Theyre smart enough to understand the opportunity they have to play with some

Diego Costa is thriving under Guus Hiddink but Eden Hazard is still struggling. We look at the pairs contrasting fortunes under the Dutchman... Diego Costas fine finish against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night may have been in vain but it was a further example of the forwards return to form under Guus Hiddink.Costas first-half strike was his 11th in 15 games under the Dutchman. Thats some improvement on his return of four in 21 before Hiddinks arrival. However, while Costa is heading back to his best, Eden Hazard continues to struggle and was booed from the field by some Chelsea fans.The pair were key figures in Chelseas march to the title last season and both slumped at the start of this campaign, as Jose Mourinhos champions made the worst-ever start to a Premier League defence.But while Costa has driven himself out of his bad run of form through his typical mix of belligerence and brilliance, his Belgian team-mate seems stuck. Costa before/under Hiddink - 2015/16 Premier League Before Hiddink Under Hiddink Games played 14 10 Goals per game 0.21 0.8 Assists per game 0.07 0.4 Total shots per game 1.50 2.7 Chances created per game 1 1 Shot conversion rate % 14.29 29.63 Hazard before/under Hiddink - 2015/16 Premier League Before Hiddink Under Hiddink Games played 16 10 Goals 0 0 Assists per game 0.13 0.1 Total shots per game 0.94 0.3 Chances created per game 2.75 1.2 In Hiddinks first game in charge, a 2-2 draw with Watford, Costa scored twice. It set the tone and, since the change of management, the Spaniard has scored more goals, made more assists and increased the rate at which hes shooting, creating chances and putting away his opportunities in the Premier League.Over the past three-and-a-half months Costa has hounded and harried defenders, thrown himself into physical battles and rolled up his sleeves to turn his and Chelseas fortunes around. The sight of him pulling off his protective mask and tossing it away against PSG summed up his spirit. Diego Costa has scored 11 in 15 under Hiddink Im very proud of him, the way hes playing and, going not over the edge, but he likes to fight in the real way of the game, Hiddink said ahead of the last-16 second leg.Thats what we like. I protect him and support him when hes doing what he has done in my period at Chelsea. In the Premier League he frequently is scoring now, since December, January. Its difficult to put a brake on him. Costa wants to play every game, but I must be careful with that. Who am I to stop this man? We must let him go, but sometimes I have to put on a leash. Guus Hiddink on Diego Costas desire Theres been no such improvement in Hazards statistics. In fact, last seasons player of the year has seen his numbers in key attacking categories drop since Hiddinks arrival.The 25-year-old has had groin and hip problems this term but hes still played 34 times in the Premier League and Champions League. His return has been a meagre four assists and no goals. Hazards goal drought Eden Hazard has two goals for Chelsea this season, scoring in FA Cup wins over Championship side MK Dons and a much-changed Man City. Of course, Hazard is not a bruising, all-action battler like Costa. Thats not his style. But, aside from his struggles for form, half-time shirt swapping with Angel Di Maria and telling the French press he would struggle to refuse advances from PSG have done little to win him sympathy with the Chelsea support. Ivanovic defends booed Hazard Branislav Ivanovic has leapt to Eden Hazards defence after fans turned on the Belgian Missing the decisive penalty in Chelseas Capital One Cup shoot-out defeat to Stoke was forgiveable. So, too, perhaps, is a young players failure to match the extremely high standards he set last year.But, in changing shirts with Di Maria in the midst of Chelseas desperate bid to save their season, it feels like Hazards latest PR slip-up was one step too far. I think its a joke, Tony Cottee told Sky Sports News HQ. Its not the first time weve seen it - hes not the only player to have done it. But clubs issue rules at the start of the season about all sorts of things you can and cant do. Surely one of them should be that you do not swap shirts at half-time.Its an insult to the Chelsea fans. Its not even as if hes done it in the tunnel. Its blatant in front of everyone. Im a big fan of Hazard when hes playing well - which he hasnt been this year. Its an insult to the Chelsea fans. Im a big fan of Hazard when hes playing well - which he hasnt been this year. Tony Cottee on Hazards half-time shirt swap Fellow pundit Tony Gale is adamant Hazard wants away - but his numbers this season are hardly those of a player Real Madrid, PSG or other European heavyweights would normally chase.Perhaps Hazard should take a look at team-mate Costa for an example of how to turn his struggles around. Can Eden Hazard recapture the form we saw last season? Let us know using the message boards or by tweeting @SkyFootball Also See: Ivanovic defends Hazard Fans had right to boo Hazard Chelsea stats Get a free ￡10 bet Timofey Mozgov Magic Jersey . Hamelin, who triumphed in the 500 on Saturday, edged out Victor An of Russia by 0.021 seconds to maintain his lead in the World Cup standings. Russias Vladimir Grigorev was third. In the relay, Canada took control six laps from the finish line to beat Russia and the Netherlands. D.J. Augustin Jersey .C. -- Calgarys Kevin Koe did it the hard way again. http://www.magicauthentic.com/kids-penny-hardaway-magic-jersey/ . Vettel was 0.168 seconds faster than Red Bull teammate Mark Webber around the Suzuka circuit. Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg was two tenths of a second off Vettel. "The car balance is decent, but I think we can still improve," Vettel said. Evan Fournier Jersey . "Four now," Carl Gunnarsson told the Leaf Report proudly following a 5-2 victory over New York on Tuesday night, the clubs fifth straight at home. Aaron Gordon Jersey . A lawyer for MLB, Matthew Menchel, confirmed Wednesday the league dropped its case against Biogenesis of America, its owner Anthony Bosch and several other individuals. The lawsuit had accused Biogenesis and Bosch of conspiring with players to violate their contracts by providing them with banned performance-enhancing substances. SALT LAKE CITY -- Dante Exum remembers driving to the hoop and making a difficult layup on the first day of Utah Jazz open gym. Newly acquired George Hill, the man who will eat into Exums minutes, immediately came over and offered some advice.That was one of the first notable moments of the Exum-Hill relationship that the Jazz hope will be beneficial to all.I think for someone just to come in straight up the first day, and not knowing me at all, to be able to come in and correct me, thats the kind of player that I need, Exum said. So from then we built a good relationship.Exum used the word excited repeatedly this week to describe his feelings. His mood is understandable considering he hadnt participated in a full normal practice since tearing his ACL while playing with the Australian national team in the summer of 2015.The 21-year-old started 41 games as a rookie and is the point guard of the future for the Jazz after being selected No. 5 in the 2014 draft. But general manager Dennis Lindsey traded for Hill, an eight-year veteran chasing his first NBA title, during the offseason.There could easily be some animosity between two competitors wanting as many minutes as possible, but Hill is eager to mentor and Exum wants to learn.Thats just how I am, Hill said. When I first got (to San Antonio) I was a young rookie that didnt know any better. Tim (Duncan) did the same thing with me. Kind of put his arm around me and kind of (showed) me the way. As a rookie I needed that. Me coming in, thats what we needed here, a little veteran leadership. If I can see something that makes his game a little better, I try to do that.Lindsey seems to have pulled off the tricky task of adding veteran pieces to an established roster without disrupting the character of the team. The Jazz are mostly low-key, go-to-work grinders. Hill, Joe Johnson and Boris Diaw fit that mold.Everyone wants minutes, but everyone wants to win and end a four-season playoff drought.I think our younger guys are smarrt and understand, coach Quin Snyder said.dddddddddddd Theyre smart enough to understand the opportunity they have to play with some of these guys.Exum is 100 percent healed from his injury and has no limitations in practice. He added 10 pounds of muscles to his lanky 6-foot-6 frame and said his shot is much better than during his rookie year, when he shot 34.9 percent from the field.Snyder said hes shown some burst on the court and just needs to continue to grow overall.Exum has added a floater from the paint to his game -- a play that tore his ACL. There were some mental hurdles to clear and to gain trust in the knee and trust that he can get up when knocked down, he said. So far he has.There were difficult stretches last season as Exum would sit behind the bench during home games and remain in Salt Lake City on road trips. But he was able to better learn how Snyder wants the team run by sitting with the coaches and listening each night.Hill is learning the intricacies of Snyders system himself, but he has played in defense-first systems in Indiana and San Antonio. His best season came in 2014-15 when he averaged career highs with 16.1 points, 5.1 assists, 4.2 rebounds and a 47.7 shooting percentage. Hills 3-point percentage rose to a career-high 40.8 percent last season.The 30-year old has missed the playoffs just once since entering the NBA and reached the Eastern Conference finals twice. That experience is part of the reason the Jazz traded for Hill, but thats not necessarily easy to pass along.I dont think you can teach that part, Hill said. I think more of what were coming here for is to lead by example. The way we carry ourselves. The way we work out in the gym. The things that we do to position ourselves to be the best player we can be at that given time. Just communicating. Everyone being on the same page. Thats what we can bring. ' ' '