Eden Hazard: A tactical analysis of performance from Chelsea to Real Madrid
Arguably one of the greatest wingers of his generation. Eden Hazard was a Premier League defender’s nightmare and fans’ favorite for almost an entire decade. He established an unforgettable legacy at Stamford Bridge. In this article, we will analyze his Chelsea career and then compare it to his Real Madrid performances. This is a tactical analysis of Eden Hazard and his performance levels from Chelsea to Real Madrid.
Background
Fans are fickle and do not appreciate their football club’s main talisman to leave for a rival, especially not a huge club such as Real Madrid or Barcelona. Past players, such as Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho who left for Barcelona would receive fierce hostile treatment from his previous employer’s fans.
Since Hazard joined Chelsea he singles handily kept the blues a Premier League and European competitive powerhouse. He left with the highest respect and fan love from Chelsea Football Club. The two-time premier league winner was arguably the standout performer every season in the league except for 15/16 when then-head coach José Mourinho was sacked.
Scoring a club total of 110 goals in 352 appearances, winning the PFA player of the year along with a host of other wards before sealing a £100M deal to Spanish giants Real Madrid.
It is no secret that Eden found life hard in Madrid given the frequency of injuries. But were injuries a reason for the dip in performance? To analyze further we will need to understand Hazard’s role and influence under his previous managers and clubs.
In an attempt to evaluate the tactical analysis of Eden Hazards performance, we identify key characteristics from Chelsea and Real Madrid’s head coaches:
- Eden Hazard under head coach José Mourinho (Chelsea)
- Eden Hazard under head coach Antonio Conte (Chelsea)
- Eden Hazard under head coach Maurizio Sarri (Chelsea)
- Eden Hazard under head coach Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid)
Rafael Benítez (2012-13) and Guus Hiddink (2015-16) weren’t included as they were head coaches for less than a year.
Eden Hazard’s nature of play:
In order to perform a tactical analysis of Eden Hazard and his performance levels, we need to understand the importance of what he offers to Chelsea and Real Madrid.
He prefers to play on the left flank, where he would mostly occupy. Even when given free or more central roles he would always look to penetrate the left channel areas to engage opposition 1v1. Hazard would find ways to drift inside, and target half spaces where he would either run, dribble into the penalty box, combine with teammates, or switch play to the opposite flank.
The Premier League has been blessed with creative players over the years. Eden’s quick pace, creativity, low center of gravity allowing him to cut and turn on a sixpence, penetration, and decision making arguably earns him the best the league has seen.
Over the Premier League seasons Hazard evolved and transform into a player who enjoyed operating in tight spaces offering multiple solutions that would break down opposing defensive shapes leading to greater efficiency in creating chances and scoring goals.
These changes were a Post-Mourinho Chelsea when new head coach Antonio Conte changed the system of play. Conte preferred to not play as defensive as Mourinho. Characteristics of Hazard in the Conte era turned him into a play-maker”.
Play-makers are individuals that teams are built around. The offensive prowess while the focal point of opposition game plans wouldn’t faze Hazard. He seemed to relish the challenge and grew from it.
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“Sarriball”
“Sarri Ball”, was a system Hazard enjoyed playing in. He was the team’s focal point during the developing phase, creative phase, and finishing phase. This suited his ever-increasing stock as a world-class player. During the Sarri Ball era, Hazard would touch the ball every 31.93 seconds during Chelsea’s possession. Maurizio Sarri certainly had his play revolve around Eden Hazard.
Other examples of these types of players can be Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Neymar (PSG), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa FC), and Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund).
The issue with play-makers:
A possible theory that play-makers fail when transferring to another club, could be due to tactical reasons. Firstly, teams would have to adapt to the new player coming. Secondly, The new “play-maker” comes into an established system that wouldn’t normally build play through a play-maker or already have that type of player in their system. Thirdly, the new recruit may not be used to the new club’s system of play, style of play, or philosophy.
That typically means a shift in play to the system. Most managers or head coaches in the modern game are reluctant to change drastically in case of results drop in form. After all, at this level, it’s a results-driven business.
Players successful at one club, need consideration upon transferring to a new employer. Does the existing team compliment incoming transfers? New players may struggle at new clubs because the current playing staff may have differing qualities.
Players used to have the ball as often as Hazard, then on transferring don’t see the ball as often, or are asked to play within a different role, are more likely to fail.
