We should appreciate Eden Hazard for who he is, rather than some idealized version of him

As Eden Hazard walked off the pitch in the 77th minute of Chelsea's 3-1 win over Newcastle on Saturday, there was a familiar feeling to the performance. In the time he was on the pitch, Hazard produced another superb display, becoming the focal point for the majority of his side's attacks and looking as dangerous as ever when in possession. He was rightly applauded off by all four sides of the ground, and yet despite his two goals, there was still a slight air of disappointment. Each time the one-time wonderkid from Lille puts in a performance like this, and especially when it comes with the added bonus of him getting on the scoresheet, fans and pundits alike clamour that this is the Hazard which needs to turn up more often if he ever wants to be on the level of Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi. But here's an idea ... how about we stop comparing him to the twice-in-a-lifetime talents?
The day Chelsea confirmed the addition of Hazard way back in the summer of 2012, there was a ton of expectation on the youngster's shoulders. People expected him to take the Premier League by storm, not just with his skills but also his goalscoring talent. But that’s just simply not the sort of player he is. Finding the back of the net has never been a main strength for him, though it also has not been the weakness it is so often painted as. During his time in London, he's averaged 16.5 goals per year in all competitions — not counting the tumultuous 2015-16 campaign which saw him struggle with injuries and seemingly fall out with his head coach, José Mourinho; it was a peculiar year for Hazard, one which has not been repeated since and may have even turned him into an even better player judging by his form since.
All the personal honours (PFA Player of the Year, PFA Young Player of the Year) and trophies (including two Premier League titles), have only served increase these expectations. At first glance it might be a compliment to be compared with two of the world's greatest ever players, but for Hazard it's often used as a stick to beat him with instead. While the two La Liga stalwarts can usually turn in 50-60 goal seasons, the chances are Hazard will never even reach that level, particularly if he keeps playing in England for the duration of his prime.