Conte said: “There is an global break and I wanted to continue to play games, but with my staff we will continue to work and watch the good things and the bad ones – a few”. Thus, logic holds, Hazard will have major outcome on this season as well. “I see a lot of positive things but we can improve”.
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Eden Hazard sent the home side into a ninth-minute lead with a curling effort from distance, before Willian and Moses added a second and third during what was a comfortable afternoon for Antonio Conte’s side.
Hazard got the ball rolling when he collected Nemanja Matic’s pass inside his own half and galloped unchallenged down the left towards the Burnley penalty area. After 13 games where we have conceded at home, we didn’t this time and that is very important.
It was nearly the flawless performance for the current Premier League leaders as Burnley – who beat Liverpool last weekend – were outplayed in in every department.
Further goals from Willian and Victor Moses completed a hugely encouraging victory for Chelsea, but there was no doubt that Hazard was the inspiration. Usually when a new manager arrives, you can have good ideas but it’s important to have good results to increase the confidence of the players in you. “But it was against a very strong group, you only have to look at who they brought on to see the huge gulf between where we are as a club and this one”.
“We didn’t perform well at all in the first half, and you simply can’t do that”. He was at his best against Burnley, displaying the imagination, speed and hunger that earned him the league’s Player of the Year award when Chelsea cruised to the championship in 2015.
Hazard was still enjoying himself at the other end, though, and his darting run and ball into the box was touched on by Matic to Costa, who once again fired too close to Heaton.
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Burnley at least did not leave Stamford Bridge entirely empty-handed as Dyche confirmed they are set to take Blues striker Patrick Bamford on loan.
