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2 Goals, 8 Key Passes, 11 Dribbles – €88.9m Chelsea Star’s Performance In Numbers

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Eden Hazard has been at his belligerent best this season for Chelsea. After having gone through an utterly dismal last year by his standards, the Belgian is back to his former brilliant self. He has been showing the kind of form that saw him awarded the PFA Player of the Year in 2014/15.

He has been playing with a renewed energy and vigour under new manager Antonio Conte who has unshackled the 25-year old from his defensive duties in order to gain the most from one of the most talented footballers on the planet currently.

Hazard, who won the Premier League Player of the Month award for October, continued to dazzle in the month of November. Chelsea extended their winning streak to seven games in a row, adding three more triumphs to the four they had secured in the month of October and Hazard – rated at €88.9m by the CIES Football Observatory – has been at the centre of it all.

So much so that manager Antonio Conte heaped endless praise on his star attacker. He said:

“You can see Eden is always involved in the game, not calm and off during the game.

He’s always a point of reference for his team-mates. I think he’s fantastic. If you want to pass the ball, he’s always in the right position to receive.

To be a complete player you must do both phases, with the ball and without the ball. Eden is doing this and it’s fantastic.”

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He also lauded Hazard for his maturity, saying:

“Eden’s talent is beyond question, he’s a world class player and a great lad.

He has a surprising maturity for his age.”

The month began with an encounter against Ronald Koeman’s revitalized Everton side. Coming on the back of a 2-0 win against Southampton, where the Belgian had scored one and assisted one, he and his team did not let the momentum drift as they laid siege on the Everton defence, finishing the game 5-0. The Belgian was at the heart of the victory as he managed to hit a brace on the night. He made 51 passes on the night at a staggering success rate of 94% and was successful in 2 of the 3 take-ons he attempted. The 25-year old also hit 5 crosses into the danger area, three of which found their mark. It was a top-class display from a top-class player.

Next up it was newly promoted Middlesbrough for Hazard and Chelsea, after the international break. And the Belgian was once again hit the top form, as he was the biggest nuisance for the Middlesbrough defence. He failed to get on the scoresheet on the day, but it was from his corner that Diego Costa bundled home, after his initial shot was blocked, to win the game 1-0 for Chelsea. Hazard was heavily marked by the Middlesbrough defence, but that did not stop him from stamping his authority on the game, as he roamed freely around the danger area, switching flanks regularly at will. He was Chelsea’s key man again, as he created 6 goal-scoring opportunities while also completing 7 out of 8 dribbles he attempted.

In the final game of November, Chelsea were up against rivals Tottenham in the London derby. Coming in to this game, Chelsea hadn’t conceded in their 6 previous matches. But that was to change for them as Tottenham took an early lead through Christian Eriksen, in a very spirited first half-display. But Chelsea slowly grew into the game and emerged 2-1 winners, thanks to goals from Pedro and Victor Moses. Hazard, against Spurs, wasn’t as prolific as his previous displays, but still had an effective outing. He played the passes to Nemanja Matic and Diego Costa, before they set up the first and second goals for Chelsea, respectively. He attempted two take-ons, both successful, and also managed to create a sole clear-cut chance. There were no goals or assists for the Belgian, but he kept his team ticking on the evening.

At the end of the month, Hazard’s numbers read: 3 appearances, 2 goals, 0 assists and 8 key passes. Over the course of these three games, the 25-year old former Lille player, attempted 5 shots at goal, 4 of which were on target and one was blocked. 11 successful dribbles past opponents, out of 13 attempted is a very good return. He may have not had direct contribution to a goal apart from the 2 he scored, but he has been the nucleus of this Chelsea team as they continue to establish a stronghold at the top of the league table. Another stellar month for a star player.