Sky Sports Premier League Podcast
Hazard sends Chelsea 3rd; How much is he worth? Will he stay?
08 Apr 2019
Chapter 1: What were the highlights of Chelsea's 2-0 win over West Ham?
Loftus-Cheek. Hazard. Going to find a way through! Oh, that is magnificent! Magical from Edin Hazard! Hardly urged to have a go, thinks better of it. Finds instead, Edin Hazard! Who applies the finishing touch. A wonderful individual display, crowned by a second goal for the Belgian. Chelsea are heading into the Champions League places of the Premier League table.
Chapter 2: How did Eden Hazard perform in the match against West Ham?
Indeed, they are into third place after three wins on the bounce, the first time since they won five in a row at the start of this season. But can you talk, Gary, about this Chelsea performance tonight without talking about Eden Hazard?
No, I mean, it was a good Chelsea performance. They were absolutely the better team in the game. There were many times that the ball flashed across the box. Others could have contributed with goals. I thought the other good performances, I thought the Chelsea fans seemed excited by what they were watching. There was some flair in the game.
But they have an outstanding world-class player who lit up the game. The first goal, to be fair, will long live in the memory. The second goal was more simple for him, even though it was a really good goal. But when you see a goal like that, it's... You feel sad in some ways that there is so much talk in this last week of Real Madrid.
And once Real Madrid start getting linked with the player so strongly and you're hearing language like Eden Hazard wants to go, you really do think this could be his last five Premier League games. And that's a real problem for the Premier League because we keep losing our best players to Real Madrid and Barcelona.
To be honest, I don't think you can ever stop that. I think most players see that as the pinnacle. It happens at both our clubs, United and Liverpool. When you're saying it's sad, I agree with it in terms of not watching them week in, week out. But I almost feel like Hazard has to play for Madrid or Barcelona.
He's that good that... I think you look at some players, they have to play at that level. You know what I mean? Maybe Chelsea think that's disrespect, but I think Hazard's too good for Chelsea. Right now. Are we laughing at that? I'm just thinking of your timeline later on.
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Chapter 3: What impact does Eden Hazard have on Chelsea's Champions League ambitions?
No, but I just think he's that good a player. And I'll be saying this. Listen, when Luis Suarez was at Liverpool, Liverpool almost won the league, and then the year after it's not as good, or the year before it's not as good. No, I want him to stay at Liverpool, but I know me head. And this is something me and Stevie Gerrard spoke about with Luis Suarez. Remember, he nearly went to Arsenal.
We actually said, you're too good for Arsenal. If you're going to leave, you have to go to Barcelona. That's what I'm saying with Hazard. I think he's one of the best players in the world. I think the best players in the world play for your Madrid and your Barcelona.
And at this moment, Chelsea aren't... He's won leagues with them, hasn't won a Champions League, but I think for him as an individual player, he needs a Madrid on his CV to sort of, over the next three or four years, to sort of finish that career.
I actually agree with him in everything that he's saying, that I think for me... I don't know how many times on this programme over the last four or five years, I've said, this is the most incredible player, amazing to watch, but I want more. I keep wanting more from him, and not more than tonight, obviously, because he was absolutely amazing.
Because this should be his level every time, do you think? He can't play like that every week.
That's just daft.
He can't play like that every week. I want to throw that in now and say, I know we were having this debate off... I'm, that's a really top performance, don't get me wrong, from Eden Hazard. But I'm also disappointed in the sense that I think that he is better than that. And that's really good.
But for me, I think that you talk about a Real Madrid, that will not be accepted at Real Madrid, I don't think. I think he'll need to score, even this season. No, this season's fine, but just generally look at his performance over the last three or four seasons.
So what do you think he should be getting?
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Chapter 4: Why is Eden Hazard's potential transfer to Real Madrid significant?
And his numbers just don't quite get up there. But this is an amazing player and we need to see more of him if we can.
And we need to hear from him as well. Eden Hazard with Jeff Shreves.
Congratulations, Eden. Two goals tonight, but overall, how pleased were you with your performance? Was it a special night for you, do you think?
With Chelsea's performance, you mean. I think we played a great game. The game was not so easy because West Ham is a great team, they have top players, and they created a bit of a problem for us, but I think at the end we did everything. We didn't concede a goal, we scored two great goals, so I'm very happy with what we've done today.
Chapter 5: What are the implications of losing top players like Hazard for the Premier League?
Just talk us through that first goal.
something special. It's just something special, you know, I take the ball and then when I can go forward, I try to go forward. And then when I'm in the box, it's hard for the defender to challenge me because if they touch me, it's maybe a penalty. So, yes, I think I'm a bit lucky at the end when I shoot, but it was a good goal, to be fair.
You sound a bit lucky. He was also brave as well because you knew you were probably getting a whack from the defender.
Yeah, yeah, that's why I just want to shoot quick, you know. And then when I saw the ball in the net, I was just happy.
How much does your low centre of gravity help you in those situations in terms of a slalom in and out?
I'm small, so for me it's quite good. When I play against a tall guy, for them it's very hard to change direction. But that's my own quality and I'm happy to have this.
Now, the West Ham fans were all singing he's off to Madrid. Do they know something we don't?
No, they are wrong. Now I'm just focused with Chelsea until the end of the season. I just want to finish top four in the Europa League. We have still a lot to do and then we'll see.
