It’s international week, and all across the world managers are getting their players from their respective clubs. This always leads to a chance for some juicy headlines.
The first to bubble up this week for Chelsea has been from the Belgium camp, unsurprisingly given the players who the Blues have in that squad.
Roberto Martinez, the manager currently in charge of the Red Devils, has been speaking about how he might deploy Eden Hazard, the crown jewel in his side.
He has strongly resisted the idea of playing him as a false 9 like Antonio Conte has, in quotes carried by the Metro.
“Eden is not a false nine, for me. At Chelsea, that can work with guys like Pedro around him, but with us we still have Romelu, Michy, even Dries [Mertens] can play there… I’m not going to put Hazard there.”
It’s certainly true that if Conte had Romelu Lukaku in his team he’d be a lot less likely to have his tricky winger leading the lines. In fact even if he had Dries Mertens, who has excelled as a striker for Napoli despite his small frame, he would have left Hazard out on the left in his best position.
Belgium are in England’s group for this summer’s World Cup, and Chelsea heroes Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois will become villains temporarily for many Blues fans.
