Neymar has been so great this season hasn't he? And Bale?
If Hazard moved to Madrid I guess we will find out.
Eden Hazard 16/17 Performances
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Neymar has been so great this season hasn't he? And Bale?
If Hazard moved to Madrid I guess we will find out.
I think a major part of what makes Hazard such a fantastic player often goes unnoticed. It's the way his game influences the overall situation between the attacking and the defending team. A large part of what makes him so dangerous is his instinctive reading of the defending team's shape and the way he systematically reacts to their habits.
His off-the-ball movement, movement with the ball and passing are designed to counter the natural flow of the opposite team's defensive movement. So he constantly gives them headaches with his positioning and movements, frequently throwing them off balance as a unit. He then has a great timing for playing passes right when this unbalancing of the defensive structure has created openings. A lot of this happens before the final ball, which is why his statistical numbers aren't representative of his influence on Chelsea's game.
The way I see him, his game is 50% about this structural work (he constantly roams around and pops up all over the pitch during a game) and 50% about breakthroughs, assisting, scoring. He combines both aspects seamlessly and has a great balance between those elements.
But many people only see the latter 50% and that's where I think the impression comes from that he's 'not imposing himself on games enough'. In my view very few players (let alone forwards) impose themselves on their team's overall attacking game on a similar scale to Hazard. It's more subtle to the eye, but at the same time more influential on a fundamental level. Plus the spectacular stuff he regularly pulls off too, of course.
That's why I think he is one of the best players in the world.
His off-the-ball movement, movement with the ball and passing are designed to counter the natural flow of the opposite team's defensive movement. So he constantly gives them headaches with his positioning and movements, frequently throwing them off balance as a unit. He then has a great timing for playing passes right when this unbalancing of the defensive structure has created openings. A lot of this happens before the final ball, which is why his statistical numbers aren't representative of his influence on Chelsea's game.
The way I see him, his game is 50% about this structural work (he constantly roams around and pops up all over the pitch during a game) and 50% about breakthroughs, assisting, scoring. He combines both aspects seamlessly and has a great balance between those elements.
But many people only see the latter 50% and that's where I think the impression comes from that he's 'not imposing himself on games enough'. In my view very few players (let alone forwards) impose themselves on their team's overall attacking game on a similar scale to Hazard. It's more subtle to the eye, but at the same time more influential on a fundamental level. Plus the spectacular stuff he regularly pulls off too, of course.
That's why I think he is one of the best players in the world.
Agree with this, and thus why sometimes when some players are given targets to focus on specific to putting up numbers it makes them overall a less effective player for the team
Time for you to start lauding greatness when you see it.
Fantastic post. That's exactly why the footballing minds raves about him unlike English football. In this stat oriented era of football, people only care about raw numbers, total influence on games doesn't matter. If you don't get a goal or assist you must've had a bad game.
People are desperate for Hazard to be a moments player but he idolized his game on Zinedine Zidane he'll never play that way & rightfully so. He's the ultimate team player & is why a largely workmanholic team like Chelsea score so many goals.
One of the best posts I've read on here. Even as Chelsea fan I'm guilty of slagging him off for not scoring more.
One aspect I admire Hazard for is the way he reacts to being fouled. He never complains or over reacts ,merely gets up and gets on with the game.
In this respect alone he is an ideal role model for young players.
In this respect alone he is an ideal role model for young players.
Spot on. And you could have written the exact same about Iniesta in his prime. Hazard, similarly to Iniesta, does not need to score to be influential, but of course he has the ability to be more consistently decisive and that is what his coaches are trying to get him to deliver. It's not a must for him, but he could move up to the very top bracket if he does.
That all well and good but he's been shit in the champions league. Needs to do better in the top stage. Him and Costa have both been poor.
Sure, he can still raise his level. It's just that everybody knows that, so I rather accentuate the things that so often go unnoticed.
Conte seems to have demanded more decisive action from him (Hazard reported that himself) and to me it looks like he's actively trying to be more of a scorer this season. This kind of relentless, perfectionist coaching approach seems to be very good for him.
(Conte 2 days ago: http://www.tribalfootball.com/artic...o-chelsea-but-he-can-score-more-goals-4171827 -- Btw, I also like what he says about Kante: http://www.goal.com/en-za/news/4563...zard-and-kante-perfectionist-conte-wants-more )
And as much as I'd like to see Hazard at Real one day, I hope he stays at Chelsea and tries to make an impact in the CL next year. This team with this coach plus some new players should be competitive, and I think he'd develop better under Conte than Zidane at this point of his career.
2014 - Injured
2015 - By far our best player. Terry, Costa & Cahill cost us.
2016 - Injured
2014 - average against Atletico
2015 - average against PSG
2016 - injured I guess.
2012/2013: didn't even survive the group stages with Chelsea.
He's a very good player when he's in the mood and feeling it, but he's no warrior and seems never to become as good as Robbery, Bale or Neymar. Winning games single handedly week in and week out isn't his thing.
