Eden Hazard brings the butterflies back to Chelsea supporters
Chelsea FC and Belgium’s Eden Hazard is back to playing his best and most beautiful football at Euro 2016. Let’s bask in it, shall we?
Relationships are weird. Against instincts of self-preservation, you’re expected to give of yourself – not to receive – but with an understanding that the sentiment is shared. They’re an ever-swinging pendulum of expectations met and unmet. The true culprit of many failed relationships isn’t in the meeting and un-meeting, it’s before that, it’s human nature and human insecurities that always wants more.
That’s where Chelsea fans found themselves with Eden Hazard for all but the last months’ worth of matches. We (and he) knew he could do more. Possessing match-busting talent is rare, and as the team slid and Hazard’s goal drought reached comical heights, it became personal. Did he quit on Jose Mourinho? Does he want to go to PSG? Real Madrid? Is he doing this on purpose? Does he even love us anymore?
Then the final month, when he adopted our hate of Spurs and put their title hopes and the ball in the back of their net with a beautifully smart combination of movement and technique. There was badge-kissing, a squashing of the flirtations with outside clubs, and smiles, both to and from.
It’s why we enjoyed Belgium’s 4-0 win over Hungary as if slicing us in half would reveal inner rings colored black, yellow, then red. Sure, and yes, Hungary, fine, and noted…but this Eden was our Eden. And this is what He can do.
It’s ten minutes of pure wonder, but in case you don’t have the time, here are highlights:
0:56 – Having already cut inside a few times, Hazard used the lie of repetition to gain an advantage by rolling the ball wide and delivering a wicked cross. Romelu Lukaku missed the ball entirely, so how much do Real want for Alvaro Morata again?
2:00 – Switched to the right flank and picked the ball up about 35 yards out, protected it with flurries of fluttered steps while scampering through four Hungarian defenders to a clearing for a cross.
2:16 – Drifted centrally to receive a pass, stopped the ball with his left, froze the defender, then pushed the ball toward goal with his right. Running onto the ball he wound up a shot that caromed off Lukaku, who didn’t read the move.
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2:21 – Let’s call this one Ode to Mourinho; Hazard positioned himself well in defense, picked off a pass then made the ball vanish before two defenders, springing a breakaway.
2:32 – Started a sprint upfield before receiving a lofted pass, controlled the ball effortlessly and in-stride, played a pass to Lukaku and bursted beyond two defenders into an open patch just before the penalty area (Lukaku didn’t read it and delivered the ball too late, leaving Hazard offside).
4:31 – Another Ode to Mourinho; tracked back and strongly intercepted a wide pass, then – sandwiched between his own byline and a couple Hungarian players – shifted and feinted before gently lifting the ball out of danger.
6:13 – Received a header out from a corner, Hazard knocked the ball down and drifted wide to play a one-two with Witsel. As SIX Hungarian defenders planted themselves in a cul de sac around Hazard, he taunted each by bringing the ball close enough to touch, knowing they wouldn’t dare, spun around and slipped a pass to teammate out wide and unmarked.
More from Euro 2016
- Euro 2016 final: Predictions as France take on Portugal
- Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois fail to quell fears as Belgium crash out of Euro 2016
- Eden Hazard comeback threatened by Euro 2016 injury
- Chelsea’s Gary Cahill crashes out of Euro 2016 in humiliating fashion (VIDEO)
- Euro 2016: Antonio Conte boots football because he’s that excited for Chelsea
6:50 – A slight miscontrol of a lofted pass only gave Eden more space to setup his defender. Using Witsel (again) as a human post, Hazard tapped a pass to him, ran beyond his defender, received the return ball in stride, teased and drew four defenders before laying the ball off.
8:04 – Chested the ball down 15 yards from his own box, pinned a defender on his back, rolled off him, ran by another, then chewed up open field as he glided beyond two more.
8:20 – Picked out Yannick Carrasco with a perfect lofted pass from 40 yards and at an angle, Carrasco’s control was a bit heavy and the chance was wasted.
8:35 – Here it is, the assist. Perhaps tired of taking on defenders to lay off passes to teammates for scuffed or untaken chances, Hazard chipped a twelve yard pass to himself. He ran onto the ball before two defenders could react in time to do anything about it and slid a perfect pass to Batshuayi who – within seconds after being subbed on – figured out that the best place for a striker when Hazard is in this form is right in front of goal (2-0).
9:17 – The goal. 79 minutes played, 2-0 up versus Hungary, and still hungry (I’m sorry). Hazard received the ball out left on a counter in a full sprint, slowed down to wait for the ball and setup his defender. Just before the defender could get set, Hazard scampered right at him, causing him to shuffle laterally in a body position that’s just above ‘lying on the ground’ on the list of worst defensive postures. He easily turned him to cut inside, then, as two defenders looked to seal the gap, Hazard knocked the ball beyond them before they could react and used the extra steps to wind up and place a shot, hard and low, skipping off the turf before springing into the bottom corner (knee slide, 3-0).
Next: Euro 2016: Eden Hazard was man of the match for Belgium, says everyone
I’m in love all over again.