I will go as far to say if you are going to play Hazard up front then don't play him, you lose too much as an individual playing him up top and you lose too much as a team. I'm pretty sure Chelsea would have created a chance if a striker was playing. 

23 hours ago, didierforever said:

I dont get the asensio/isco + 100mil acceptance. Hazard is worth ATLEAST 200mil pounds (if not more). Hell, that Coutinho went for 150mil. No way are Isco/Asensio worth a 100mil pounds. 

If we get top4, I dont see Hazard moving. If we dont get top4, thats an issue. But atleast 150mil + either of them or rather I would just take 200+mil. And buy players actually wanted by the manager.

Isco is better than Coutinho and is worth at least a 100m, seen bits of Asensio and he looks good. Easy to go see why it's a 100m plus.

37 minutes ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Nothing i hate more than seeing Hazard play that false 9 position. He did more at LW in the 10 minutes when a ST came on than he did all game up top. 

I understand the frustration, but I don’t think Willian would have been anywhere near as dangerous as he was if we played a striker. 

Just now, dansubrosa said:

I understand the frustration, but I don’t think Willian would have been anywhere near as dangerous as he was if we played a striker. 

Why?

Just now, Ernie_blue said:

Why?

Imo Hazard playing as a striker brings Willian into the match more.

5 minutes ago, dansubrosa said:

Imo Hazard playing as a striker brings Willian into the match more.

Can't see that, the two shots in the first half had nothing to do with Hazard but just Willian magic, Hazard would have passed to Willian if there was a striker or not for the goal, love a short corner. Both Pedro or Willian wasn't that too involved in counter attacks, the ball was rarely held up, a striker would have brought both Willian and Hazard into play even more, less likely to lose the ball and Hazard would have been in his best position. We would have offered more going forward IMO.

Attacking wise you lose a lot putting Hazard up front but gain defensively, I don't think Conte plays Hazard up front because his better than Giroud or Morata, more likely he wants to go defensive and doesn't trust Hazard.

We play false 9 because we wanted to be defensive and compact. Both Pedro and Willian got compact on defense and ran their asses off chasing down balls. If we have a proper CF on the pitch it means hazard has to pick up all that defensive responsibility of Pedro. And hazard, for all he’s good at, is not a defensive player, he simply can’t run around for 90 minutes tracking back all game AND be our most potent threat going forward. Conte wanted 10 behind the ball, and the only way to do that is play false 9 and take the pressure off Eden defensively to focus on getting forward. 

4 hours ago, TheChelsRVA said:

We play false 9 because we wanted to be defensive and compact. Both Pedro and Willian got compact on defense and ran their asses off chasing down balls. If we have a proper CF on the pitch it means hazard has to pick up all that defensive responsibility of Pedro. And hazard, for all he’s good at, is not a defensive player, he simply can’t run around for 90 minutes tracking back all game AND be our most potent threat going forward. Conte wanted 10 behind the ball, and the only way to do that is play false 9 and take the pressure off Eden defensively to focus on getting forward. 

Maybe it's why Conte doesn't do well in the cups, he was too defensive in the first leg against Arsenal, defensive against Barca.  I will be interested to see how the Juve manager sets his team up at Wembley.

lovely pict of Eden dealing on Barca

On 20/02/2018 at 09:26, didierforever said:

I dont get the asensio/isco + 100mil acceptance. Hazard is worth ATLEAST 200mil pounds (if not more). Hell, that Coutinho went for 150mil. No way are Isco/Asensio worth a 100mil pounds. 

If we get top4, I dont see Hazard moving. If we dont get top4, thats an issue. But atleast 150mil + either of them or rather I would just take 200+mil. And buy players actually wanted by the manager.

Ascencio is class, 100m + him is a good deal

Hazard's Touches vs Barca

 

Is this quote from the daily mirror true ?

"I might have touched 25 balls that night and 15 of them were flying towards my head. That is not really playing to my qualities. I won some aerial duels against Gerard Pique, and that’s not bad.But if I had to choose, I prefer to play like I did in the last 10 minutes, which was out wide. But it’s the manager who has the final word. On the wing I feel more comfortable. That’s my place."

10 minutes ago, guddy69 said:

Is this quote from the daily mirror true ?

