Whilst Eden Hazard has vastly improved on his performances last season, it might be time for the Belgian to take a back seat against Leicester City…

Last year, Eden Hazard was, arguably, Chelsea’s worst performer. He was coming off of a season in which he was crowned Player of the Year, and the expectation was that he would go on and become even better.

677231

However, in reality, as Chelsea crumbled, so did Hazard – and many feared that his career would be on a downward spiral thereafter.

This year, though, for the most part, he has impressed. He has scored goals and assisted all season long, which is a marked improvement – but is it good enough?

Hazard has been good, yes, but arguably, a few of his teammates could offer even more. He hasn’t really shown up in recent weeks, and whilst Chelsea have been winning – Hazard hasn’t really been a catalyst as he so often has in the past. He could be tired, or could be slowly losing his form – either way, perhaps a game on the bench could work wonders for him.

Pedro is a likely starter against Leicester City, but should Hazard join him on the other flank?

It is likely that he will, but maybe Conte should be bold and REPLACE the Belgian with one of these 2 stars…

 Willian

Willian will find himself unfortunate not the start the game as he has, arguably, been in far better form than Eden Hazard in recent weeks.

He has popped up with a few goals, and he has finally started to show the form that made him Chelsea’s Player of the Year last season.

He offers the same attacking threat as Eden Hazard, but he is also far more efficient defensively – making him the perfect player on the flanks for Conte.

The Brazilian will certainly feature in some form, but a start is deserved.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek

Suggesting that Ruben Loftus-Cheek should start is certainly a bold choice, but it does actually make a lot of sense.

Against Peterborough in the FA Cup, Loftus-Cheek played as an attacking midfielder in the same vein as Eden Hazard, though he played slightly more narrowly than the Belgian.

The fluidity of Conte’s formation, with 2 rampaging wingbacks, reduces the need for direct wingers – and so if Conte is willing to repeat this formation against the Foxes – Loftus-Cheek could be a great option.

The Englishman isn’t going to get a chance in central midfield, so it seems like this is best option of game time. Will it happen? Probably not – but it is worth thinking about.

Loading ...