The loss of Eden Hazard has impacted Chelsea more than we could have imagined. Since the departure of the Belgian, no other Chelsea player has managed to score 20 goals within a season. His last season with the Blues in 2019 saw him register 21 goals in all competitions and he ended his campaign as top goalscorer. Considering the fact that Eden Hazard is not a preferred goalscorer in any respect, that is quite an alarming stat.
The question now is how do Chelsea fill the void of such a character in the dressing room and on the pitch? They have not managed to find a player that can match his numbers for the last six transfer windows. In that time Liverpool bought Diego Jota, who has registered 21 goals this season. If they are to close the gap to the Reds, Thomas Tuchel may need to look into a Hazard-esque type profile.
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The great thing about Eden Hazard is that he did not aspire to become the club's top goalscorer. He enjoyed his time as the playmaker, showboating expertly off the left wing into the centre. He would always deliver on the pitch, making stand out performances nearly every week.
In buying Christian Pulisic, it was believed that the skilful American could at least match Hazard's output to some extent. It's probably not feasible to expect him to have filled Hazard's shoes but he was expected to make a similar impact. On the backend of the 2019/20 season, we saw glimpses reminiscent of a prime Eden in Pulisic's game, most notably in the 5-3 loss against Liverpool. The Blues failed to get the three points but the dynamism from Pulisic was celebrated as though Chelsea had found the player that they've been looking for.
Unfortunately, injuries hampered the American's progression with the Blues and since then, we have not seen much to indicate that he can be the superhero that the squad needs.
In the down times, Hazard was known to take a match by the scruff of its neck and deliver a win for the Blues. Towards the end of Hazard's last season, Chelsea faced West Ham in a difficult match. They needed the three points to increase their gap for their top-four finish.
The Belgian's first goal was a solo masterclass, taking on three West Ham defenders in a tight space and leaving them all mesmerised as he slotted the ball in the back of the net. His second goal came in the 90th minute when Chelsea needed to relieve the pressure that the Hammers had put on them. He sneakily found space to which Ross Barkley was alerted and slotted the ball home for a 2-0 victory.
Right now, Chelsea are short of players that are capable of making such an impact. When the players are down and unable to create the impact needed to get a win over the line, Hazard was the man to carry the team on his back. His performances were as a result of skill, talent, desire and just light-hearted football fun. Chelsea need more players like this in attacking roles.
Yes, Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Mason Mount, Hakim Ziyech and Pulisic are all extremely talented individuals, but they lack an element each that Hazard possessed. Thomas Tuchel will do well to find that spark in the summer transfer window. Talks of a move for free agent, Ousmane Dembele, are ringing around the market. He might just have the key to reignite that hazardous magic.
