Maurizio Sarri believes that playing Eden Hazard as a ‘false nine’ has given Chelsea more defensive solidity.
Hazard passed a century of Chelsea goals with a match-winning double in the Blues’ 2-1 Premier League victory at Watford on Boxing Day.Chelsea’s talisman forward has had a direct hand in a league-high 19 goals in 18 league games this term, and his Vicarage Road brace dragged the Blues back to winning ways.
Sarri had criticised his players for their reaction to slipping behind against Leicester on Saturday, as they limped to a 1-0 Stamford Bridge defeat.
But here Chelsea displayed far more backbone in recovering from Roberto Pereyra’s snap volley equaliser that had cancelled out Hazard’s opener on the stroke of half-time.
Following the win at Watford, Sarri told Sky Sports of Hazard’s position: “In this moment we need this solution because we need to be more solid defensively and with this system we can score and become more solid in the defensive phase.
“Maybe in the last match, we played better in the first half than we did tonight, but today the application was very good.
“I think [Hazard] played very well, not only for his two goals, but he was good with his teammates and in open spaces. I like him in every position he is a great player.”
Speaking about the result, Sarri added: “I think we played a good match with a good level of determination and attention for 90 minutes.