Thierry Henry meets Eden Hazard ahead of Chelsea v Arsenal
Saturday 4 February 2017 14:08, UK
Thierry Henry sat down with Chelsea winger Eden Hazard ahead of the Blues' clash with Arsenal, live on Sky Sports on Saturday. The former Gunners striker coaches the 26-year-old for the Belgium national team and quizzed him ahead of the London derby...
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Thierry Henry: What happened to Eden Hazard last year?
Eden Hazard: Er… I don't know. I don't want to find excuses. It was a bad season for me and for Chelsea. We won the title and then maybe I had too much holiday. It's difficult to come back for pre-season. I remember in the first game Thibaut [Courtois] got a red card and the season started very badly. After, we tried to do better and the end was a little bit better, I finished well, but it was a bad season.
TH: I like your honesty about the holidays. It's not always easy to come back from that, but you're honest. I like that. Can you fast forward…you guys are top of the league. I don't want to put you on the spot, but I'm putting you on the spot… if you have to compare Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho what would be the biggest difference? Especially for you in terms of what you need to do off the ball?
EH: In tactics and training we do more with Conte. We work a lot of tactical positions and we know exactly what we have to do on the pitch, where I have to go and where the defenders have to go. We know exactly what to do. With Mourinho, he put in a system but we didn't work lots. We know what to do because we play football, but maybe the automatisms were a little bit different.
TH: And what about off the ball? If you lose the ball, what is your job now? With Mourinho it looked like you had to follow the right-back?
EH: With Mourinho, Nemanja Matic was behind me in the season when we won the title and sometimes I stayed in front and Matic did the job. With Conte it's different. I close more inside because Marcos Alonso is there as a wing-back. I just need to be ready to counter-attack if we get the ball.
TH: Now I see that you enjoy scoring goals because you're more inside and less on the wing. Or is it because you thought you should add that to your game?
EH: It's not because my position is different now. It's just because I want to score. People want me to score a lot of goals, you especially, so I try to take the ball close to the goal and shoot more. I think this season I've been shooting more than before and I think that is the key.
TH: There's another thing that you do more this season. You want to run behind the defence now. You always used to ask for the ball at your feet, but now I see you making those runs. Why?
EH: A couple of games I played up front when Diego Costa was not there. We know to create movement, not even to get the ball, but create space for others. Now I understand football is not always with the ball at my feet.
TH: One thing that I like a lot about you - and I think everybody does - is the way you dribble. It is, for me, an art. I used to do it in a different way. I used to put my shoulder down and see the reaction of the defender. When he reacted and was flat-footed that's when I used to push the ball and pass him. I wanted him out the picture and the first defender that might stop the cross to come and meet me so my striker was alone. That was always my thing, but when I see you most of the time you like to go on the inside. Why?
EH: For me it's easier to play with my right foot. It's simple. If I go right, I see Diego and have different solutions. I go alone or pass to Diego or the midfield can join in. If I go the other way, the cross with my left foot is not good.
TH: So what you do most of the time is instinct?
EH: I don't think too much. I don't think. It is instinct. Can I try to score? Can I shoot? Can I pass? It's simple.
TH: Another thing I see you doing in a different way is when you receive the ball, you like to swivel. When I used to receive the ball, I used to put my head up and picture my pass. In my mind it was always 'make sure they can't stop you'. I didn't want to stop. You do the total opposite.
EH: When I get the ball with my back to goal I like to be in touching contact. I need to feel the guy. He will try to take the ball and I will go past him.
TH: Sometimes you then swivel again. You like to toy with players…
EH: I like football. I want to watch beauty.
TH: You want to watch yourself on YouTube?
EH: Sometimes.
TH: You're telling me you like contact. If I had the chance to turn quickly I wanted to face my opponents. I didn't want to be like that. I didn't want him to be able to grab me. You like that, which is weird because I didn't like to be grabbed. You do it totally different.
EH: Most of the time I am quicker than the defender and I like to turn. Most of the time I like the contact.
TH: You like to be kicked?
EH: Not be kicked… but I like contact.
TH: Arsenal is a big game at the Bridge. Do you see them as the best contender?
EH: Yes, one of them. I think Arsenal and Man United.
TH: Man United? That's an interesting one. Why?
EH: Because they had a bad first part of the season and I think for a couple of games now they played well. They drew against Stoke, but they have good players and the squad is very good. The manager is good, so they will be second or third.
TH: Not Tottenham?
EH: Tottenham also are strong. We lost there, but for me it is more Man United. They are more experienced. That is my opinion, maybe I'm wrong.
TH: What do you think it's going to take to beat Arsenal? Remember what happened at the Emirates when everything changed for you. Is it going to be about revenge in a London derby or just keeping doing what you guys are doing?
EH: It's not revenge. Revenge is more for the fans because we lost there. Now we are playing a different system and the game will be completely different. We are ready. Let's hope for a good game. We just want to stay top of the league.
TH: If you think about Arsenal right now, who do you think you guys, as a team, need to stop?
EH: The Sanchez and Ozil connection. Ozil can do everything with the ball, as we saw in the first game at the Emirates. Sanchez can score in every game. If we stop them, we have a chance to win.
TH: All the very best. You know who I will be supporting, but hopefully you will have a good game.
Catch Hazard in action for Chelsea as they play host to Arsenal on Sky Sports 1 from 11.30am on Saturday where you can also see the full interview with Henry.
