Eden Hazard

I don't think he had a phenomenal performance. He certainly should've done better on a few occasions with the end product and this is why he's never come close to Messi and Ronaldo's numbers in his career despite his dribbling ability. What I credit him for is the way he dragged his team up the pitch in those closing stages and won fouls to buy them extra time. He's very clever in that respect. I also think he should trust his teammates more instead of running with the ball in areas away from goal where the team can't hurt the opposition and save his energy for the final ball.
 
I think he is happier as a Ribery and someone else being the more direct scorer. There is a little of Zidane in him in how he maintains possession, looks to control the tempo of the game. Fans want him to be Messi/Ronaldo and he is just not that type.
To be fair Messi and Ronaldo aren’t the same type either.

I do agree Robben is a bit more direct, but dribbling wise they’re quite similar.
 
When an attacker, not midfielder!, puts in an immense performance, you expect some sort of productivity to go with it: goals, assists, shots on target, created chances, etc. Not keeping possession and beating an average full back time and again.
 
This bit everyone will second, incl. me, Treble and the likes. Underwhelming performance embroided with bad decision-making at first only to become a beast late on when his team needed him would be my call. Needs to start playing Rom because De Bruyne might not score a rocket like this in the next game(s).

You referring to that chance he had when he could have squared it to Lukaku? It certainly seems as though he doesn't have much faith in Lukaku, who was pretty shoddy with his touch today (apart from the de Bruyne goal of course).
 
That was an excellent performance but not immense. There are several levels between good and immense/fantastic. If that was immense, what was Mbappe's vs Argentina or Ronaldo's vs Spain? Excellent - yes, immense/fantastic - no. Lukaku's was excellent too, btw.
Right, if you are acknowledging that it was a good performance then I have no issue. Your original post hinted it was just ordinary because of the lack of goals. Surely you have to factor in the mandate a player is given and the quality of opposition.


Judging by that, Mbappe's was even better of course. And seeing as it happened on the day both of them exited will seem like a passing of the torch. Ronaldo's performance against Spain was I feel overblown. He barely saw the ball all game, one goal a fluke , a good penalty yes and the free kick excellent but I can think of at least seven better performances from others in this tournament.

Yes Lukaku was also excellent. Good move to play him in the free space Marcelo leaves.
 
Boy was he good today. Such a different player when he wants to play versus strolling thru a match .
 
You referring to that chance he had when he could have squared it to Lukaku? It certainly seems as though he doesn't have much faith in Lukaku, who was pretty shoddy with his touch today (apart from the de Bruyne goal of course).
If he didn't have enough belief in Rom seeing what he's doing and whose build up play was actually v.good today, then it speaks more about him than Lukaku I think. Plenty of us have already raised his reluctance to find Lukaku right in front of the goal so far, ever since Match Day 1.
 
Right, if you are acknowledging that it was a good performance then I have no issue. Your original post hinted it was just ordinary because of the lack of goals. Surely you have to factor in the mandate a player is given and the quality of opposition.


Judging by that, Mbappe's was even better of course. And seeing as it happened on the day both of them exited will seem like a passing of the torch. Ronaldo's performance against Spain was I feel overblown. He barely saw the ball all game, one goal a fluke , a good penalty yes and the free kick excellent but I can think of at least seven better performances from others in this tournament.

Nah, I wasn't denying that he was very good or even excellent.

Ronaldo won both the pen and the free kick from which he scored. And he was quite sharp the whole game too. To score 3 goals in a game vs Spain while having a good all round game is very special.
 
I think he'll be Belgium's best attacking player against France so I think it's wise not to get carried away when he was their 3rd best player, which still is a big compliment as Belgium played very good football tonight overall and absolutely immense in the first half.
 
Also, I don't like how not agreeing someone plays immense means you think he plays shite. Is this specifically the internet thing?
 
Everytime we play against Chelsea I hate the scrote for going to ground after every dribble.

But as someone wanting Belgium to win today I can see that it's highly effective, and usually is a deservedly given foul.

Anywho great performance from him, complimented the front 3 very well.
 
If he didn't have enough belief in Rom seeing what he's doing and whose build up play was actually v.good today, then it speaks more about him than Lukaku I think. Plenty of us have already raised his reluctance to find Lukaku right in front of the goal so far, ever since Match Day 1.

Yeah, you may be right. I've not observed it in the other games but that one moment I was surprised that he didn't square it.
 
Don't think he was anywhere near their best player tonight.
 
Madrid should just sign him. Pretty sure he'll be easy to get for them as well.
 
Lopetegui loves Isco, I think Madrid should go for Hazard but it will be interesting to see how Isco and Hazard would fit in the team together. Feels like a team that would have plenty of quality on the ball but lack killer instinct and directness.
 
