CONTE FIRES UP HAZARD
Conte wants forward to be more ruthless
EDEN HAZARD is off the leash and ready to start his first Premier League game of the season — four days after dazzling in Madrid — with a new challenge set by Antonio Conte.
The Chelsea manager wants Hazard to add the ruthless mentality of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to his unquestionable natural ability and the consistency of last season.
‘Sometimes, Eden, if he scores one goal, he is happy and then, if there’s another situation, he prefers to make an assist rather than scoring twice,’ said Conte. ‘For Ronaldo, if he scores once he wants two or three or four. The same for Messi.
‘If God gives you this talent, you must exploit this talent.’
When Jose Mourinho was in charge at Stamford Bridge, he made similar demands of Hazard which sometimes seemed to burden the Belgium forward. But Conte added: ‘ For every coach, our task is to try to improve our players — to put them in the best condition to exploit their talent. Then, to work on their weaknesses and improve them.
‘This season is very important for Eden. You know very well he is a top player and this season he has a big opportunity to get better because the Champions League is important for players to show they can compete to be the best.’
Hazard was outstanding as Chelsea won 2- 1 at Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, creating the equaliser for Alvaro Morata.
On his one other start for the club since breaking an ankle in June, the 26-year-old set up two for Michy Batshuayi against Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup.
‘I like players who think about the team, who think about “us” not “me”,’ said Conte. ‘I like his behaviour and his attitude but I like to repeat to him that in every game he must be decisive, to score or provide an assist.
‘He is a young player — he has time to improve — and show he can be competitive for the best position in the world.
‘Also, I see great determination. When he started to train with us after surgery he understood he needed to work very hard to recover well. Good competition is very important for him, also.’
Hazard scored 16 League goals last season — including three in two games against today’s opponent Manchester City— before suffering his injury on international duty at the end of the campaign.
Conte resisted the temptation to rush him back, identifying two big games in four days — Atletico and City — as the right moment for his campaign to begin. ‘If he was able to play one game like the Atletico game it means he is ready to play with continuity,’ said the Chelsea manager.
David Luiz will be absent as he serves the last of a three-match suspension, with Andreas Christensen, 21, set to deputise again.
Even so, with Hazard back, Morata so quickly into the groove and Atletico beaten, the champions feel ready to tackle rampant City, top of the Premier League after six games, with 21 goals scored.
‘We must pay great attention,’ said Conte. ‘Manchester City are a very good team. It was the same last season and they have improved a lot with good signings and they started well and have a lot of confidence.’