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Eden Hazard | "It's time to enjoy life drinking beers"
- Thread starter Samid
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Ehm.
people keep trying to push this but it's just not reflective of what I watched
You didn't watch enough then. Just take a look at his stats, personal awards and the endless list of plaudits from professional players and managers if you want to know how good he actually was.The most talented player Chelsea have ever had by a comfortable distance, and there's only a few across the whole PL that you could put in the same conversation. People talking about 'Top 30' or 'Top 60' are frankly delusional.
Think you've overrating him a bit there. Definitely a bracket below the best, despite a couple of really strong seasons.
Was over rated at Chelsea, and is exposed at Real Madrid. More of a premium marketing name than anything else.
I don't think he'll be remembered by anyone other than Chelsea fans as being in the absolute elite tier of Premier League players. Close but the fact he never did anything in Europe (does he have a single memorable Champions League knock-out performance?) and his inconsistency (that 2015-2016 season is a serious mark against him) means he can't be put up there with your Ronaldos, Agueros etc.
He's probably about the level of Salah (at the moment) or Tevez.
He's probably about the level of Salah (at the moment) or Tevez.
The obvious question is what you define as best. If its purely performing really well at a high level for a long time, then sure there's a huge number of players that could be in that debate. If however we're talking about pure talent, then Hazard is in a very, very small group. Basically Hazard, Ronaldo and potentially Thierry Henry.
Hazard on form was literally unplayable against. If you need a recap..
He was playing with a hip injury.
He probably should have just sat the season out then because I can't remember a single other elite level player playing so poorly over an entire season, carrying an injury or not.
Well everyone knows what Jose is like forcing back players early.
Hiddink came in, gave him the needed layoff, then re introduced him off the bench for about a month which then allowed him to explode at the business end (well I say business end our season was done by then but still).
Jose more or less insisted he play given how poorly our season was going. He also forced out the medical staff that was well-liked and respected thanks to his sexist tripe - that definitely didn't help Hazard's recovery.
I personally think Hazard is better in the PL because there is this way that defenders press for the ball that is not seen in La Liga.
The PL defensive line presses up towards the attacker as runs are made to them and a player like Hazard is able to make quick, soft turns and dribbling skills that out do the defenders and enables them to get past them, get in to space and be creative.
In the La Liga this isnt there - they are almost watching you dribble in front of them with all the ball on the floor and wait until the attacker comes to you before they aim to make a last ball winning tackle (which they end up losing to the attacker and ends up through on goal).
I dont think this freedom that is given by La Liga defenders for attackers to "very up close and personal" slow but controlled dribbling suits Hazard.
La Liga is better suited to very pacey dribbling that is done whilst on a sprint and able to get past with the ball at their feet with skills as they enter the defensive line with pace and precision.
Hazard maybe is a fast player but he has this slow controlled type of dribbling that you see as he is able to take on a defender than someone like Bale or Ronaldo just as Real Madrid examples.
The PL defensive line presses up towards the attacker as runs are made to them and a player like Hazard is able to make quick, soft turns and dribbling skills that out do the defenders and enables them to get past them, get in to space and be creative.
In the La Liga this isnt there - they are almost watching you dribble in front of them with all the ball on the floor and wait until the attacker comes to you before they aim to make a last ball winning tackle (which they end up losing to the attacker and ends up through on goal).
I dont think this freedom that is given by La Liga defenders for attackers to "very up close and personal" slow but controlled dribbling suits Hazard.
La Liga is better suited to very pacey dribbling that is done whilst on a sprint and able to get past with the ball at their feet with skills as they enter the defensive line with pace and precision.
Hazard maybe is a fast player but he has this slow controlled type of dribbling that you see as he is able to take on a defender than someone like Bale or Ronaldo just as Real Madrid examples.
I'm not sure they bothered with him at that price. Wasn't he 28/29 at the time? Bale at least was 23/24 when he went so could play for them in theory for 7+ years. Even if Hazard performed at his best, at most Madrid were paying all of that money for 3/4 years
He looked a shadow of his former self last night.
In terms of one on one dribbling, how agile he was and holding that low centre of gravity, he was one of the best no doubt.
I know he’s struggled with injuries but it surprised me how far off the pace he looked.
In terms of one on one dribbling, how agile he was and holding that low centre of gravity, he was one of the best no doubt.
I know he’s struggled with injuries but it surprised me how far off the pace he looked.
Does the Bernabeu re-open to fans again next season? Given Bale got whistled big time after that banner going to be incredibly hostile reception for Hazard, just needs a Belgium, Burgers, Madrid banner to finish it all off.
Agent already on the phone to Inter or AC Milan as we speak I bet.
Agent already on the phone to Inter or AC Milan as we speak I bet.
Maybe the worst signing ever? Maybe even alongside Kaka.
Probably. Coutinho isn't far off.
Funny how you say that and compare with Aguero but he’s done absolutely nothing in the CL either. Silva is another one who gets praised to high heavens for similar issues. In fact, one leaves and one is near enough done and they have their best CL season ever! Crazy...
I’d definitely take Hazard over the latter.
He's easily in the top 3 best players in the PL for the last 10-15 years. Don't know what the hell some of you have been watching. Unstoppable at his best.
Forgot him! Spain’s big two have been poor recently.
Are people really using what he does now as a 30yo after all his injuries of the past years to review how good he was in his prime?
