Chelsea v PSG: Eden Hazard MUST deliver a game winning performance tonight.
Plenty has been said about Eden Hazard this season. Plenty has been said about his ability with talk that eventually, he could be held in...
https://www.chelseadaft.org/2016/03/chelsea-v-psg-eden-hazard-must-deliver.html
Plenty has been said about Eden Hazard this season. Plenty has been said about his ability with talk that eventually, he could be held in the same regard as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Tonight he needs to deliver a game winning performance on the biggest stage.
If you think about it, if you were asked the question "How many big games has Eden Hazard delivered the type of performance we know he could?" you would only be able to count those on one hand with Arsenal and Manchester United at home last season being some of them. I am not talking about the Champions League group games, I am talking about the big, big games.
For three seasons running against PSG, we have looked to Hazard to really push on and punish their defending which I personally believe is lapse to say the least. However, apart from the penalty in Paris, he simply has not delivered.
I expect Hazard to pick up the ball and front up to his opponent looking to take him on at every single given opportunity but for some reason he stops and plays the ball backwards or sideways which is not what we expect.
On his day, Hazard is a world beater and has the ability to beat the best defenders in the game. His low centre of gravity, his speed, the use of both feet and his almost instant reactions make him someone that defenders in the game fear. How many times is he fouled in games not because they are looking to put one on him as people would say, but because he feel that they can win the ball off of him but he is too quick and knocks it past them.
So to tonight. Chelsea are an away goal down against PSG who are a dangerous, dangerous side to play against. They have fantastic ability in attacking areas but are suspect at the back. Time and time again we see both fullbacks looking to push on to compliment their attack in numbers giving the wide option. This leaves massive amounts of space out wide and this is THE area we simply have to expose. In order to do so, Hazard MUST remain pushed up wide to give them something to think about. At every single opportunity, we need to release Hazard with the ball because the more possession he has, the more comfortable he feels in games and this is when he starts to feel confident.
Of course the game is not just about Eden Hazard, it's about everyone being up and at it from the start, on point and on their game. However, within the framework of your side you have big, big players that you look to for inspiration and in addition to Hazard we have Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa who also need to shine. For Chelsea to progress to the next round we need them all to deliver as all of them could be the difference for us.
We all believe that Eden Hazard can develop even further to be as good as Messi and Ronaldo but it's games such as these, if he can prove to be the match winner, that will install self-belief within the Belgian to really kick on in a Chelsea shirt and beyond.
Eden Hazard, it's time to deliver!