After a poor start v Croatia, he has been superb at CB v Chile and Colombia. People forget the great games he had for Chelsea at CB, v Bayern, and unfortunately remember him for his mistakes in 'lesser' games. You've jinxed him now though! Argies marked Hazard completely out of match yesterday, and De Bruyne to a lesser extent. Biglio and Masch superb, parked the bus in second half very well and forced Belglum to play long ball to Lukaku.
Hazard didn't look comfortable with the pressure all tournament. Top player in the making but he needs to work out how to impact the big games to get there; Messi couldn't do it at first nor Ronaldo so its just a part of the process...
Luiz is on his way to great things, terrible pity he couldn't be fitted into our team of the future. Still thats history now. Hazard has looked incapable of breaching any defence that runs him into corners, which is what most teams did. He looked a bit like that towards the end of our season as well , though had the occasional brilliant match. Hope defenders havent figured him out !! He will need to be a bit more inventive I feel, as his incredible speed and ability to stop dead from flat out and turn inside was countered in Brazil. Perhaps Belgium depended too much on him, and maybe we did at times as well. Will love to see him running on to through balls and not having to make things happen from the sidelines all match. Yet another puzzle for next season.
Jose got the best out of him. Belgium can't. The Belgian press was saying all tournament that the manager can't keep Hazza's ego in control. Jose won't stand for it
Didn't see that about his ego as Im on hols in Italy, and my Italian is more than a bit sus. Youre right, Jose doesnt do egos (except his own.) Hazard was OKwith us though, he had one incident but it was more stupid than egotistical. He' ll be a better player after Brazil. What doesnt kill you only makes you stronger ( or something like that )
I was joking yesterday about you jinxing him, CP. But Worst captain's performance in World Cup history, surely. At fault for at least three of the first five goals. And no leadership or organisational skills when needed. And anywhere other than a home game in Brazil, he would have been sent off straight red twice in the first half, for two terrible elbows
Liability Luiz, totally lost it with Klose and Meuller. Best 50 mill we will ever get for an over hyped player. The fella just does't get it, if the ref had any balls he would have seen the red, not just in this game either. I have seen on a few occasions when Luiz has been pretty dirty playing in a Chelsea shirt and frankly it made me cringe at times. I'm not going to blame the guy for today's result but he certainly didn't help. fact is the whole team was a complete joke, Fred, Hulk, Barnard, must be the worst Brazillians to ever wear the shirt.
Torres forgettable, Costa underwhelming, Eto forgettable, Lukaku headless chicken, Hazard over hyped, Oscar ineffective, Schurlle clinical, Fabregas forgettable, Ramires forgettable, Willian forgettable, Mikel inadequacies shown up, Cahill so-so, Azpilicueta skinned by Blind, Courtois ok... final grade: D minus.
Phew! Dodged a bullet there - atrocious marking, no leadership ability but sublime ball-watching skills........scene in the PSG boardroom: "Merde!"
Not judging him on one game in World Cup but last season he was not good even in crucial games bar second half v PSG at home. Went missing v Palace away in midfield, and was dreadful in Paris, and against Atletico in supposedly his 'best position' central midfield
Credit to Oscar last night. Only decent player for Brazil in first half. Ferdy, Marcelo, Gustavo, probably the worst performances I have seen for a long time. Rambo and Paulinho at least stopped Kroos dominating completely in second half. Scolari's line up was too attacking. He should have played three in midfiled, parked bus and gone for set piece winner
Glad to see Schurrle get a couple of goals. I reckon he'll get a few for us this season after his settling in season.