As the Euros have entered the knock-out stages, Chelsea fans will be keeping a keen eye on all current and potential future Blues stars, and we all surely were thrilled to see Hazard’s show-stopping performance against Hungary, as well as Antonio Conte’s tactical masterclass against cup holders Spain.
Though it seems that neither Hazard nor Conte will be focusing on Chelsea just yet, given their respective teams successes so far, that hasn’t curbed fans’ excitement at seeing both men working together, with some wondering where the Blues talisman will fit into the Italian’s plans.
During Hazard’s stellar performance on Sunday, the Belgian was deployed in the number 10 role with the chance to roam free and reek havoc on Hungarian defenders all over the final third of the pitch; a role in which he revel.
Hazard has been used in a similar role in the past for Chelsea, but he is more often than not used as a left winger, with the freedom to cut in on his favoured right foot to make the magic happen. However effective he may be as a winger in the final third though, his defensive capabilities and willingness to track back have been scrutinised in the past, something that Conte Demands from his wide players.
Conte is a manager of habit, who likes his players to be workman-like, his formations to be well-structured and his teams to be very hard to break down, causing doubts as to where Hazard would fit in to his eleven.
Well, If we take a look at Italy’s current system, in which Conte has shown a great deal of confidence this tournament, we can see that there is a position in which a certain extent of freedom is allowed – The role most often taken up by Inter Milan striker Éder.
The Italians have surprised many with their performances so far as, although they have played football the ‘Italian way’, their squad was judged to be the ‘worst Italy squad ever’, with many critics writing off their chances without them having even kicked a ball.
The team has been typically hard to break down, however what has been notable in the style of play is the speed of counter attacks, something in which Éder has had a big hand to play; and something Hazard could certainly add to the Chelsea team, if this were the style of play the blues adopted next season.
Éder plays alongside Southampton’s Graziano Pelle in an up-front pairing; but whereas Pelle’s position is somewhat fixed as the main centre forward, Éder can either drop deeper
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