Hazard: Confidence rising

HAZARD

When Eden Hazard coolly took the ball wide of Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and found the net at Stamford Bridge on Saturday lunchtime, he gave the game a scoreline more closely reflecting the balance of the first half.

Although the visitors, the reigning Premier League champions, did come out stronger at the start of the second period, they eventually conceded a third goal and were well beaten.

Chelsea’s defending allowed Leicester no attempts on target over the 90 minutes and according toHazard, that was the basis for the good result and some bright attacking play. Overall he rated it our best performance of the season so far.

‘We are all satisfied, especially with the first half,’ he said. ‘We pressed a lot, we created some chances. We scored three goals, we could have scored more, but after the international games it is always good to come back to Stamford Bridge and win in front of our fans. It was a good day for Chelsea.

‘Like against Hull City, when you don’t concede goals you know it is easier to win games,’ Hazard added.

‘When you are strong defensively you bring confidence to all the team, and it is more easy to score goals.’

The Belgian’s goal on Saturday takes him just one behind his league total for the whole of last season and he indicates they should keep coming, not least because the 3-4-3 formation currently used means it is less imperative for him to provide attacking width as there are now wing-backs to aid that cause.   

‘It is always good to be on the scoresheet,’ he said. ‘I am a striker so I try every game to score and my confidence is good. I scored two goals for the national team and one this weekend and I hope to score more in the next game.

‘I play more inside the pitch and we play also this system in the national team. For the strikers, we have more freedom, and even when we lose the ball if we press together we can get it back, and it is good system for Chelsea.

‘We know what the manager wants. I think we can do better but we need to work in training and that is what we will do.’

When Hazard found the Leicester net on Saturday, his celebration incorporated the shaping with his hands of a W for Willian, as Diego Costa had done earlier.

‘Willian is back in Brazil after he lost his mother,’ Hazard said. ‘It is a very hard moment in his life but we are with him.’