Eden Hazard - Off to a flyer

Eden Hazard was regarded as one of the hottest prospects in European football this summer and had a host of top clubs scrambled for his signature before he eventually signed for the European Champions, Chelsea. Hazard's former club Lille ended up £32 million richer from the transfer and Roman Ambrovich's newest acquisition was on his way to the Kings Road.

Like so many I was interested to see how the tricky wide man would transition to the English game, would his flair and ability to manipulate the ball be as consistent against quicker and stronger defenders in the 'best league in the world'? Or would be take time to settle in to a club with big personalities in an aging dressing room with known problems? His start to this season's Premiership campaign has relieved any worries fans might have had with his performances being nothing short of spectacular thus far. Of course it's early days and he's played two relatively 'easy' defenses in Wigan (who barely survived last season) and new boys Reading and no ones going overboard just yet, but he has been the difference for Chelsea so far, and if you include the penalties he's won (as assists) he's had a hand in each of the 6 Blues goals so far, and he deserves enormous credit for that.

Joe Cole, a former Chelsea player and teammate of Hazard at Lille last season (whilst on loan from Liverpool) has heaped some pretty serious praise on the young Belgian. Of course, some might argue it's only Joe Cole and he's not the most educated or reliable source in the world, but Joe does know and love the game, and he's been around long enough to tell a real player from flash in the pan. After playing with him for the best part of a year in training everyday and alongside him on match days Cole said of Hazard;
"He knows how good he is, and that's a positive thing. All the top players have got that belief and a bit of presence and arrogance, and he's like that.
"He's a bit like Messi. There's only one Messi and I don't want to put pressure on the kid, but he's like him - short, squat, powerful legs, great touch, he can finish, he's got everything."
-Hazard has also admitted confiding in Cole and taking his advice on joining Chelsea over the host of other clubs interested in him.

Personally, I've been really impressed by Hazard's confidence to receive the ball with players around him, and then take on defenders at speed without hesitation. He's not the head down, knock it down the line and chase type of player, instead his real asset is the speed of his ball movement and manipulation. One of the reasons he's earned seven penalties in his last 20 club games (including Lille last season). No other player in Europe managed to win more than three! It's this close, quick and deceptive control that saw him win penalties against both Wigan and Reading, and Premiership defenders are going to have to learn about Hazard and fast if they are going to stop him, and stop giving penalties away. Hazard's skill is earning the penalties, giving the defender a 'chance' of winning the ball and then with a final touch flicking it away from their lunge or defensive movement before going over to win a concrete spot kick. Neither of the penalties won were questionable, and Hazard's ability to get in the box and get at defenders the majority of the time he receives possession is as exciting for the fans as it is scary for the opposition back-line.



Compared the the £50 million spent on Torres (who still looks completely out of sorts even with his winning but clearly offside goal) Hazard looks a decent buy for close to £20 million less. He's even made Chelsea's player of the season from the previous campaign, Juan Mata look fairly pedestrian in comparison, not an easy task! Chelsea's other new boy Oscar, the Brazilian, looks much more lightweight than Hazard, and although he clearly has raw pace and some lovely touches, he seems like a player that could do with a rest (he's played consistently through the summer in the Olympics and friendlies for Brazil) time to settle, and a little bit more work off the pitch to ready him for the intensity of the game on it. For Hazard? As a football fan, hopefully more of the same...