What does a night like tonight do for Chelsea at the start of such a vital week?
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Chapter 6: How does Hazard compare to other top players in the Premier League?
I don't think Jürgen Klopp will do that the weekend but obviously that's the problem there if someone doesn't. Second goal very different, what did you like about it Gary?
What I liked about it, we looked at his numbers before Eden Hazard and we talked about the goals that he scores. I mean this one to be fair, Aaron Cresswell does really well as a defender, you just see the left back there. and he goes in and tucks in exactly what a full-back should do, and he almost is a centre-back, and makes a brilliant clearance.
But then, if you just watch as the ball travels out, I actually thought he reminded me here of Aguero, in terms of the way in which Aguero would score a goal, adjusting his position in the box. I thought the way in which he got himself side-on, and then just shuffled backwards to stay onside, but got himself into a position to accept the ball, it was more of a centre-forward type goal, this.
It's the type of goal you'd see Aguero, and it's a touch, And it's a finish. And you don't see him score too many of those types of goals. More cutting in from his left, cutting in from his right, dribbling through the middle, playing one-twos.
I just thought it was a different type of goal, a goal that was really clever, especially understanding that Cresswell had left his position, knowing where the space was in the box and acting like a centre-forward. He only just gets onside there, does he?
Yeah, he does. It's very tight. Of course, it is. You know, Ross Barkley's come on, he gets the assist. But as Gary said, it's the movement there, like a centre-forth, making sure he is just onside. And it's this there, getting his shot away quickly. Great first touch. And as he mentioned, maybe he should get more of those type of goals. We always associate him with great goals in the past.
But this skill that we've seen, the finishing skill, the dribbling, the influence on a match, does it make him, for you, the best player in the Premier League?
Yeah. Yeah, I think he's the best player in the Premier League. I mean, he scored a goal at Anfield this season. I was doing co-commentating. And in co-commentary, you react to things, things happen quickly. Sometimes you say things you haven't really thought about until something comes out. And I just said this straight away when he scored the goal, best player in the Premier League.
And at the time, maybe people did, but I think he is. Now, people say, oh, but what about the season? Salah had last season. or this season actually Raheem Stearnham and his goals. I'm not saying he's going to get PFA Player of the Year this year. I'm talking over a four or five year period, do I think he's the best player in the Premier League?
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Chapter 7: What are Chelsea's goals for the remainder of the season?
The biggest competition in world football should be decided pretty late in the season. We want to win this title.
I like the situation. We are in it. We accept the challenge. And if you are in it, you want to win it.
Bite my tongue, bite my tongue Wearing a warning sign Wait till the world is mine
One will be disappointed at the end of the season, so that's how it is. Nobody said it would be easy. Nobody.
Chapter 8: What does Eden Hazard say about his future with Chelsea?
So let's go for it. mesmerising Manchester City. Scores in style. It's a crazy moment. Could this be their time? It is an unmissable end to this season, the title still in Manchester City's hands, but Liverpool out in front thanks to their turnaround against Southampton on Friday night.
And a large thanks to Mo Salah, who hadn't scored in eight, but decided the best option here was to just keep on going and end the drought which sent Liverpool to victory. Well, we've asked Jamie Carragher to have another look at this goal with the use of the virtual reality, Jamie.
Yes, Dave, I'm going to become Mo Salah for a few seconds now and actually see what he saw when he was running through against Southampton on Friday. Initially, this is when he picks the ball up now. If you actually check behind his shoulder, that's where Roberto Firmino is and also Nathan Redmond who's chasing back. You'd actually look at the position on the halfway line of Ryan Bertrand.
He's actually to the right-hand side of Mo Salah now. Watch the change of direction when Mo Salah starts running at him. So his initial reaction is, stop there. He may see Firmino come and also to push Mo Salah onto his right foot. At this moment, my first thought is, can he be looking for Roberto Firmino now? But you can actually see where Firmino is. He's still behind him.
No way running a pace here will he be able to see him in his peripheral vision. He may hear a shout, of course he will. But also see how close Nathan Redmond is also. So right now, there's no pass on. You keep it running on, running on, running on. And we stop there. Right now, where again is Roberto Firmino? Just behind Mo Salah. But now is the time he's got to be really concentrated.
How close Ryan Bertrand is. How close Nathan Redmond is. And I think his decision now is, I have to shoot. Now from the position, Mo Salah picked the ball up. and the danger that looked on for Southampton, if he just run it on to the position he is there when he shoots, I don't think that's the worst position in the world for Southampton to be in. I think Bertrand's defended this quite well.
Yes, he could have blocked the shot, but he's worried about Firmino. We've seen, actually, Salah maybe could not have found him, but now you have to look at the goalkeeper's position. We see where Firmino is there, just to the left. He can't pass it now. He's decided to shoot. And now the goalkeeper. Has he been attracted one yard that side because he sees the run of Firmino?
Maybe he's getting ready for that. But for me, he's shown far too much space in that far corner there where Mo Salah eventually finds. And we see the end result.
very good virtual jamie thank you very much uh come and rejoin us as well i want to have a look at that goal from a slightly different perspective as well defensively because it reminded you of a situation last week yeah i mean if you remember the week before it was a big moment actually in this title race and in liverpool season a moment that obviously manchester city fans will look back upon as well during this game if they were watching
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