"I might have touched 25 balls that night and 15 of them were flying towards my head. That is not really playing to my qualities. I won some aerial duels against Gerard Pique, and that’s not bad.But if I had to choose, I prefer to play like I did in the last 10 minutes, which was out wide. But it’s the manager who has the final word. On the wing I feel more comfortable. That’s my place."

Which is why i was so shocked that Giroud didn't start as i knew we would be forced to play long balls during the game. 

Sometimes you have to take one for the team. Pull your socks up and get on with it. 

21 hours ago, Munkworth said:

Sometimes you have to take one for the team. Pull your socks up and get on with it. 

I agree, but Hazard has been asked to play that position far more than he should have this season. I thought signing Giroud was supposed to put a stop to this false 9 stuff. The reason why Batshuayi wasn't being picked was because he wasn't a striker who Conte could rely on to hold up play, so we bring one in who can do that job and we still go with the false 9 formation.

It's not just hurting Hazard, it's hurting us. We lose so much going forward with Hazard up front. We need him running at players, not jumping for headers against defenders that are nearly a full foot taller than he is.

6 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

I agree, but Hazard has been asked to play that position far more than he should have this season. I thought signing Giroud was supposed to put a stop to this false 9 stuff. The reason why Batshuayi wasn't being picked was because he wasn't a striker who Conte could rely on to hold up play, so we bring one in who can do that job and we still go with the false 9 formation.

It's not just hurting Hazard, it's hurting us. We lose so much going forward with Hazard up front. We need him running at players, not jumping for headers against defenders that are nearly a full foot taller than he is.

Don't like it though as it's Barca accept it, though will be annoyed if he plays No.9 against Utd.

I'm not even joking I would physically cry if this man left the club. I'm a grown man and I would cry if he left. We must do everything in our power to keep him satisfied. Do that and this club is bound to have more success in the future, it's written in the stars. 

The thing is he isn't even a luxury player either, he's essential to the attack. You get players like Ozil & Pogba who you can't build a team around because they're both limited players but can be effective, Hazard, however, is something else.

Don't ever forget how good he was in Mourinho's 2nd season, he practically won us the league title on his own. 

Edited February 24, 20188 yr by Slojo

Wouldn't say he could understand the substitution today, was disappointed. 

He never seems to play that well at Old Trafford.

1 minute ago, jack_super_class said:

He never seems to play that well at Old Trafford.

I can't recall any bad games from him at Old Trafford despite this season & last. 

Didn't look happy being subbed again, reckon he's had enough of Conte. If he's off to Madrid I just hope we spend the money wisely (Upamecano, Lozano, Ndombele, Jorginho, Luis Suarez).

Edited February 25, 20188 yr by the special one

Probably pissed from getting 25 touches in the CL against a top team like Barca with the whole world watching. He also looked like he was abit pissed off with his team mates today, should be playing more than 73mins.

7 hours ago, the special one said:

Didn't look happy being subbed again, reckon he's had enough of Conte. If he's off to Madrid I just hope we spend the money wisely (Upamecano, Lozano, Ndombele, Jorginho, Luis Suarez).

Suarez? No thanks. I would rather get werner/belloti. Also ship off morata while we are at it.

2 hours ago, didierforever said:

Suarez? No thanks. I would rather get werner/belloti. Also ship off morata while we are at it.

Belotti was a one season wonder.

 

He's got a worse record than Morata this year. 5 goals and 1 assist in 20 games in Serie A. (1,664 mins)

Alvaro has 10 goals and 5 assists in 22 games in the PL. (1,641 mins).

 

I know they’re just stats and I admit to not watching much of Torino, but look at the way Morata is slated for his performances, Belotti would be hammered on here.

11 minutes ago, EdinburghBlue said:

Belotti was a one season wonder.

 

He's got a worse record than Morata this year. 5 goals and 1 assist in 20 games in Serie A. (1,664 mins)

Alvaro has 10 goals and 5 assists in 22 games in the PL. (1,641 mins).

 

I know they’re just stats and I admit to not watching much of Torino, but look at the way Morata is slated for his performances, Belotti would be hammered on here.

Its just stats. Nothing more. They dont show that Morata is lying around and lazing in the grass half of the 90minutes that he plays. I would take either of belotti/werner over him.