I would like to go on record now to state that Eden Hazard is a different class, world class in fact, and it’s taken us a number of years to do it, but now Chelsea has finally found the natural successor to the likes or Arjen Robben and Damien Duff.
For years, we have seen Chelsea try Nicolas Anelka, Didier Drogba, Fernando Torres (at times) and Florent Malouda in those positions but have never really been the same or bring the same quality to the wide areas.
Eden Hazard has come in this season and has already shown in his first season, the potential to become one of the world’s greats. He IS that good.
They say, with players coming into the Premier League from abroad, that it takes time for them to get used to our game, to get used to the pace and cut and thrust of the football over here. General opinion is that it takes someone about a season to “get going”.
We have already seen just how good Hazard is and to think that he is going to get better and better really excites me. Hazard turned 22 in January and has the best footballing days of his life ahead of him and hopefully, it will be in a Chelsea shirt for many years to come.
His touch, control and use of the ball really is first rate. He makes the game look easy at times.
Having such a low centre of gravity helps as how many times do we see two of three defenders move towards him to close him and down and he still comes out of that situation with the ball at his feet?
He beats defenders with ease, he has pace to burn, he can pick a pass and score a goal and literally has it all and has been, for me, a revelation this season.
In the last few games, Hazard has shown everyone just what a talent he is and has dominated games. This is why I can never understand when Rafa Benitez has substituted him in important games if we are losing because he creates openings out of nothing and can win games on his own.
When this season is done and dusted and no matter what happens to Chelsea in the FA Cup, Europa League and Premier League, there ARE some positives to take from this season. Oscar is one of them as I posted last week and Eden Hazard is another.
Yes we paid the money for him and for some people, they questioned Chelsea paying the amount they did to bring him here.
When you see just what he brings to the Chelsea team, it really is a throw back to the days of Robben and Duff and in my view, Hazard could be even better!!.
