Is Eden Hazard The One That Got Away?

[Damocles]

Newbie first post so be gentle with me guys!

First saw Hazard in the flesh at the CC game at Villa - he didn't exactly shine and I remember thinking that maybe we didn'miss much. How stupid was that. So yes he was one that got away. What worries me is that he's not the only one. If I recall correctly we didn't land Pepe because they were asking £5m more than we were prepared to pay and we backed off Mangala and Fernando at the 11th hour for money reasons also. Sure other clubs are going to ratchet up the cost when we sniff around but maybe that comes with the territory for us now . I think PSG are wanting Mangala now, so the price won't be coming down in the summer. So yes we could do with a Hazard but for me someone to play beside Kompany is a bigger priority. But we should have had him (a CB) by now (and maybe another couple of players) and it worries me that we haven't.

Rag

 

[Blue Tooth]

Didn't sign him. Most fans thought he was average last year. Now he's bedded in he's a good player. Other teams have them too. Move along the bus now.

 

[Deleted member 58678]

Certainly, unfortunately!

 

[FromPollockToSilva]

Just what is the point of all this "navel gazing"?

We have lost a game and drawn one, and all of sudden some of us go into a form of deep depression, thinking about what we have missed out on, the mistakes made, it's all in here this weekend.

It's life, you win some you lose some, we sign some good players, we sign some duffers, we miss out on good players, we sign some good players.

We really need to toughen up a bit, and learn to take it on the chin, instead of going from one extreme to another

My opening paragraph:

"Firstly, this isn't a thread about the failings of our summer 2012 transfer window (as that has been done to death), nor is it a 'we've lost once since November and therefore need to sign loads of new players' thread. For the record I think we've shown a marked improvement in both style and substance this season, I like the manager a lot and I am very optimistic about what the combination of Txiki and Pellegrini can do to augment the squad in the summer. It's more an observation on something that I think we're missing as a team, and that's a player who can create opportunities by carrying the ball and beating a man, especially in wide positions."

Thought I'd gone to reasonable lengths there to point out that I'm not in any way disheartened by this season or the last few results, but apparently not.

 

[GoMancini7]

Hazard is an unreal talent, in most of his seasons he will have over 10 assists/goals , creating and scoring many and can do it in the CL as well.

We dont really have players that can score 10-15 goal and get as many assists as well. Suarez is similar player, just more goals but many assist as well and Walcott too.

Not paying that little bit of extra 2012 summer for him because we thought we say no to big agent fees well we spent 10m for Sinclair(fee+wages), and we really should have said NO to buying players that are never going to be for our level not even for our bench.

Yet we had no problem getting Garcia, Rdowell for a combined fee nearly 30m. And whats with them now? Well we need to spend another 30m to upgrade on them. (Pogba or vidal would cost more. We wanted Fernando for free, that ended well too, new contract at Porto, now his fee at least would be 20m.))

But there is still market for cheap players, but for that our transfer team hasto work perfectly well. Juve showed it how to do it:
Pogba, Tevez, Vidal, Pirlo, 4 important players of their startin eleven cost them around 20m in fees.
Like Garcia+Sinclair for us, or less than Lescott.

 

[thenabster]

Absolutely!

 

[Troubadour]

Just what is the point of all this "navel gazing"?

We have lost a game and drawn one, and all of sudden some of us go into a form of deep depression, thinking about what we have missed out on, the mistakes made, it's all in here this weekend.

It's life, you win some you lose some, we sign some good players, we sign some duffers, we miss out on good players, we sign some good players.

We really need to toughen up a bit, and learn to take it on the chin, instead of going from one extreme to another

We certainly signed some duffers - Sinclair, Garcia etc.
We should have seriously strengthened after we won the title.
We didn't. We fucked up. End of.

 

[citymad]

Yes he sure was. He's an incredible talent and on par with Ribery. I know its childish and sad but I wouldn't be that upset if he picked up a hamstring strain for a few weeks. Be interesting to see how they cope without their best player.

 

[Blue Punter]

Just what is the point of all this "navel gazing"?

We have lost a game and drawn one, and all of sudden some of us go into a form of deep depression, thinking about what we have missed out on, the mistakes made, it's all in here this weekend.

It's life, you win some you lose some, we sign some good players, we sign some duffers, we miss out on good players, we sign some good players.

We really need to toughen up a bit, and learn to take it on the chin, instead of going from one extreme to another

My opening paragraph:

"Firstly, this isn't a thread about the failings of our summer 2012 transfer window (as that has been done to death), nor is it a 'we've lost once since November and therefore need to sign loads of new players' thread. For the record I think we've shown a marked improvement in both style and substance this season, I like the manager a lot and I am very optimistic about what the combination of Txiki and Pellegrini can do to augment the squad in the summer. It's more an observation on something that I think we're missing as a team, and that's a player who can create opportunities by carrying the ball and beating a man, especially in wide positions."

Thought I'd gone to reasonable lengths there to point out that I'm not in any way disheartened by this season or the last few results, but apparently not.

You did PTS, but Ducado has recently started turning most of his replies into tubthumping, keep your chin up, man up & be positive posts.

Back to your initial question, I've mentioned your phrase to other blues all week. I read an article that mentioned the dossiers we do on players when considering major transfers. Looks at all sort of factors. Family background, education, reports from youth teams etc. A very thorough process.

One player who failed the criteria, but who we signed regardless was Balotelli. At the time, the article said that Hazard had scored very highly (may well have been the highest) in almost every department. I'll try and find the article, it was a really good read.

 

[El Mago]

Hazard's talent was there to see, he won the young player award, the following year he won the best player award.


No player dribbles better than him but Messi, the guy HAS IT ALL.


He is better than Bale, Neymar & Sanchez and he will win the Ballon D'or and they won't.



Anyway, we have to wait maybe 5 to 10 years to see a talent like him emerging in Europe.


Its painful watching him play for Chelsea, specially when I remember he was so close to join us.