Antonio Conte's Chelsea is better than Jose Mourinho's title-winners, says Eden Hazard
The Belgian, who won both the PFA and FWA Footballer of the Year awards in 2015, has claimed that he and his team-mates have improved as players since then
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Your support makes all the difference.Eden Hazard believes that he is playing even better now than he did in 2014-15, when Chelsea last won the title, and that this Chelsea side is better than that one.
Chelsea are closing in on regaining their title after beating Arsenal 3-1 on Saturday, and are nine points clear of second-placed Tottenham Hotspur with just 14 games left. It all feels very reminiscent of two seasons ago, when Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea cruised to the title facing no real challenge. Hazard was brilliant that season and won FWA Footballer of the Year.
But Hazard said that he is a more intelligent, mature player now than he was then, and that this Chelsea team of Antonio Conte’s is stronger than the Mourinho side.
“I think we are in better form, as a team,” Hazard said. “Not just me. Two years ago I was on fire, you know. But maybe I can score more goals this season. I already have 10. Two years ago I finished with 14 [in the Premier League]. We have a lot of games to play still, so we will see.”
Hazard is revelling in his role in Conte’s 3-4-3 system and said that he is a more rounded player than he was under Mourinho. “With the head, with experience, you improve,” Hazard said. “I think I am a better player, more complete, than I was.”
During his first two seasons in England Hazard was accused of inconsistency and of drifting out of games. He now reliably takes responsibility for Chelsea, demanding the ball even in difficult situations. “Sometimes in the past, for 20 or 30 minutes, I've not touched the ball in some games,” Hazard admitted. “These days I try and get on the ball, try and have lots of touches, and play my football for 90 minutes.”
Hazard slightly hurt himself shrugging off Francis Coquelin on his way to scoring his brilliant goal and said that he would rather get fouled even if it hurts, rather than being anonymous. “When I get a lot of kicks, I feel really in the game,” he said. “When people don't touch me, that means I'm not doing well. I'm no good.”
Conte has helped to bring out the best in Hazard’s attacking play while also forcing him to work hard defensively, a balance that Hazard has not always managed in his career so far. More than any other Chelsea player, Hazard has been revitalised by Conte’s arrival after a very poor 2015-16 season.
“Conte asked a lot of me, yes, a lot,” Hazard said. “When we don't have the ball, he wants me to defend and, when we have the ball, counter-attack and be free. To do something magic, like today. For me or for the other team-mates, that's what I try and do.”
Although Chelsea do look like inevitable champions, Conte reiterated his warning that no title is won until the trophy is handed over. Conte was a very successful player but he is driven more by the various failures and near-misses of his playing career. He lost three Champions League finals as a player, in 1997, 1998 and 2003. He lost the final of the 1994 World Cup and of Euro 2000 too.
“I can talk with you, bring a lot of examples from the national team,” Conte said. “I lost a lot of finals, of the World Cup and Euro 2000. You must know my hunger in every game. The will to fight, the will to win. I know my career I was lucky to win a lot, but also I lost a lot.”
Two years ago I was on fire, you know. But maybe I can score more goals this season. I already have 10.
The example that haunts Conte the most is the 1999-2000 Serie A season, when his Juventus team were five points clear with four games left. But they lost away to Verona and then, on the last day of the season, they lost at Perugia. Sven-Goran Eriksson’s Lazio won the title instead.
Conte brought this up on Saturday, as he did last month too. He said that his Chelsea players have to guard against complacency over the final 14 games.
“When you arrive at this point sometimes, you think that everything is simple, but it’s not true,” Conte said. “In this league easy games don’t exist. And you can see in the previous games, Swansea beat Liverpool and Watford beat Arsenal. We must pay great attention to prepare every game with great attention.”
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