His dribbling and control gets him and his team in a lot of good positions and creates space for others but he actually creates very little for the ability he's got.
 
He was great at winning free kicks tonight but that's about it, his end product was abysmal
 
Fantastic tonight. His dribbling, close control and positioning were all flawless.
 
Best dribbler in the world now. He's just so efficient. He better not go to City ffs
 
There’s no better player in the world that shields the ball like hazard, shame he’s got such a punchable face though!
 
Best dribbler in the world now. He's just so efficient. He better not go to City ffs
Messi is still around and still tearing it up you know... though Hazard is 2nd after him in terms of on the ball dribbling.
 
Don't embarrass yourself . That you can't appreciate a performance from a player where he holds on to the ball, drags defenders all over the place with his dribbling because his team lack a ball retaining midfielder and causes chaos on the counter doesn't make his performance 'meh'. Stats simply don't tell you how good he was today. You think it's a joke to keep beating your man every few minutes? Hazard stood up to be counted tonight. They'll be talking about this performance for years to come. He could however have played Lukaku in twice. Only a minor fault that.

Two years ago amolbhatia100 and I disagreed on Hazard's merits vis a vis Neymar. I wonder if his position has shifted a bit after tonight.

:lol: love it
 
Very greedy at the last third but his dribbling is absolute joy to watch.
 
Nowhere near comparable. Hazard was really good tonight, perhaps even great. Mbappé dismantled argentina single-handedly

De Bruyne and Lukaku were better than Hazard tonight all in all

Hazard would also dismantle Argentina.
 
Nowhere near comparable. Hazard was really good tonight, perhaps even great. Mbappé dismantled argentina single-handedly

De Bruyne and Lukaku were better than Hazard tonight all in all
 
His close control and first touch were phenomenal but the thing that I love most is the fact that he gets kicked from pillar to post every game and doesn't roll around on the floor.

Take note Neymar.
 
His runs were excellent but the final ball was average in the second half. Belgium ruined three or four good counter attacks in the second half.
 
His close control and first touch were phenomenal but the thing that I love most is the fact that he gets kicked from pillar to post every game and doesn't roll around on the floor.

Take note Neymar.

Oh come on now :lol:

Hazard embellishes a good amount too and he's also dived a good amount.

This forum is obsessed lately with hating on Neymar, but let's not pretend others aren't guilty too.
 
They'll be talking about this performance for years to come.
A pisstake, surely
Played a great tonight,France will have a job to try keep him quiet.
That performance reminded me a little bit(not as good) of what Zizou did to Brazil in that match 2006 where he was unplayable.
...go watch that France-Brazil game again. Seriously :wenger:


I think he is happier as a Ribery and someone else being the more direct scorer. There is a little of Zidane in him in how he maintains possession, looks to control the tempo of the game. Fans want him to be Messi/Ronaldo and he is just not that type.
There is little of Zidane in how he dribbles players for fun and is amazing at not losing the ball. And that's where the similarities end.

Great balance, acceleration and control ability but let's not get ahead of ourselves here. Lukaku and De Bruyne were better imo.
Quite clearly

I see Ribery, not Robben in him. An inverted playmaker on the wing. But he‘s a bigger goalthreat than Ribery.
He's not a bigger goalthreat than Ribery, nor as good a playmaker. Unless you mean current, 35 year old Ribery....

I think he'll be Belgium's best attacking player against France so I think it's wise not to get carried away when he was their 3rd best player, which still is a big compliment as Belgium played very good football tonight overall and absolutely immense in the first half.
Wasn't their 3rd best player. At least KDB, Lukaku, Courtois, Kompany and Fellaini all had a better game than him. Belgium on the whole were good and a lot of them played well. Toby and Vertonghen(the two most hilariously overhyped and overestimated defenders on the CAF) were about the only belgians who weren't excellent.
 
Spends more time on the ground than any footballer I have ever watched. Some of the free kicks he bought were infuriating. Fantastic player when on form but find him very difficult to watch despite this. Yes in this game there was a tactical benefit, but week in week out he rolls around the premier league. Gets every single free kick appeal he makes it seems, however light the contact
 
A pisstake, surely

...go watch that France-Brazil game again. Seriously :wenger:
I said a little bit reminded me..


There is little of Zidane in how he dribbles players for fun and is amazing at not losing the ball. And that's where the similarities end.


Quite clearly


He's not a bigger goalthreat than Ribery, nor as good a playmaker. Unless you mean current, 35 year old Ribery....


Wasn't their 3rd best player. At least KDB, Lukaku, Courtois, Kompany and Fellaini all had a better game than him. Belgium on the whole were good and a lot of them played well. Toby and Vertonghen(the two most hilariously overhyped and overestimated defenders on the CAF) were about the only belgians who weren't excellent.
I did say it reminded me a little bit.
 
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