Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has showed in games this season, he prefers to deploy Eden Hazard as a false nine, instead of out wide, when he has no strikers to play with. But Hazard has spoken out without fear, insisting he prefers to play out wide.
The Belgian international has been chosen to play as false nine four times this season, when Alvaro Morata is unavailable through injury or suspension, and Conte failed to trust Michy Batshuayi to lead the attack.
The fourth one though, against Barcelona was a tactical decision, having the full compliment of his attacking materials, chose to go with Willian and Pedro flanking Hazard in attack, to try and take the game to the Catalunya club at Stamford Bridge.
Although the decision proved a tactical masterclass and has been hailed by several pundits after the game, Hazard admits he labored during the game, playing central as the false nine, and would have preferred being stuck out wide, where his qualities would have been seen more.
To be honest, I like the role as a false nine. But in games like that against quality opposition like Barcelona, it’s difficult. You don’t get a lot of balls. I might have touched 25 balls that night and 15 of them were flying towards my head.
That is not really playing to my qualities. I won some aerial duels against Gerard Pique, and that’s not bad. But if I had to choose, I prefer to play like I did in the last 10 minutes, which was out wide. But it’s the manager who has the final word. On the wing I feel more comfortable. That’s my place.”
Eden Hazard, Sports Mole
