In contrast, after making over 30 Premier League appearances in each of the last two seasons, he’ll be under pressure and scrutiny to win back his place in the Chelsea line-up in the weeks ahead or his future at Stamford Bridge will continue to be a topic for debate.
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After being named PFA Player of the Year as Chelsea won the Premier League title in 2014-15, Hazard’s form significantly dipped during a woeful campaign for the club last term, failing to score a top-flight goal until April.
The Belgian netted from the penalty spot in the opening 2-1 win over West Ham and struck after just nine minutes against Burnley on Saturday, surging forward on the counter-attack and guiding home a fine finish from 20 yards.
“But we did not perform well at all in the first half”.
However, he rued the impending global break with his team starting the season in positive form.
“First half was probably as poor as we’ve been in a year, I think, but against a very strong group”, Dyche said. “I saw this very quick, his will to work very well, to improve”.
“Patrick is close. It’s just a few I’s getting dotted and t’s getting crossed”, Dyche said. “The players have the right attitude and this is very important for me”.
In the final game of the Premier League on Saturday, Hull City put up another courageous display yet again but a late strike from teenage sensation, Marcus Rashford saw them losing 0-1 to Manchester United.
Willian added the second goal before the break and sub Victor Moses put a deserved gloss on the scoreline a minute from the end. The Belgium global failed to make much of an impact last season, but there have already been plenty of signs so far this season to show that Hazard is back near his best form.
“We didn’t perform well at all in the first half, and you simply can’t do that”.
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“But we didn’t use the ball well at all, there was no will or demand to get, use and keep the ball and there were too many sloppy passes.”You can’t make decisions like we did today against teams of this quality”.