Two examples of past transfers such as Alexis Sanchez (Previously of Arsenal FC) was ridiculously misused at Manchester United under Jose Mourinho. He gradually lost confidence and ended up getting a move away from United. The second, Philippe Coutinho (previously of Liverpool FC), struggled in part due to not being the center of the play. Coutinho had to take the second stage to other world-class players already established at Barcelona, including Argentine legend, Lionel Messi.
Nutrition for youth soccer players
Has Eden Hazard fallen victim to this scenario? He averaged 75.7 touches per 90 minutes during the 2018/19 season which drastically reduced to 65.6 touches per 90 minutes during Real Madrid’s 2019/20 season.
So let’s take a look at how Hazard’s role has evolved over the years:
Eden Hazard under Jose Mourinho tactical analysis of performance.
Jose Mourinho’s 2014/15 Premier League title win would have been tough to win without Eden Hazard. The Belgian winger finished the season with 24 goals (14 PL in 38 appearances, 10 goals in other competitions). Chelsea’s physical striker had 20 goals and won the Premier League golden boot.
Even Hazards assists (9) were second to Fabregas’ (18) and just one more than Brazilian midfielder Oscar (8). However, Mourinho’s releasing of Hazard’s defensive shackles repaid the Portuguese boss with Eden stepping up in the games that meant the most, versus Arsenal, Manchester City, and United.
His sublime give and go with Loic Remy against QPR summed up his importance and freedom in a game that otherwise lacked creativity and invention.
Hazard was the epitome of Chelsea’s starting XI as no player under Jose’s time in England has enjoyed such positional freedom. The trust Mourinho put in Hazard paid off as the Chelsea head coach would normally set teams up on solid defensive principles with solid understandable roles and responsibilities. Players who would break from this have certainly felt the wrath of the serial winner.
System of Plays
In the 4-2-3-1 system Hazard would start on the left flank with a front four consisting of himself along with Oscar, Diego Costa, and Willian or Fàbregas. Being an inverted winger who likes to create would often drift inside during possession phases. Chelsea usually in a 3-3-4 during possession utilized Hazard by holding him out wide.
By holding that width it would stretch the opposing defensive shape through quick ball rotation. Hazard would rotate when players Felipe Luis or Azpilicueta ventured forward to help overload from a four to five-man attack. This trigger point allowed Hazard to move between the lines within the left-sided half-spaces.
José recognized Hazard’s ability to make things happen which is why he allowed him such freedom, especially in the big games. It is essential to give your most creative asset some freedom and Jose had the best of them. In the picture below we can see how hazard creates a chance from what happens to be a simple progressive pass and a run.
Hazard verses QPR
Hazard’s presence on the right half-space opened up for his teammates. Queens Park Rangers (QPR) players had a game plan to take space away from Hazard. The result from QPR’s attention to Eden allowed space to open up for Costa to work in behind QPR’s defensive line.
From the above diagram, it is evident that Hazard attracts three QPR players after dropping into deeper spaces to receive the ball. As he transitions from the creative phase to the finishing phase he sucks the QPR players in and then releases the ball from Costa to run onto. Even if the passing lanes had closed, he drew enough QPR players to then recycle the ball through Willian and attack the weak side.
Hazard’s passing stats reached a career-high during the 2014/15 season. He had a passing accuracy of 87% and completed 58.4 passes per 90 minutes. The best numbers from the front attacking four.
Highlighting his dribbling qualities, the diagrams below indicate how he creates chances for himself through penetration (passing or dribbling) and ball mastery. The first image highlights Hazard dribbling past the United players, the second, shows him re-receiving for a shooting opportunity.
Finally, he was the ultimate attacking weapon for Jose on the ball. Given how positive he is in possession, he’s become a superb threat during counterattacks.
Eden Hazard under Antonio Conte tactical analysis of performance.
Hazard’s role under Antonio Conte significantly changed. The Italian manager completely transformed the teams system of play. A change that could arguably say benefited Maurizio Sarri two years later.
Conte imposed his non-compromising 3-4-3 formation and made Hazard again play on the left but during possession, he would be more forward and operate in the half-spaces.
Marcos Alonso would hold width on the left to allow Hazard to operate between the lines. Hazard’s support from Conte to focus more on attacking creativity started to excite him as he wasn’t asked to have as many defensive responsibilities which he was required to have with Jose. Less defensive responsibility is a standard for play-makers such as Messrs. Messi and Neymar. It is noted that Conte still built on solid defensive principles, as he played with three in the back.
