collective problem than an individual one. We're professionals. We knew this season was going to be more difficult... but within the squad we have the quality to bounce back."

"Individually and collectively, we're not up to scratch. Starting with me."

"We had a difficult month in August. I hope that the international break will allow me to rediscover my form."

 

 

 

"I often ask myself what I can do to become like Messi and Ronaldo and score 50 or 60 goals in a season. I try of course but I realise that I will never be a true scorer. It's not in me. It is mainly mental - at 2-0, not thinking that is enough, for example. Sometimes I still think, after a goal, 'that's enough'."

 

"I'm not in search of records like some other players... if I can score between 15 and 20 goals each season, I will be very happy. I'm at a peak of my career but I want to become even better every day. I'm not there yet."

 

 

http://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2015/9/3/9254221/eden-hazard-subpar-season-goalscoring-ratio

Edited September 3, 201510 yr by BelgradeCFC

Talk is cheap Eden. 

 

f**king sort it out.... Paid £200k a week... Earn it! 

He should go to Nicklas Bendtner for confidence counselling

this is why there will only be a ronaldo or messi once every bluemoon because even with all the talent young players have, you still gotta have that hunger, motivation and desire to want to be the best. i like that hazard is an unselfish player, but sometimes it feels like he wants to be just that and nothing else. you hear stories of ronaldo and messi's dedication and motivation to be even better, and how they are never happy with what they've achieved and it shows on the field with those two. neymar will probaby be the one to take the reigns from them when they retire. i would like to think kenedy, traore, solanke, brown, musonda etc have that kind of drive to be the best as they're all shining lights for our future. 

For me it's not about goals. He's never looked like a natural goal scorer. My problem is that he has a few too many games that pass him by. Our attacking strategy doesn't help of course. What isn't acceptable is that in 4 games the only positive contribution from him was holding the ball up fairly well for the last 10 minutes against West Brom. All the start of this season has confirmed to me was last season's suspicions that Matic was the real most important player.

Just skinned the Bosnia defence and won a spot kick

Superb skill

Of course he scored it

Did he look a little sharper? or is he still looking very flat.

Did he look a little sharper? or is he still looking very flat.

Only caught last 40 mins but he looked sharp especially for the penalty.

De Bruyne looked the stand out before going off mind.

Edited September 3, 201510 yr by Chelsbear

Only caught last 40 mins but he looked sharp especially for the penalty.

De Bruyne looked the stand out before going off mind.

Thanks, hopefully he's finally working off all those hamburgers he ate in the off season.

this is why there will only be a ronaldo or messi once every bluemoon because even with all the talent young players have, you still gotta have that hunger, motivation and desire to want to be the best. i like that hazard is an unselfish player, but sometimes it feels like he wants to be just that and nothing else. you hear stories of ronaldo and messi's dedication and motivation to be even better, and how they are never happy with what they've achieved and it shows on the field with those two. neymar will probaby be the one to take the reigns from them when they retire. i would like to think kenedy, traore, solanke, brown, musonda etc have that kind of drive to be the best as they're all shining lights for our future.

I think we're confusing scoring with being the best. He doesnt say anything about not being the best in the world, in fact he said he wants to improve every day. He only mentions he's not interested in scoring 50 a season. There are a lot of other things to do on a football pitch that can make players great. Not to say he shouldnt be trying to score, he should at least be getting 20 a season.

I get what hes trying to say. At some point you have to put winning ahead of personal goals. If youre up 2-1 dont you want a player to be smart, defend and retain posession rather than gamble on being agressive and potentially giving the other team a chance to equalize?

I also wanted to point out Messi and Ronaldo score some very insignificant goals which inflate their numbers. How much better is it to beat Levante 4-0 instead of 3-0? Not to say they dont also score great and important goals, just think they have an easier time going up against championship quality defenses every other weekend. Ronaldo scores far more often for Madrid that he did at United.

Those two are all time greats. No doubt. Of course we as fans want our players to be the best they can be and we want them to want that. I think Eden wants to be a great player. He doesnt seem to mind scoring 20-25 a season and winning trophies, I for one would be happy with that as well.

I'll probably get roasted for this post

Edited September 3, 201510 yr by TheChelseaBlues

We don't want to really hear that, I'd rather hear the usual of "I'm going to try and keep improving". To me it sounds like he's saying if I don't score forgive me I'm not as good as they are. He should believe in himself like the fans believe in him. He's our best player so I want to hear him speak like he is. Not that defeated attitude he's showing in that interview.

He's been saying similar stuff for the past 3 years except he used to add "I'm still young...I'm still young"

I guess he can't say that anymore - he will be 25 in January.

In todays Euro qualifiers, of our 2 Belgians, one conceded a goal one scored a goal (into our Bosnian) we could have had 2 of our Belgians scoring but we sold him for 16 million....buy more Belgians :) 

We don't want to really hear that, I'd rather hear the usual of "I'm going to try and keep improving". To me it sounds like he's saying if I don't score forgive me I'm not as good as they are. He should believe in himself like the fans believe in him. He's our best player so I want to hear him speak like he is. Not that defeated attitude he's showing in that interview.

He says exactly that. He wants to be better everyday. Only he said he's fine winning 2-0 instead of 3 or 4-0.

I think we're confusing scoring with being the best. He doesnt say anything about not being the best in the world, in fact he said he wants to improve every day. He only mentions he's not interested in scoring 50 a season. There are a lot of other things to do on a football pitch that can make players great. Not to say he shouldnt be trying to score, he should at least be getting 20 a season.

I get what hes trying to say. At some point you have to put winning ahead of personal goals. If youre up 2-1 dont you want a player to be smart, defend and retain posession rather than gamble on being agressive and potentially giving the other team a chance to equalize?

