Official : Eden Hazard to Real Madrid

Uncanny wrote:

Blue wrote:I thought eventually he would realize that he needs to change up his off the pitch habits, mainly the off season.  Still laughing this guy showed up at Real Madrid; fat and out of shape. Add continuous injuries that equals disaster.

he's 29, amazing player for chelsea, but he's another robinho/robben/sneijder for madrid

A talented bag of injuries?

How was his performance outside of that strike?

I thought we looked the same lethargic way we have for the most games this season before Hazards individual moment of magic. Our first chance was from a Ramos header after he'd won the ball and joined the attack

I thought he played better than he did after the quarantine last season but nothing to write home about. Huesca hardly put us under pressure at all. We were incredibly clinical but it wasn't a great performance

He played better than Vini has this season that's for sure. We are going to need him to step up ginormously if we want to beat the likes of Valencia and Atleti

It doesn't matter how badly they are doing when they play like it's a final against us and when have we ever found it easy against Valencia no matter what state they are in

This guy is done. Tima to plan ahead without him

The Demon of Carthage wrote:Had he been more disciplined prior to joining Madrid though? I'm not sure myself because I didn't follow him very closely at Chelsea, but I distinctly remember in 2015, the season after they had won the league, his level also plummeted a lot to the point that made Mourinho publicly criticize him.

Maybe him going in and out of form is nothing new, but perhaps his Madrid move put him under more spotlights and criticism because Madrid fans got so used to Ronaldo's insane, almost inhuman level of consistency and thought Hazard was capable of doing that as well?

Of course I'm not going to even comment on his poor dieting and weight, that's on him and him alone. But as far as his football goes, maybe Hazard is not as consistent as people think he is?

I clearly remember more than one person on here, criticizing Hazard at Chelsea for always being in poor form and/or injured at the beginning of every season, and I'm quite certain that his tendencies for self-indulgence during holiday breaks were never a secret prior to joining us, as well.

I remember watching Lille matches solely for the sake of scouting this player that seemed to be mentioned often, but at the time, seemed so distant compared to other, talked about talents. Only me and Sports seemed to rate him at the time, and that's perhaps no surprise considering how few foreign fans follow Lille. What stood out to me back then, was that he had great technique, speed, and seemed to have the athleticism to compliment his other abilities. I even saw him score a few headers at Lille, and he doesn't have a towering frame, by any means.

His fame and popularity have sky-rocketed since then, but I have not watched him even once at Chelsea, and thought to myself that this guy looks athletic. I don't know exactly how disciplined and professional he's been since his move away from Lille, but for whatever reason, it seems to me that his talent can no longer compensate for a persistently poor physical shape. He's nearing his 30s, and poor habits will only punish him more as he ages while refusing to change his ways.

I'm just surprised that none of the coaching staff, or the people around him, have urged him to be more professional. I suppose there hasn't been a need for it, since he's traditionally managed to deliver the goods despite his injury troubles and slow season starts.