Former Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher has revealed how to defend against Chelsea ace Eden Hazard, noting that players have to double up against him in order to shut him out.
Fletcher was speaking in the build-up to his country’s clash against Belgium where Scotland were thrashed 4-0 by Roberto Martinez side. Fletcher came up against Eden Hazard a number of times in his days with Manchester United, West Bromwich Albion, and Stoke City. The 34-year old amassed 80 caps for Scotland scoring five goals in the process.
The Scotsman revealed that defending against Hazard is not a one-man job, “We know he likes to come inside on his right foot, so Scotland should have a game plan for that. With it being three centre-halves, is it going to be one of the center-halves that come over and double up? Or is it going to be one of the midfield players? But it’s definitely when you’re preparing to play Belgium, that’s top of the list on how you stop them. You definitely stop him coming inside on his right foot, which he likes to do.”
Fletcher also acknowledged the trickery of Hazard, “There’s got to be a game plan, you have to double up. You have to cover on the inside. If you leave him isolate one v one with the defender, he’s so good, he’s so sharp. His low center of gravity, he just leaves you for dead.”
Hazard scored the second goal in the 4-0mauling of Scotland in the friendly played on Friday 7th September