I also wanted to point out Messi and Ronaldo score some very insignificant goals which inflate their numbers. How much better is it to beat Levante 4-0 instead of 3-0? Not to say they dont also score great and important goals, just think they have an easier time going up against championship quality defenses every other weekend. Ronaldo scores far more often for Madrid that he did at United.

Those two are all time greats. No doubt. Of course we as fans want our players to be the best they can be and we want them to want that. I think Eden wants to be a great player. He doesnt seem to mind scoring 20-25 a season and winning trophies, I for one would be happy with that as well.

I'll probably get roasted for this post

Why would you get roasted for it? You are stating facts!

I wouldn't take this as a lack of ambition by Hazard. In my opinion he always seemed like a humble, down-to-earth guy, which is unusually refreshing for a player of his capabilities. And in fact I find it refreshing not to hear the same mantra "I have to keep working hard to become the best and save the world" which sounds like those players are on auto pilot and just repeat what they have been told to say. I hate that.

 

To be honest, I don't think Hazard will ever get to Messi's figures either. He himself states why - he is not a goal scorer. His finishing is, dare I say it, poor. It lacks power and accuracy and maybe this will never change.

 

However, a player does not have to score 30+ goals to be special or even one of the best. Iniesta, for example, scored less than Lampard and yet many would argue that he was the better player, as can be seen by the player of the year nominations. A football game is much more than scoring because the goal scoring part is just the final piece in a chain of events that include things like opening up space, passing your way through the opposition's defence or cracking the defence with an unexpected pin point through ball. 

 

I would say that for attacking players there are four key attributes - finishing, dribbling skills, pace and passing. Messi is the only one who has it all, maybe of all players to have ever played the game. Even Ronaldo does not really dribble or show pace anymore. Iniesta, during his best time, only had the dribbling skills and the passing skills. In this respect, Hazard, when on form, is better than both because he has everything but the finishing skills. Hazard can dribble, Hazard can pass and Hazard is one fast little fella. Therefore, even if Hazard will not score more than his usual 15 goals or so he will still go down as the best player to have ever played at Chelsea and the Premier League if he can keep up the form of last season consistently for another 4-5 years. In my opinion, all he has to do is find back his form and improve on the things that HE is good at. 

 

On that note, I think that Mourinho is limiting Hazard's impact on the game by having him track back. It costs him a lot of energy which he needs in attack. And let's be honest, does he win back the ball often enough to justify the outlay? I don't think so. Moreover, I noticed that he is less courageous in attack and wonder if that has to do with Mourinho, too. Maybe Mourinho's conservative style is not good for Hazard's development as a player. 

Edited September 4, 201510 yr by PythonLu

On a different note, I find it unfair how some people criticise Hazard like he has completely forgotten how to play the game.

 

I would argue that Hazard has to show a disproportionally better performance than the average Chelsea player to be considered to have had a good game. This distorted expectations by the fans are the result of how well he has played in the past. With great results come great expectations. And he is the player of the year, after all. 

 

We should not forget that he had the biggest part in our league winning campaign and therefore deserves our patience more than anyone in the squad. Any player goes through a period of bad form, and now it seems it is his turn. It is not fair to blame him for not pushing us through to the first place on his own.

 

Maybe he has some problems in his private life that we don't know about or something else is affecting him. Maybe Mourinho is asking things of him that do not fit his playing style at all. In any case, let's give him the time and patience our best player deserves - and not blame him for not being the best in the world just yet.

Edited September 4, 201510 yr by PythonLu

I don't see anyone blaming him for anything...

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/eden-hazard-slammed-as-worst-player-despite-scoring-winner-for-belgium-christian-benteke-hauled-off-at-halftime-10489220.html

In my opinion saying on Eden that he was the worst player on the pitch while all world read that would only hurt him and won't change nothing. I agree that he doesn't look good at the moment, as manager he should find a better way to motivate Eden and bring him to his best form. I'm sure Jose will get the best of Eden, just matter of time.

Made an observation after his first season here that I saw his ceiling as a "Ribery" & someone else has said "Nedved", the impace Hazard has on the game is down to Hazard. He is a naturally gifted player but I get the vibe he just does what is required of him, and doesn't put extra practice into working on his weaknesses.

Someone else highlighted his finishing & power as his weaknesses; Lamps, Bale & Ronaldo have shown you can improve on this if you are dedicated enough. Maybe in prior seasons he hasn't been motivated enough by the output of his supporting cast of Willian & Oscar, if Pedro starts smashing them in & Kennedy has a breakthrough season he might knuckle down.

Do I think he can come close to Messi? Absolutely He is almost as talented, just needs to work as hard as Bale did at Spurs.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/eden-hazard-slammed-as-worst-player-despite-scoring-winner-for-belgium-christian-benteke-hauled-off-at-halftime-10489220.html

 A very fair reflection on what was a poor team performance and for the two players named in particular.

Not a chance in hell Hazard is as talented as Messi. Even with blue tinted binoculars. Messi is and will for a very long time be the GOAT not only in talent but also in dedication. 

Does Eden need to become Messi? No, but I think he can be just as good as Ribery on his prime which would be an absolute ACE to have in your team.

Not a chance in hell Hazard is as talented as Messi. Even with blue tinted binoculars. Messi is and will for a very long time be the GOAT not only in talent but also in dedication.

I think everyone knows that :).

He will be 25 in January so he's probably in his prime or pretty close to his prime.

Lack of motivation seems to be there. I think he feels too comfortable as there is no one who is competing for the same position on the team with him. He's One of Jose's favorites too so he feels pretty safe.