Eden Hazard Impressed With New Chelsea Team-Mate Olivier Giroud

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Eden Hazard has praised new Chelsea signing Olivier Giroud as an impressive target man.

Giroud, an £18m Deadline Day signing from Arsenal, made his first Chelsea start against West Brom on Monday Night Football and provided the assist for the first of Hazard’s two goals the 3-0 win.

Hazard believes the physical presence of the France international will help free up space for his team-mates in attacking areas.

 “I think he’s a great target man,” said Hazard. “He has a lot of defenders around him so we are free to play around him, myself, Pedro and Willian.

“He’s a good guy, a good target man and he can score a lot of goals. He’s a good point of reference but we have him, we have Alvaro (Morata) and I can also play as a striker.”

 Hazard was impressed by Giroud’s intelligent runs and hold-up play and it was his deft flick which left the playmaker clear to score Chelsea’s opener.The Belgium international’s second goal was his 15th of the season and the win moved Chelsea back above Tottenham into fourth place in the Premier League table.

“We need to be in the top four, for the Champions League next season, and it would be good if we can take the FA Cup,” he added.

“We are also in the Champions League, it’s not easy to win the Champions League but we will go for everything.

“We have a good team, we have good players. We have three months to play until the end of the season and we have to give everything to reach our targets. When you play for Chelsea the target has to be to win trophies.”

Chelsea next face Hull at Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup on Friday before welcoming Barcelona in the Champions League next Tuesday.

That is followed by a trip to Old Trafford to face second-placed Manchester United on February 25, live on Sky Sports Premier League.