BBC pundit Garth Crooks called Chelsea winger Eden Hazard “practically unplayable†during the club’s 2-1 victory over Stoke City on Saturday and placed him without a doubt in his weekly Team of the Week.
Chelsea maintained their lead at the top of the Premier League table on Saturday with a win over Stoke and once again Hazard was the star of the show, scoring a typically calm penalty and providing the assist for Loic Remy’s winner.
It was another match winning performance from the Belgian and, speaking after the game, Crooks said that he was really impressed by Hazard, making the point that if it were not for Charlie Adam’s wonder strike everyone would be talking about Hazard.
There was a time when Jose Mourinho was talking about Eden Hazard as the best young player in Europe. Well, based on Hazard’s performance against Stoke, the enigmatic Chelsea boss may be right.
Many would struggle to find arguments for why Hazard shouldn’t be named Chelsea’s Player of the Year after a season of outstanding performances, with the winger having been involved in 26 Chelsea goals in his 37 appearances across all competitions this season.
The Belgian, who recently signed a new five-and-a-half year deal with the Blues, has received high levels of appraisal across world football since his move from Lille, but it seems that Hazard has found another gear, to make him capable of being one of the world’s best in years to come.
