Fed up of him, too, to be honest. Looks to me as if he has downed tools, again. Brilliant at the start of the year, but his drop in effort is noticeable. 

5 minutes ago, ross91690 said:

Fed up of him, too, to be honest. Looks to me as if he has downed tools, again. Brilliant at the start of the year, but his drop in effort is noticeable. 

Even if what you say about his downed tools is correct, he’s still Chelsea’s best player by miles, and the only one capable of creating magic.

How we rebuild after he’s gone in the summer will decide where we intend to be as a Premiership club. Everyone around him in the current squad look pretty average to me right now.

 

I would only accept a Hazard sale if we improve the team with the money. 

Spurs sold Bale and improved, Liverpool sold Coutinho and improved. If we sell Hazard I want to make sure we get some good players in replacement for him and not just one. 

I'm not in the camp of selling Hazard, but I firmly believe we rely on him entirely too much

42 minutes ago, mad_mac said:

I'm not in the camp of selling Hazard, but I firmly believe we rely on him entirely too much

We've relied on him too much for years, we should've signed better players for him to play with, he's been carrying this attack for god knows how long. 

Sometimes I can't blame him for wanting to seek other options. 

26 minutes ago, Slojo said:

We've relied on him too much for years, we should've signed better players for him to play with, he's been carrying this attack for god knows how long. 

Sometimes I can't blame him for wanting to seek other options. 

 

Sam, we did with Joe Cole in the past, and Juan Mata at times too.  But I don't think they had to carry the teams themselves, more they were our only creative outlet.  I feel the same about Eden, and I think we are maybe fortunate that the likes of PSG and Real have exceptional RW'ers right now otherwise he'd be off

Right now unless Hazard plays a blinder the team looks sh*t. 

He's a brilliantly talented player but he can't be expected to be putting in man of the match performances each and every week in order for us to get a result. 

He needs some help, he needs more movement in front of him to play well and he needs the ball a lot earlier than he's receiving it. 

Hazard doesn’t suit this new style of football we want to okay. Especially in the EPL where defending and sitting deep is so prevalent IMO.

 

Sarri’s football is supposed to be about quick transitions and that’s even more vital when in the EPL once you win the ball you need to get in behind before the other team get their two banks of 5 to stop you getting through.

 

Both Hazard and Willian are far too slow on the ball for this. Hazard particularly likes to go back and beat a man two or three times instead of just going past him once and breaking away. I could be wrong but it frustrates the life out of me when they slow the play down to let the other team get back and get set.

 

If we want to stick with Sarri and make this new way of playing work I think hazard needs to be sold.

13 hours ago, Semper Fi said:

IS it just just me or is anyone else tired of Hazard? I hate players who whore themselves out to other clubs. Utter disrespect. Mark my words, Hazard will do the same as Courtois starting next season. 100%. 

No, it's just you.

The trouble Hazard has is that because he is our only real match-winner, we are used to him conjuring up some magic to save our bacon. Even last night, at 0-0 and even 1-0, you think, we just need Hazard to produce here and we'll be alright. So when he doesn't, it's "Oh, Hazard isn't trying / Hazard has downed tools again". We are so dependent on him producing which could work for or against us being able to hold onto him. He might be fed up with the pressure and being one of the scapegoats when it all goes badly - might like the idea of not having to be the match-winner every week. On the other hand, if Madrid spend £150M on him they and their fans could heap HUGE pressure on him. Depends if the keep the likes of Bale, Modric, Isco etc to share the burden.

 

 

I don't get the Hazard has downed tools and wants to leave etc, Hazard does this season every season he has been here, under every manager. Most likely why he came out recently and said he frustrates all his managers. He has a blip in form somewhere in the season but always comes back to his best during the season when you need him most.

Edited January 31, 20197 yr by jack_super_class

Hazard is a legend for sure. I have being supporting Chelsea for 22 years and for me Zola, Terry, Lampard, Drobga are way ahead of him.

In this team I would pick Duff and Robben on their prime everyday of the week too. Although, he is the best player of the team, talented, skillful and the goal scored against Liverpool was magnificent, clearly on my opinion the way we are trying to play he is a hindrance. There were numerous occasions last night where Palmieri was free where Hazard could have passed for Palmieri to cross to Higuain in the box. BUT NO NO thats not the way he plays instead he keeps the ball for far too long dribling for no reason and passes back to Jorginho!!