Last 15 years had players like Ronaldo, Rooney, Aguero, KDB, Silva, RVP, Bale all playing at their best. Kind of a stretch to say Hazard was better than 5 of these.
The only players on that list who were better than Hazard at his peak were Ronaldo and Bale.
It's all about stat padding these days.
Thats insane.
Hazard maybe a flop at madrid, but he certainly was one of the epl greats in recent times. How is that even in question?
Agreed, although I'd go one further and say only Ronaldo. Think people are putting too much emphasis on him now in their ratings of him at Chelsea. He was absolutely insane, his dribbling was sublime.
Wow.
Always see people defend him using the 'big 6' stats he has, without any context such as his penalty goals and that it was in 89 appearances against those sides domestically.
Hazard practically has 17 goals from open play in 89 matches against the ‘big 6’. It is still a good return, but it is not as good as the pictures suggest. Hazard also benefitted in upping his account by getting a few goals/assists against City and United kids/reserves in cup competitions. Is 5 goals and 3 assists against Arsenal and United in 27 matches really something to be wax lyrical over?!
Hazard has a goal from open play once every 5.23 games against the top 6. An assist every 6.85 games. Let us compare that to some other players.
Sanchez goal every 4.42 games and assist every 8.83 games.
Mata goal every 4.44 games and assist every 5.07 games.
Son goal every 2.81 games and assist every 9.83 games.
For someone regarded as world class, one of the greatest in the PL, this creative genius his productivity is not superior to just three examples.
Eden Hazard has FOUR non penalty champions league goals in 55 matches. One of those 4 was a 90th minute goal in a 6-0 win at home to Maribor, 2 in one match in GS stage against Roma and the fourth was a late third goal in a 3-0 win at Schalke. There's not a single person on this planet that can defend Eden Hazard and his absolutely dreadful CL return for a so called superstar. He will always to me be regarded as a very good footballer who had world class games but one of the most overrated players of all time.
Him being overrated is evident by people hyping his 18/19 campaign when 25 of his 31 goals/assists came against sides 10th-20th.
Hazard practically has 17 goals from open play in 89 matches against the ‘big 6’. It is still a good return, but it is not as good as the pictures suggest. Hazard also benefitted in upping his account by getting a few goals/assists against City and United kids/reserves in cup competitions. Is 5 goals and 3 assists against Arsenal and United in 27 matches really something to be wax lyrical over?!
Hazard has a goal from open play once every 5.23 games against the top 6. An assist every 6.85 games. Let us compare that to some other players.
Sanchez goal every 4.42 games and assist every 8.83 games.
Mata goal every 4.44 games and assist every 5.07 games.
Son goal every 2.81 games and assist every 9.83 games.
For someone regarded as world class, one of the greatest in the PL, this creative genius his productivity is not superior to just three examples.
Eden Hazard has FOUR non penalty champions league goals in 55 matches. One of those 4 was a 90th minute goal in a 6-0 win at home to Maribor, 2 in one match in GS stage against Roma and the fourth was a late third goal in a 3-0 win at Schalke. There's not a single person on this planet that can defend Eden Hazard and his absolutely dreadful CL return for a so called superstar. He will always to me be regarded as a very good footballer who had world class games but one of the most overrated players of all time.
Him being overrated is evident by people hyping his 18/19 campaign when 25 of his 31 goals/assists came against sides 10th-20th.
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Because he didn't shoot 20 times a game to pad out his tally.
Kevin Phillips would be considered better than Bergkamp if both played today.
More of a stretch to say 5 of these we're better than Hazard, both for peak and longevity. Really can't stand Chelsea, but the way he was running rings around the defenders at times was just something else.
Bale's CL record puts him ahead of Hazard looking at the overall picture but not a chance the former is infront of him in terms of PL career.
Love him. Really sad to see him struggle so much.
Longevity? Hazard took every second season off? Plus those players did it at the highest level in CL for their clubs outscoring and outassisting Hazard.
Theres more to a player than dribbling and drawing fouls
Can you name the season's he "took off" please.
Watched last nights game and he's just not the same. Barely noticed him.
The laughing and joking with all his ex-Chelsea teammates would have not sat well with us to be fair, if it was one of our players that had just got knocked out in the semis. We'd all be fuming. Having said that, some of the videos on it are hilariously dramatic...and also it's Madrid so I'm happy to laugh with Hazard too.
The laughing and joking with all his ex-Chelsea teammates would have not sat well with us to be fair, if it was one of our players that had just got knocked out in the semis. We'd all be fuming. Having said that, some of the videos on it are hilariously dramatic...and also it's Madrid so I'm happy to laugh with Hazard too.
Rooney was genuinely world class from 2006-12. 6 years with 4 PL titles and 1 CL.
RVP from 2010 to 2013 was without a doubt the best CF in the league, won 2 Players of the year if I remember correctly.
KDB from 2016 onwards has been easily the best player in the league, soon to win his 3rd PL title in 5 years, mosr likely a CL as well.
Aguero will have 5 PL titles in a decade, an integral part of 4 of these, and if I'm not mistaken the highest scorer in the PL over this period as well.
Silva the same as Aguero plus a WC and Euros winner as well.
Don't really need to talk about Ronaldo.
Hazard by comparison has 2 PL titles and one player of the season.
When they didn't win the big titles he had an off-season, is that the logic? Silva, Aguero, KDB and RVP did it every year in the CL, you sure about this..?
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