It is important to note that Hazard’s new levels of freedom allowed him to attack both right and left areas. Conte wanted to get Hazard into the best positions available. A smart move from Antonio as not only did his principles ensure structural stability over the field but also utilized Hazard’s most underrated aspect of the game, his movement.
As a result of a system change Hazard attempted to carry the ball less by being more centrally located. His statistical numbers massively improved. In the 2017/18 season, he averaged 6.44 shots per 90 minutes. For context, Kevin De Bruyne averaged 6.47 SP90 this season so far (2020-21).
Game tactical analysis
Below, Alonso holds the width on the left side before Kante creates additional options. Hazard utilized in the left half-space.
Hazard’s two noticeable strengths between the lines were his movement and link-up play. This is the reason that prompted Conte to allow him the free role.
In the diagrams below we can see another aspect of hazard’s game, spatial awareness. Hazard would read the play before receiving the ball. This allowed him to make decisions as they built up. Examples of “leaving the ball” or using a dummy to create space, or combining to create shooting chances all came from his ability to read the game earlier and quicker than anyone else.
Now watch hazard leave the ball for Alonso behind who has acres of space on the left flank
Players operating between the lines require the ability to maintain possession through one-two touch football. Players with quick interplay and good ball-handling ability are able to maintain positive momentum. Hazard’s body shape was perfect when he was allowed to receive on the turn and in turn, drive into space.
As Hazards dribbles forward with the ball. He can either link with Costa or Willian or switch play to the right flank. This was a regular occurrence under Antonio Conte. Eden’s direct ball numbers rocketed to a career-high averaging 3.2 per 90 minutes.
During these link-ups from Hazard, he would regularly execute with a no-look pass, designed to disguise the intended destination from the opposing players.
Build up example:
Dribble inside —> create body shape towards right flank —> Disguise the pass and target the number 9 instead —> run into positive space to receive.
Eden Hazard under Maurizio Sarri tactical analysis of performance.
To investigate Eden Hazard and his tactical analysis of performance, we look at his time under Maurizio Sarri.
Sarriball took Eden Hazard to world-class levels. It was arguably his best season playing football and statistics prove that. 16 goals with 15 assists only Raheem Sterling (17) was above him similar to his position. All others above him were outright strikers. Kane (Tottenham, 17), Vardy (Leicester, 18), Aguero (Man. City, 21), Mané (Liverpool), Aubameyang (Arsenal), and Salah (Liverpool) all had 22 goals.
Hazard was the center of Sarri’s tactical structure. Top of his game as a play-maker he averaged a touch every 31.93 seconds. Further context, only Neymar and Messi averaged better that season. Hazard also contributed over 50% of Chelsea’s goals in the Premier League that season. A host of clubs were now after Hazard’s signature, Chelsea would cash in.
Sarriball was the epitome of vertical football which is why Hazard provided the best characteristics to allow the Italian system to be successful. The 4-3-3 system employed by Sarri would see Hazard in a similar role to that of Contes’.
However, the looseness of Sarri’s group and team defending tactics meant Hazard had even less defending to worry about. Maurizio would turn a blind eye to the defensive insecurities and mistakes of center-back David Luiz.
Further tactical analysis
Other tactics Sarri employed made use of outnumbering play on the right side to then quickly switch the ball to Hazard for 1v1s. He was simply one of the best in the world with these duels.
Sarri’s use of third man run patterns was utilized frequently. During his Napoli years, he used this tactical play consistently and brought the strategy to Chelsea using Hazard appropriately and devastatingly.
The ball would be worked through Eden Hazard regularly. He was given the freedom to occupy spaces and to rotate with players such as Kante, Willian, and Pedro. Pedro complemented Hazard during the season by dropping into the central pivot roles to receive.
Kovacic would rotate with him and occupy central lines. Giroud will assist by rotating him. Sarri imposed these tactics to get the best out of Hazard and the team.
The result? A goal.
Hazard’s touches per 90minutes significantly increased under Sarri to 75.7 from 65.8 the previous season.
The key question, what happened at Real Madrid?
Eden Hazard under Zinedine Zidane tactical analysis of performance.
So we reach the important and interesting aspect of this analysis. We will overview how a player whose stock rising at Chelsea, became a forgotten man at Real Madrid in just over a year.
Injuries are obviously a concern, but what about Hazard’s run of games that never quite lived up to standards at Chelsea? What were the factors that limited his performances?
