3 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

And we have been better than them this season too. Lost fewer games in the league, got more points in the league, conceded fewer goals in the league, played more games, got to two finals, scored more goals in all competitions. Hazard would just be swapping one team that are rebuilding for another team rebuilding.

Not necessarily. Real Madrid are arguably the biggest club in the world. They will just buy Hazard and add 3/4 more world class players. We simply cannot afford to do that. However, Hazard should have been the one to build our team around since he joined. He was let down because of the inconsistency of our board. 

1 hour ago, Sexyfootball said:

If he is leaving, I really hope we don't do something stupid like sign Coutinho as his replacement ...

That will be something stupid we will do too. Nothing surprises me any more with this club. I think I would rather Bale if we are scraping the barrel for Hazard replacements. 

I think the only replacements I can think of are Pepe of Lille, Ziyech of Ajax, Mertens or Insigne. Along with a top level striker. We need to replace his goals and add goals from a striker. 

Edited May 12, 20197 yr by enigma

We need Zaha

Goodbye Eden. Its pretty obvious that he is leaving us. He is also playing very cautious and not fully in the game. The reason for this I believe is because he does not want to pick up an injury and then deal falls off. He is a liability for Europa League and he should not be playing for us in that game. 

Maybe he could make a triumphant return in a couple of years after he's ticked the Real Madrid box?

If the fee would "just" be £100m, I think we should keep him. If the ban sticks and we lose Hazard, we have no chance of top 4 and will be less attractive when we can sign players, the setback to our rebuild will delay and delay further.

3 hours ago, cuppaT said:

Sucks that we never really did anything in the CL while he was here. He is partly to blame for that as he never really shone in the CL. Even when we got to semi's we went out with a whimper. Part of the reason I can never hold him up there with the Lampard/Terry/Drogba tier players. 

Didn't have the same talent around him though - really our only hope would have been the two years under Jose with Diego (excluding his third with Conte when we weren't in it), as the Torres/Morata years were no chance.

That last minute concession against PSG at home in 2015 after Ibra had gotten sent off, that year was probably his best chance, but from memory he was invisible in that game. I think he's become a lot more consistent since then, but hasn't had the talent around him unfortunately.

15 minutes ago, Jonty said:

Didn't have the same talent around him though - really our only hope would have been the two years under Jose with Diego (excluding his third with Conte when we weren't in it), as the Torres/Morata years were no chance.

That last minute concession against PSG at home in 2015 after Ibra had gotten sent off, that year was probably his best chance, but from memory he was invisible in that game. I think he's become a lot more consistent since then, but hasn't had the talent around him unfortunately.

This is basically what I have been saying for a few years now. People say he isn't at Terry, Lampard and Drogba's level, but they don't seem to take into consideration that all of these players played together, Hazard hasn't had that kind of luck. Whenever this topic get's bought up, I always say the same thing, if Lampard wasn't there to score the vital goal, it was Drogba, if it's not Drogba or Lampard, it's Terry, Cole, Robben, Duff, Essien, etc, etc. There was always somebody else to fill in when one of these players couldn't. Hazard will perform in a big game, then when he doesn't do it again in the next big game and we end up losing, people criticise him and say he doesn't step up in the big games, well all of the players I mentioned above were the same, they didn't turn up to every big game, and they relied on others around them to get us through. Drogba is probably an exception though, he lived for the biggest games, sometimes a bit too much because he often didn't turn up against weaker teams.

If Hazard got to play with the level of Chelsea players we had back then, nobody would be talking about his big game record. Even without them, his big game record is very good, especially in domestic competitions.

Thank you for the memories Eden. Wonderful player, one of our very best. Good luck living out your dream in Madrid with Zizou. 

So it is up to the price. Will Marina budge? Personally I think it needs to be between 85-100m. However Eden wants to go (it seems) and we need to make that happen, as do Real. 

8 hours ago, jack_super_class said:

“I've made my decision. I'm still waiting like you & the fans are waiting. I wanted this matter to be resolved sooner but that didn't happen. I told Chelsea a couple of weeks ago.” Does a Top 4 finish change your mind? “No. I made my decision, that's it."

Hmmm. First time he’s actually been quoted directly about what he wants I think.

I think it’s obvious why the club haven’t reacted yet, our season isn’t over for a start, plus there is CAS to get through.

Not sure what the rush is either, not like it’s next season any time soon. No Summer tournament to get in the way either.

 

 

Good luck in Madrid.

Live the lad and he gave us his best years, huge miss for us going forward.

We’ve been so lucky with how we haven’t lost our best players ever since Roman took over. Robber being the exception, but he was only here for a couple of years.

Hazard though, I’m going to be so gutted.

I have no problem with him wanting to leave but if we get can’t get the ban stopped the. we should just tell him simply we aren’t selling. A season more of Hazard is more valuable to us than £80-100 mil is right now.

It is down to Marina. She will probably drag this as long as she can to make the best sale. We will lose most of Hazard's best years 28-33 so we need to get compensated. Pulisic was bought because of this and our ban. Really glad Callum is such a bright talent. 

Also we have to stop relying on Eden so maybe it brings the best out of the rest. 

I reckon he stays with a bumper new contract. 

I'm really gonna miss Hazard, an incredible player, one of the very best we've had IMO.

We relied on him way too much, to the point where when we didn't win some people think he went "missing".

On all these occasions we had 10 other players who could of stepped up.

Let's just hope we don't mess up with the transfer money we get for him.

Good luck in the future Eden and thanks for everything.

 

13 minutes ago, ForeverCarefree said:

I reckon he stays with a bumper new contract. 

Oh god, just imagine the announcement. Would be the best signing of my whole time supporting Chelsea.

17 minutes ago, ForeverCarefree said:

I reckon he stays with a bumper new contract. 

I love the optimism/delusion. It is like Chelsea with scoring this season. With zero shots we aim to score a couple. ?

Could somebody please post the the club statement confirming his transfer to Madrid? The last time I checked he was still a Chelsea player and under contract until 2020.

Feels like when you ask out a girl and you foolishly take hope from the fact that she doesn't technically say no.

What's with all the bloody double-posting?

Edited May 13, 20197 yr by bluedave

6 minutes ago, PloKoon13 said:

Feels like when you ask out a girl and you foolishly take hope from the fact that she doesn't technically say no.