Hazard and Courtois -- friends and foes Thinking about Wednesday’s Champions League semifinal between Chelsea and Atletico Madrid, it struck me that we may see a situation where Eden Hazard has to take a penalty. Not that big a deal, surely? It wouldn’t be in any other game. But when you consider Hazard would face his Belgium teammate Thibaut Courtois in the Atletico goal, it could be very interesting indeed. Hazard is a superb penalty taker and a chief factor in Chelsea’s successes this season with 16 goals and seven assists so far. Many say he could, in time, become the first Belgian to win the Ballon d’Or while his peers voted him the PFA Young Player of the Year in England. His potential adversary is also a future teammate at club level. Courtois is rated as one of the best young goalkeepers in world football. Aged 21 and having recently achieved the 100th clean sheet of his career, he has been critical to Atletico’s rise of the past years, while also putting in some key performances as Belgium cruised through the World Cup qualifiers. Courtois and Hazard know each other well. The current Belgium squad are more than a group of professionals; they are a bunch of mates and know each others strengths and weaknesses. These two may even have practised penalties together in training for Belgium. And that is where the prospect of them facing off becomes fascinating. Hazard’s penalties are a mixture of ability and simple psychology. Rather than the ball, he tends to watch the goalkeeper. In replays from behind the goal he is often seen watching his opponent, seemingly ignoring the ball. Of course he knows exactly where the ball is and that it won’t move from where he’s put it, but for a goalkeeper it must be unnerving in the extreme to have to face someone who is known to hardly ever miss. Hazard normally waits for the goalkeeper to move then simply places the ball the other way, often striking it very softly and agonisingly close to his opponent. The thing is, of course, that Courtois knows this. Good for him, you would say, so he knows what to do. Not necessarily. First of all, he has his own decision to make. Does he stay put and confuse Hazard by his lack of movement? Does he feign left, to then save right? Second, he has to keep cool and remember all that he knows about Hazard, which isn’t easy in a Champions League semifinal at Stamford Bridge, with so much riding on the result. That is not even counting the fact that he is playing against his own employer. But third and most importantly, Hazard knows that Courtois knows. And that can spark a chain of guessing and second guessing. Who is to say that Hazard doesn’t blast it this time? Or go for the top corner, Alan Shearer style? Maybe he doesn’t feign a side this time but actually goes for it. And if he does change his routine, maybe Courtois will expect him to and still save. Or he will recognise a dummy and not follow it. Maybe he will give Hazard the stare right back? There is a world of possibilities and most of them do not even have that much to do with their respective abilities. Who knows, they may not even be able to keep a straight face. If I was known for taking cheeky penalties and was facing a friend in goal, I think I would burst out laughing.
Posted on: Wed, 30 Apr 2014 13:15:00 +0000