Firstly, in this tactical analysis, we have approached the notion that play-makers are risky transfers. Especially when teams need to find ways through changing systems, tactics, or playing styles. Players such as Eden Hazard came to Real Madrid from Chelsea as a world-class players. Performance in both the Premier League and international games with Belgium is a testament to that. His stock was extremely high, Madrid bought him to provide them European success, not just LaLiga success.
Their investment was considerable, so they certainly didn’t want him to fail. Real Madrid paid Chelsea £88Million ($122.7Million) which could rise to £130Million ($181.3Million). His salary, is £188,000-a-week ($263,000 approx.) plus bonuses.
It can be common for players coming from a team who look to play the ball through them to become a part of the system rather than being the system. Did Hazard fall victim to this? Was the pressure of playing for a Spanish giant and world powerhouse too much? Was the price tag a mental barrier? We can discuss it later.
Recap
Firstly we will recap that Hazard transformed into a pure play-maker under Maurizio Sarri, he was the main player between the lines under Conte’s reign and an creative positive outlet for Mourinho. On transferring to Real Madrid you can’t blame him for seeing, Bale, Isca, Benzima, Kroos, Modric, Asensio, and Rodrygo, realizing he is in the company of many world-class players. This could be the main reason for Hazard’s reduction in touches per 90minutes. The 2019/20 season dropped by almost 10 to 15%.
Karim Benzema
Benzema could be considered the main barrier preventing Hazard’s freedom. Hazard was always preferred in a system where he was the focal point. The most essential asset between lines with the freedom to roam, creating chances, and Shooting.
Hence the effective link-up or combination play with Diego Costa and Olivier Giroud. He could deliver balls into these target players then play a one-two with them. When he played with Alvaro Morata dropping between the lines may have stifled his freedom of play, yet it didn’t drop his performance levels.
Here Hazard and Benzema struggle with combining between the lines:
With Benzema and Hazard, Real Madrid had two players who usually operated in the same left half-space.
Benzema dropped and ended up playing square with Hazard. Maybe less than two yards apart. Both players had freedom in the system which resulted in locating and working in the same spaces.
Zidane’s starting lineup sometimes included a front line of Benzema, Isco, and Hazard. Three players who were given ultimate freedom, was this a downfall of Zidane trying to fit all three in the team? was Hazard a victim of this? the argument could be made that Bale was also a wide attacking player, he too had fallen from grace under ZiZou.
Benzema’s heat and touch map from the game vs Valencia:
In this heat map we can see that most of the time Benzema was on the left side of the pitch, Hazard’s position:
ZiZou use of Hazard
At Chelsea, under Sarri he had a touch every 31.93 seconds during Chelsea’s possession, now he was fighting for touches on the ball with a player that would occupy the same space.
Times in games Hazard can be seen asking for scraps and working with poor pass options into tight areas. Most of these calls were ignored by Madrid players. Having a team full of egocentric stars can be detrimental to the team’s objective set by Zidane. Most world-class players are thinking about themselves and their statistical numbers to support their price-tag or status in a team.
This map indicates his 1v1 battles per zone. Clearly, we can see he wasn’t receiving enough balls between the lines to utilize his penetrative dribbling skills. Added context, the LaLiga has far more team compactness than in the Premier League.
No longer operate able to operate between the lines due to constant shared space with Benzema, He decided to stay closer to the left flank trying to offer width.
Playing Hazard on the left resorted him to a traditional winger. He hadn’t played this type of role since the 2015/16 season. Add in the defensive responsibilities, an attribute he’s been criticized for, then we may have come to a clearer picture to his fall in performance levels for Real Madrid.
Conclusion:
We have attempted to show Eden Hazard and his performance analysis in Chelsea and Real Madrid, and the tactical breakdown from each coach.
In order to succeed with tactics, Zidane needed to organize the system and maintain balance within it. There are arguments that Hazard wasn’t just competing with the opposition but with his own teammates as well.
To get the best out of the forward line, not just Hazard, Zidane needed to establish balance. Players making the same runs, occupying the same spaces were only creating confusion and reducing options.
In no way are we saying players are being transferred with the following but hypothetically asking how Hazard’s time at Real Madrid could be more productive.
Maybe Real signing a Mohammed Salah (Liverpool FC) as a focal attack-minded striker? He would certainly come at a cost though! Secondly, Use their buyback clause to bring back Sergio Reguilon as he will support Hazard better and the team in general. Finally, Zidane needs Benzema and Hazard to coexist. Work with them both in behind the striker and maybe just maybe he can bring them consistent success as he did for Chelsea football club.
