As the season reaches its penultimate period, the end of season awards are upon us. This includes the PFA Team of the Year, voted for by the players, of course. As it has just dropped, who has made the cut and who hasn’t is very much a debated topic. With ten of the 11 players from the top two teams, it meant one player was left from the rest of the league. The inclusion of Paul Pogba and the omission of Eden Hazard are the significant talking points and rightly so. However, Hazard should have been guaranteed a place on the list.
Eden Hazard Should Have Beaten Paul Pogba to the PFA Team of the Year
Performances
Throughout the season, despite Chelsea’s struggles, Hazard has remained a constant, consistent performer. This has been the Belgian’s best season in the Premier League, going by statistics of course. Whilst he hasn’t always had the best stats, this season is the one where you can argue his performances back them up with evidence. Don’t forget, he won the league and Player of the Year in 2014/15 with only 14 goals and nine assists. This year he has the most goal contributions in the league with 16 goals and 13 assists – and that’s with three games remaining.
Never mind Chelsea’s league position, the winger has had the most successful dribbles with 122 and totals the highest number of Man of the Match awards with 13. All this, plus the most goal contributions, in a team that has struggled all year for consistency, is no mean feat. Considering he has dealt with defensive-minded managers for most of his time at Chelsea, the appointment of Maurizio Sarri and a more attacking mindset was always going to result in more goals and assists. However, place Hazard in a team with more attacking potency, you could argue his stats could have been even better.
Player Comparisons
Whilst there have been good seasons from many other players, most notably Raheem Sterling, it is Saido Mane taking up the left winger spot on the team. Arguments will be made that Hazard could replace Pogba on the team sheet as well, which is a fair point.
It is a simple fact that no other player in the Premier League would have the capability to produce the same statistics or even the performances that Hazard has done in the same underperforming team. Take Raheem Sterling for example; he’s had an incredible season and nothing can be taken away from that, but look at the team he’s in. The talent he has around him that is constantly moving, working and creating. Most of his goals come from the poachers position, something Hazard can’t rely on his teammates for. In fact, the likes of Mane, Mohamed Salah and Sterling all play in more advanced, inside forward roles rather than Hazard’s role which is mainly left wing, but can roam wherever he likes.
Neither Sterling, Mane or Salah could carry this Chelsea team and be the inspiration and main creative source week in week out. Teams try to mark Hazard out of the game and double up on him. It usually doesn’t work, whilst teams are able to stop the other players by doubling up or just being more cautious in the defensive structure. Look at the goal Hazard scored against West Ham at Stamford Bridge; the sheer ability and close control at pace is something that only he can really produce on more than one occasion.
Legacy
Whilst we can argue until the cows come home, the team is set in stone and it isn’t going to change. He should be in that team based solely on performances. Some say he has underachieved in his career, given his ability and perhaps he has. Who knows what his career would have been like if he had joined a Real Madrid over a Chelsea years ago. However, he has been in seven teams of the year since 2009/10 season – only faltering in two Chelsea seasons and being robbed of it this season.
Even if the impending move to Madrid goes through, we can look back on his time in the Premier League as a very successful one. Chelsea fans especially can tell you even when he doesn’t score or assist, he still can be the most influential player on the pitch. It’s not all about goals and assists or statistics because whilst they are an indicator of performance, you should just sit down and appreciate a player and their influence on the game.
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