Thats very frustrating and going by the comments that he acknowledges that all managers have being frustrated with him shows me that he doesn't care what they think, he will play the way he wants too which is sad because he is the most talented player of the league. Bloody Salah plays the entire front line without complaining and scores goals and he is not even half as talented as Hazard but he is direct and hungry to score. 

I think this is the last season we will see Hazard on a Chelsea shirt and will remain a legend.

 

 

10 hours ago, EdinburghBlue said:

Hazard doesn’t suit this new style of football we want to okay. Especially in the EPL where defending and sitting deep is so prevalent IMO.

 

Sarri’s football is supposed to be about quick transitions and that’s even more vital when in the EPL once you win the ball you need to get in behind before the other team get their two banks of 5 to stop you getting through.

 

Both Hazard and Willian are far too slow on the ball for this. Hazard particularly likes to go back and beat a man two or three times instead of just going past him once and breaking away. I could be wrong but it frustrates the life out of me when they slow the play down to let the other team get back and get set.

 

If we want to stick with Sarri and make this new way of playing work I think hazard needs to be sold.

Great post.

If you look at the way CHO and Hazard operate when they receive the ball, CHO is more direct, as Hazard likes to do his Hazard thing, i had a big argument at work today, about our style of play, and i, (WE) came to the conclusion we aren't good enough the style we play, to feed any Striker, cos we are to Slowwwww

Is it just me or was yesterday’s debacle of a match the first time in God knows when that not one foul was committed against Hazard?

11 hours ago, EdinburghBlue said:

Hazard doesn’t suit this new style of football we want to okay. Especially in the EPL where defending and sitting deep is so prevalent IMO.

 

Sarri’s football is supposed to be about quick transitions and that’s even more vital when in the EPL once you win the ball you need to get in behind before the other team get their two banks of 5 to stop you getting through.

 

Both Hazard and Willian are far too slow on the ball for this. Hazard particularly likes to go back and beat a man two or three times instead of just going past him once and breaking away. I could be wrong but it frustrates the life out of me when they slow the play down to let the other team get back and get set.

 

If we want to stick with Sarri and make this new way of playing work I think hazard needs to be sold.

I think it's quite difficult to build a team around hazard in general, but maybe even more so this season since the club is sh*tting themselves he might leave in the summer. 

I agree he isn't particularly suited to play for sarri, he doesn't really press, he doesn't track well, and he is much more of a dribbler than a pass and move type player. 

Mourinho used Azpiliucueta to try and cover for hazards defiencies and conte ended up with hazard almost as a second striker, but there was still complaints about having to track back, or being left isolated when we played on the counter.

He also isn't a particularly driven character, which he confirmed in a recent interview, so we over rely on a player that doesn't always play with that winning mentality. 

Hazard is an absolutely wonderful footballer, and I think if he had players of similar quality around him, and some big leaders in the dressing room, he could get on with doing what he does best, and he would push himself to work that little bit harder. 

It will be a sad day when he eventually leaves, but maybe we will turn into more of a complete team in the long run.

56 minutes ago, big blue said:

I think it's quite difficult to build a team around hazard in general, but maybe even more so this season since the club is sh*tting themselves he might leave in the summer. 

I agree he isn't particularly suited to play for sarri, he doesn't really press, he doesn't track well, and he is much more of a dribbler than a pass and move type player. 

Mourinho used Azpiliucueta to try and cover for hazards defiencies and conte ended up with hazard almost as a second striker, but there was still complaints about having to track back, or being left isolated when we played on the counter.

He also isn't a particularly driven character, which he confirmed in a recent interview, so we over rely on a player that doesn't always play with that winning mentality. 

Hazard is an absolutely wonderful footballer, and I think if he had players of similar quality around him, and some big leaders in the dressing room, he could get on with doing what he does best, and he would push himself to work that little bit harder. 

It will be a sad day when he eventually leaves, but maybe we will turn into more of a complete team in the long run.

