Hazard praised despite ‘not pressing well’

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho praised Eden Hazard for his display against Swansea despite feeling the need to make a change at half-time.

Hazard was at the centre of the Blues’ best moments in an otherwise disappointing first-half performance.

Mourinho was, however, less happy with the Belgian’s off-the-ball work, but the half-time introduction of Ramires in place of Andre Schurrle and much more emphasis on pressing the visitors led to a big improvement in the second half and Chelsea took control.

“In the first half the moments we had with [attacking] danger were through his [Hazard’s] initiative,” Mourinho explained.

“He was not pressing well. He was too far from their right-back and central defenders and he couldn’t reach them.

“But when we had the ball he was always objective, creative and confident, so he was important in the first half because the little things we did were exactly because of him.”

The 4-2 victory maintained Chelsea’s 100% record this season and left them top of the Premier League.

Diego Costa scored a hat-trick to take his goal tally for the campaign to seven and there was a debut goal for recent signing Loic Remy, who netted after coming on as a substitute.

“The second half was fantastic for us. The first half was fantastic for them,” Mourinho said.

“In the second  half we made changes and we were too strong. Overall we deserved the victory because we were much, much better in the second half.

“We could play the football we wanted to play and give to the stadium what the stadium is waiting for – which is to win but if possible win in a beautiful way, which was what happened.

“The first half was hard. We could not find the references to press so they had had too much time and too much space and when they have too much time and space it is easy to play football.

“In the second half, the way we pressed them completely changed the game. We had the ball and with the intensity we played in the second half  it was difficult for them.”

Meanwhile, Swansea manager Garry Monk tipped Chelsea to win the Premier League title this season.

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