Eden Hazard Admits That He And Chelsea FC Must Improve
Eden Hazard has addressed criticisms over his Chelsea FC performances in this campaign
Chelsea’s star man Eden Hazard has admitted that he has not been up to scratch so far this season, after having a phenomenal personal campaign last year.
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Speaking to French newspaper L’Equipe, Hazard said:
"It’s obvious. You don’t need to know too much about football to compare what I did last season and what I did this season. I’m not as good."
The winger won both the PFA and Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year awards last term, and drew many comparisons with the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo who are at the top of their game.
However, after Chelsea’s disappointing start to the new season, Hazard in particular has been singled out for underperforming. He has not carried the spark that Blues fans were accustomed to seeing last time out. While he often picked up the ball and wilfully took on defenders a year ago, he has left little impression on any of the four Premier League games that Chelsea have thus far played.
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In fact, those who watched pre-season would probably agree that his incredible goal against Barcelona has been the only moment in which he has performed to his ability.
It is not just in the attacking department that he has come under fire either. Pundits have rounded on him for failing to fulfill his defensive duties, and there are many clips of Hazard ambling about at the top of the pitch instead of tracking his man into the Chelsea half.
Following the 2-1 defeat at home to Crystal Palace last weekend, boss Jose Mourinho blasted his star man for showing a lack of hunger. But Eden Hazard believes he is not the only one to blame:
"It’s more of a collective problem than an individual one. We’re professionals. We knew this season was going to be more difficult… but within the squad we have the quality to bounce back."
Chelsea have had a difficult August, gaining just four points from their opening four games as they look to defend their title. The Blues will want to bounce back after the international break, but it will not be easy as they face a difficult trip to Everton, before hosting London rivals Arsenal as September draws to a close.
In the meantime, several Chelsea stars including Hazard are out representing their countries. The winger started and played the full 90 minutes for Belgium in a crucial Euro 2016 qualifier against Bosnia-Herzegovina last night. He converted a penalty as Marc Wilmots’ team came from behind to win 3-1, more on which you can read here.
For information on all the Blues stars out on duty, check out our preview here.
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