Fair points above, he does seem to give up at times yet also runs back to defend at other times. Undoubtedly he has been a Chelsea great yet as a team possibly we could be stronger after he goes. Too many factors to be sure either way.

Yeah, clearly we have built the team around Hazard, and it hasn’t really worked out that well. Too up and down for me, there’s no consistency.

The only time I feel the team was spot on was when Mourinho was here, Fabregas, Matic, Diego Costa. The team was balanced and Hazard was allowed to go and do his thing. We had Fab and Costa who could change games too, now we only have Hazard. No wonder we’re in trouble.

19 minutes ago, dansubrosa said:

Yeah, clearly we have built the team around Hazard, and it hasn’t really worked out that well. Too up and down for me, there’s no consistency.

The only time I feel the team was spot on was when Mourinho was here, Fabregas, Matic, Diego Costa. The team was balanced and Hazard was allowed to go and do his thing. We had Fab and Costa who could change games too, now we only have Hazard. No wonder we’re in trouble.

Yes yet it didn't always work as I can remember JM criticising Hazard for his lack of defensive work.

To be fair I wouldn't say we have built the team around Hazard it only seems that way since Costa has gone as we do not have a consistent target for goals.

Edited January 31, 20197 yr by strider6004

16 hours ago, EdinburghBlue said:

Hazard doesn’t suit this new style of football we want to okay. Especially in the EPL where defending and sitting deep is so prevalent IMO.

 

Sarri’s football is supposed to be about quick transitions and that’s even more vital when in the EPL once you win the ball you need to get in behind before the other team get their two banks of 5 to stop you getting through.

 

Both Hazard and Willian are far too slow on the ball for this. Hazard particularly likes to go back and beat a man two or three times instead of just going past him once and breaking away. I could be wrong but it frustrates the life out of me when they slow the play down to let the other team get back and get set.

 

If we want to stick with Sarri and make this new way of playing work I think hazard needs to be sold.

So lets get this straight. We should prioritise a man who has never won anything as a manager, who was supposed to bring attacking football to this club, yet we have 70% possession every game and do nothing with it. Watching our team decline  game by game.

Youd prioritise him over Hazard, who was instrumental in us winning 2 league titles and the fa cup last year. Face facts, without hazard we are a very average team. Infact without hazard this year alone sarri might not even be in a job right now. All that after putting him as a lone striker game after game when it clearly wasent working. So lets single him out, thats not going to help his resist real madrid, will it. 

Sometimes i really wonder if fans even think. Sarri has proved nothing in these 7 months to say we are improving, hes alienated all our young talent, but lets get rid of our best player to accomodate his system. A system only surviving because of hazard.

I don't think  Hazard is above criticism, but right now he's the last person Sarri wants to have a go at. Without him, god knows where we are right now. There's only that much he could do, one day he's as an out and out striker that's expected to score, the other day he's playing the assist man to Higuain, it can't possibly be easy on him changing every few games.

Like I said previously, I think it's best to let him go in summer and use the money on one or two players to strengthen further. This squad has needed a freshen up for a while. 

Edited February 1, 20197 yr by enigma

Feel like Sarri and Hazard are on a collision course. 

Apparently Sarri singled out Hazard for particular criticism for not following team instructions against Bournemouth. 

Both player and manager only have 12 months on their contracts left come the summer... Wonder who will get backed by the club if it comes down to a "it's me or him" type situation. 

With Hazard not signing a new contract I would say it depends on results between now and May for Sarri's longevity.

I was thinking earlier what impact Hazards media outbursts about RM have on the rest of the squad, it can't be positive.

 

I always feel a top team can have one player who doesn't have to track back all the time, its what you call a cheat player. As long as he makes up for in the attacking zone then you can't complain. There are the type of players that make the difference and are very hard to find. Thats Hazard for us.

Edited February 1, 20197 yr by jack_super_class

1 hour ago, jack_super_class said:

I always feel a top team can have one player who doesn't have to track back all the time, its what you call a cheat player. As long as he makes up for in the attacking zone then you can't complain. There are the type of players that make the difference and are very hard to find. Thats Hazard for us.

He doesn't score enough goals to get away with that in my opinion.