A look at Eden Hazard’s impressive performance for Chelsea against Bournemouth

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Chelsea have taken one step closer to the Premier League title with a routine win over AFC Bournemouth in the late game on Saturday. They remain seven points clear of Tottenham, meaning that they need five wins from seven matches to guarantee the title.

It is difficult to see them choking at this late stage of the season given the winning mentality that exists in the squad. The turnaround under Antonio Conte has been incredible and the player to benefit most has been Eden Hazard.

The Belgian starred again on Saturday and was named the man of the match as a result. Although he has gone missing in some matches, he has once again established himself as one of the best players in the Premier League. Against Bournemouth, he scored the second goal to give his team some breathing room.

It was a superb individual goal as he ran clear of the Cherries’ defence, rounded the keeper and slotted into an empty net. The Belgian’s quick feet and ability to beat players are well known, but he also possesses acceleration and composure. This goal displayed those attributes.

His dribbling is what captures the imagination and he was on form on Saturday as he completed three dribbles during the match. This was more than any other player on the pitch and that is what he brings to the team. Antonio Conte has helped Chelsea become a more disciplined team and difficult to beat.

Hazard has allowed him to do this as the Italian knows that he has a player capable of producing moments of magic while his dribbling ability enables him to create space for others in the team. His presence can create fear within an opposition back four and lead to mistakes, as was the case on Saturday.

Hazard’s decision making was almost faultless on Saturday as he rarely picked the wrong pass in the final third. The Belgian international finished the match with a 94% pass success rate and that underlines how effective he was in possession. During his time on the pitch, he completed an incredible five key passes, which was more than any other individual.

He is excellent at influencing the game and his final ball is reaching maturity. His understanding of the game has improved under Conte and he is now choosing the correct option almost all of the time.

Although he has a decreased defensive role in the team with Marcos Alonso playing directly behind him, he needs to do his part when his team doesn’t have possession. On Saturday, it was clear that he was motivated as he was doing his share of defensive work, completing two ball recoveries during the match. This was one more than Pedro, who was playing in a similar role and that will please his manager, as it is the weaker part of his game.

The last three seasons have provided plenty of ups and downs for the Chelsea man, as he has gone from being the best player in the league, to being out of favour and now he is once again one of the best. Hazard has the potential to consistently perform as one of the best players in the world and he will be hoping that he continues to head in that direction under Conte.

This was a mature performance from the 26-year-old. He now must continue to deliver at this level to ensure that Chelsea clinch the Premier League title as many are expecting.

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