It's not a shame and most likely Hazard has already overtaken Zola. But not Lampard and i don't he ever will. The fighting spirit is what sets them apart.
Chelsea bought a very good attacking player. Let's see whether we can contain him next Monday.
It's not a shame and most likely Hazard has already overtaken Zola. But not Lampard and i don't he ever will. The fighting spirit is what sets them apart.
Chelsea bought a very good attacking player. Let's see whether we can contain him next Monday.
it's hard to believe such a great footballing mind like yourself can be outwitted by English football neathanderthals when it comes to something as Madrid vs. Napoli. Get over yourself.He isnt as good as Neymar, period. Seems like another silent domination excuse. He is one of the best players in the PL, atmittedly but he is more on Reus' level, which is still incredibly high albeit different players.
If you take Hazard's dribbling ability away, there's not much left. Seems like his hip is okay again, so no wonder he's back at it. Desperately hoping we'll do his team on next monday.
Hazard vs Reus is an interesting discussion. One could argue that Reus has shown more in Europe though. Reus usually seems to step up in the CL when he is fit and he has put in excellent performances against Real Madrid in 12/13, 13/14 and again this season in the Bernabeu. Hazard's dribbling is better but I think Reus is just smarter in the way he plays. It's been a while since Reus has been fully fit but when he is, he is really good.
Agreed, personally I slightly prefer Reus but mainly in a faster team, thats when he's absolutely devastating. In a less mobile team, I think Hazard's dribbling and playmaking is more valuable. Neymar exceeds both. Which is no shame.
Reus is faster and more dynamic. The problem for Hard is that he is the teams creative hub as Chelsea don't have any fantasisti or players that can create from deep which means he has to drop deep and his dribbling will be the skillset that is on show.
He isn't a runner and his does not have/ displayed the off the ball runs consistently to get into goal scoring positions. His stats will never be outrageous because of that. It's just not his game. Perhaps in a super team his level might actually be perceived higher. Reus has the luxury of playing with fantastic midfielders that can put him in consistent one vs ones although I do believe Reus link up is better with forwards.
I agree with this which is why i think he is at his best when our starting xi contains both pedro and fabregas so that he can share the creative burden.
The 3-4-3 formation suits him absolutely perfectly.
He's absolutely fantastic. People get too bogged down by stats (although he really should be scoring more) but game in and game out he's fantastic from a creative standpoint. Pace, dribbling, passing he's got the lot.
He's miles better than Reus. I'd rather have him than Neymar or Bale.
He's miles better than Reus. I'd rather have him than Neymar or Bale.
Yes, because he isn't a good playmaker at all is he...
You know Fabregas is a thing right? And also that Luiz is one of the best long ball playing CB's in the world?
Hazard is outrageously quick when he wants to be. He also regularly gets into excellent off the ball positions. Have you actually watched Hazard play more than once or twice?
He would be fantastic if football wasn't about putting the ball in the back of the net. And I don't mean this in the sense that he himself needs to score or assist all the time (although as an attacker that would obviously be a plus). I mean it in the way that he doesn't actually contribute to the result in a football match nearly enough compared to truly world class players. And when things get though Hazard is not the player you would expect to drag his team to victory, I'd rather expect Costa to do that.
He got some fantastic abilities, but these are most often on show when the team is already playing well. Good player though, among the best in the PL.
I neglected how devastating Ramos was on set pieces. I apologize.
Feel like someone getting sent off was karma for Mourinho's instructions on him when he has the ball
Just to clarify, I don't think Herrera should have been sent off, but we have been extra aggressive when Hazard's been on the ball.
Just to clarify, I don't think Herrera should have been sent off, but we have been extra aggressive when Hazard's been on the ball.
Can't wait till he fecks off to Madrid in the summer.
Electric. We cant cope with his pace
He always turns up against United. Always.
n the second half we should be even harder on him, through the legs whatever, he deserves this treatment for his dives
We can't cope with him. Welp.
If he's managed to get a player sent off already, what do you expect actual card-worthy offences will result in?
Think we've almost been too respectful to Hazard, not sure we need to be this aggressive on him. Really good player but sometimes you end up inviting more pressure with the way we've gone against him.
Hazard today shows what "world class" means. Every touch is top class, virtually all passes are accurate, each dribble dangerous. Best player in the league.
Dirty cheating cnut though.
Dirty cheating cnut though.
It's like the premier league hasn't figured out that the way to defend on him is to lay off and doublin up. Chelsea aren't all that dangerous so long as you can keep him from goin on those mazy runs
Developing a real sinister streak to target Herrera there. He'll do well in Spain next year with that.
I know that reads bitter but it's actually not. It's genuine praise. It's another side of his game he's needed to show to become the best he can be.
I know that reads bitter but it's actually not. It's genuine praise. It's another side of his game he's needed to show to become the best he can be.
He's torched us so far, these tactics on being tight on him just didn't work. He's way too talented for that sort of stuff so far.
If we let him play he will score, he's just too good to be left space, the double yellow was really stupid from Oliver so I think he will ease off against us little bit
That's from 3 years ago, and they lost him without the ball