Eden Hazard
Flickr photo by Ben Sutherland shared under a Creative Commons (BY 2.0) license.

Magical Eden Hazard deserves better

Rafay Farhan·
Chelsea
·0 Comments·

Eden Hazard is a one-of-a-kind footballer playing in the wrong system…

In the summer of 2012, every team in the Premier League was looking to strengthen its squad. Chelsea, a team that had a manager sacked mid-way through the previous season, finished 6th in the league but somehow managed to secure a brilliant double; the FA Cup coupled with a seemingly impossible UEFA Champions League triumph. Amidst the joy of this historic moment, the fans, the players, and the board knew that they needed an extraordinary young talent for the long-run as Blues hero Didier Drogba was set to leave. Everyone knew it was impossible for a certain Messi or Ronaldo to join the then European champions.

The answer was in the shape of a Belgian prodigy from Lille. A player that acted as the driving behind the fight to break Marseille, Lyon, and Bordeaux’s dominance in France – lifting his side to the Ligue 1 title. Almost every top gun in England was after Eden Hazard’s signature. He joined the West London outfit for a reported £32 million, and set the Premier League alight from the very first minute. As they say, the rest is history.

Since his arrival, Hazard has been nominated four times for PFA Player of the Year, two times for the PFA Young Player of the Year, and has made four appearances in the Team of the Year. Out of the aforementioned nominations, he swooped the POTY award in 2015 after an incredible season. Similarly, he was within touching distance of the prize in 2017, but N’Golo Kanté deservedly edged him to it. Even in the not-so-memorable 2015-16 season, when he was plagued by injuries, he dazzled with some moments of magic. The free-kick against Manchester City, the stunning late equalizer against Spurs (which eventually gifted the title to Leicester), and the gorgeous solo effort at Anfield were testament to his ability. This was all followed by a highly underrated individual performance for Belgium at Euro 2016.

Having been criticized earlier for not turning up for his national side, many forget how he and Roma’s Nainggolan were the only two players who actually produced extraordinary performances week-in week-out – which is even more noteworthy given that the likes of De Bruyne and Lukaku also had brilliant seasons with their clubs. To top it off, Hazard has scored some exquisite goals over the years – which brings me to my main point. Every football fan knows that Chelsea are generally not associated with attacking football. The likes of Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and Real Madrid, on the other hand, are renowned for their gung-ho approach. Despite the differing philosophies, the Belgian midfielder has been criticized for his lack of goals and assists per season. This begs the question; does Hazard deserve to play in an attacking team – or at least under a more positive-minded manager?

In my opinion, statistics are often misused when assessing individual footballers. I could go on for days explaining its negative impact on the modern game. However, a couple of examples to the contrary will suffice; two players who have played in greener pastures, with one of them still strutting his stuff: Zinedine Zidane and Andrés Iniesta. Legends in their own right, they’re widely regarded as two of the greatest footballers the world has had the privilege to witness. The velvety touch of Zidane and the silky dribbling of Iniesta; players and fans have always adored the two. However, as bold as this statement may seem, if both had started their careers in the current decade, they would not have been rated as highly as they are – which would be criminally unjust.

On paper, they do not have the most admirable ratio for goals and assists, but imagine calling either of the two overrated. And while I am in no way stating that Hazard is better than them (might have better statistics but they do not hold the utmost significance), why is the Belgian considered overrated purely on the basis of numbers? If one does want to look at figures, he has created the most chances from open play since 2014-15, but a poor conversion rate has kept him from stockpiling more assists. Is that his fault? Playing in a defensive system has made matters worse, and his public perception tends to take away from the fact that he has excelled and carried the team’s attack.

The fact is, Eden Hazard is an absolute gem. A gifted footballer with immaculate vision and a frightening turn-of-pace, he has the ability to change the game in a flash, proving himself to be Chelsea’s big game player time and time again. The most commendable quality that the Belgian possesses though is his humble attitude. It is easy for players of his quality to throw a tantrum after playing in such a highly defensive unit or consistently starting out of position (often playing as a false 9), but he never complains. He always has great things to say about Chelsea, utilising his witty sense of humour in the process.

Honestly, of all the players plying their trade in England, there are none better than Hazard. This is not relative to any particular season either as the Belgian is arguably the most skilled player in the league overall. What he has accomplished in a defensive team is rather extraordinary. For a different team, he may have easily managed to score 20+ goals a season, and his days in Lille serve as a prime example. In my opinion, he does deserve a team that plays open and beautiful football – one that would provides him the opportunity to silence his critics. Even if he stays at Chelsea for the foreseeable future, no sensible football fan would fail to acknowledge just how magical Eden Hazard is.