Eden Hazard has this season become a moving target for Premier League defenders, the Belgium winger is the most fouled player in the Premier League. After the mid-week game against PSG, Mourinho was extremely unhappy with some of the tackles from the French side on the twenty four year old. Mourinho quoted:
“For example, what happened with Verratti. If (Hazard’s) another player, he dives, stays on the floor, rolls in the grass, screams. He’s asking for cards and cards and cards. This kid Hazard is pure. When he goes to the floor it is for a reason and there were nine fouls on him.”
Chelsea fan’s and Jose Mourinho will be thankful that Eden Hazard has avoided any major injuries as of yet this season. This week, the special has later revealed that Hazard has made an extraordinary request for new shin pads. Unsurprisingly, the Belgium winger has soon become a focal point in Chelsea’s attack. After recently signing a new long term deal, any serious injury could be disastrous for the blues tittle charge. Here is what Mourinho said when he revealed Hazard’s request:
“Eden has asked me to speak with some friends of mine who make carbon shin-pads. He wants one that covers the whole leg. Like a horse. “Normally, if you get 100 fouls, the opponents will get a certain percentage of yellow cards. So if he is the most fouled player he should be the player creates more cards in the opponent. But he isn’t.”
Even with a full leg shin pad, I would still expect the number of fouls of Hazard to continue to rise. Unfortunately, it is part of his game. Hazard is a tricky winger, who can manipulate the ball very well. His speciality is slowing the game down, beating the defender and then bursting away. He is not your typical winger, when compared to a player such as Jesus Navas, whose strength is his pace. Unlike Hazard, Navas is much more likely to pump the ball forward and chase from there. Similarly to someone like Jack Wilshere, who can both dribble the ball with exceptional close control. I guess Chelsea fans will have to touch wood whenever Hazard hits the ground.
To hear more from Ryan on him twitter @ryandarby28.
