Gianfranco Zola feels Antonio Conte must tweak his tactics for Eden Hazard

Chelsea favourite Gianfranco Zola believes Antonio Conte must tweak his tactics in order to play Eden Hazard in his preferred position behind the main striker. The Belgium international has been forced to play in a false nine position in Alvaro Morata's injury absence, and this has restricted his chances of influencing play from the wider positions.


In a report covered by Goal.com, Zola urged Conte to utilise Hazard in an attacking midfield role where he can interact with the main centre-forward, he said: "When Hazard plays deeper, it allows him to come off the pressure and run at players. It’s perfect for him.

"He is very similar to what I was as a player. If I had to be the main striker and stay around the box, it would limit my possibilities, my strength. While if I had more space to go around and look for the ball, my game was much better. I’m sure having a main striker will help Hazard’s game. We saw in the last two games that Chelsea were not as good in the last 20 metres."
Morata has been sidelined with a back problem over the past month, and Antonio Conte is likely to deploy Olivier Giroud in the centre-forward role versus West Bromwich Albion. The Frenchman only made a cameo appearance in the away defeat to Watford last Monday, but he may have an advanced role to play in his home debut.
Chelsea have acquired just a solitary victory in the Premier League since the turn of the year, and this has seemingly pushed them out of the Champions League positions, though a victory over bottom-placed West Brom could lift them back to fourth place.
The west London giants are also alive in the FA Cup and Champions League, but the former remains their most realistic chance of a trophy with Liverpool and Arsenal already ousted out of the famous old competition. Chelsea lost to the Gunners in the final of the Cup last term.