The teenager, who was heavily criticised by the former Blues boss, was given 45 minutes to impress in the FA Cup against Scunthorpe and flourished in the heart of the midfield. One shot on target, one goal. Ruben Loftus-Cheek is Chelsea’s Mr 100 percent. Not just against Scunthorpe, but over his whole, brief career.Which makes it all the more ironic that, seven months ago, the criticism Jose Mourinho had of the midfielder was that he wasn’t giving 100% - let alone the 300% the Chelsea manager wanted.“At 19, you have to run three times as much as the other guys and you have to play to your limits,” he said while branding the midfielder’s efforts in a post-season friendly against Sydney “unacceptable.” As Guus Hiddink eulogised about Loftus-Cheek’s physical power and talent, he seemed to find it altogether easier to accept the young Londoner. A player Mourinho gave one minute of first-team football in his final eight weeks in charge of Chelsea scored for his successor.
That is all too typical. It is no wonder Mourinho seems to have gone to ground. Everything that has gone wrong for him is going right for Hiddink. Mourinho long seemed the ultimate alchemist. Now he is the man who turned gold into base metal. Albeit against limited opposition and in games where Chelsea ought to prosper, the Dutchman has showed signs of having the opposite effect.It is not just Loftus-Cheek, the academy product who saw off Scunthorpe. It is Diego Costa, scorer of a mere four goals in his last 20 games for Mourinho, who now has four in three for Hiddink. The Portuguese realized the problem was that his bad-tempered target man was not getting in the box often enough to meet crosses, but he could not persuade Costa to venture into predatory positions. Hiddink has, and he is reaping the rewards.And it is also Cesc Fabregas, the man who completed a century of passes against Scunthorpe. The Spaniard was stroking the ball around, dictating play in the manner of the quarterback he looked last year. He had played defence-splitting passes in the win at Crystal Palace, too.Fabregas has been quick to deny the allegation that he was one of the Chelsea 'rats', the insiders who wanted Mourinho out. What can be said with certainty is that he was playing poorly earlier in the season. Since Hiddink’s arrival, he is performing nearer the peak of his ability.
Then there is Oscar, the man who was showboating against Sunderland two days after Mourinho’s sacking. Suddenly a flair player has found the flicks and tricks he forgot to display for much of this season. He, too, looks a different footballer under Hiddink. As, indeed, he did under Steve Holland.So does Pedro, who, after his glorious debut against West Brom, ranked alongside Costa, Fabregas and Eden Hazard among this season’s greatest disappointments. Now it is easier to see why the Spaniard has such a sizable amount of silverware. There are moments to show he remains a class act.And, setting up Costa’s goal against Scunthorpe, there was Branislav Ivanovic. The outstanding right-back in England last season is starting to put those torrid times behind him. He has helped Chelsea keep three consecutive clean sheets. They used to do that regularly under Mourinho. Until this season. Until everything he tried or said backfired.It is tempting to wonder what Mourinho thinks, looking on from afar. Four games into his reign, Hiddink is getting more from these players. In the manner of many a new manager, he is probably benefiting simply from not being the tarnished, and ultimately sacked, figure. Chelsea have more freedom, more purpose, more collective togetherness.And, Mourinho might argue, more luck. He spent much of the season concocting conspiracy theories involving officials. When Kevin van Veen went down under Ramires’ challenge, referee Craig Pawson ignored Scunthorpe’s appeals. If Mourinho were feeling paranoid, he may assume a penalty would have been given against his team.
Not that it is his team any more. If Hiddink is fortunate – and it is worth remembering Manchester United struck the woodwork twice against his team in their stalemate at Old Trafford – then maybe Loftus-Cheek’s goal is proof. After all, while Mourinho was criticised for not trusting the teenager, Hiddink only started with him on the bench at home against a team 15th in League One. This, on paper, was Chelsea’s easiest game of the campaign. It was scarcely a vote of confidence.A substitute appearance, a well-taken goal and some complimentary comments later, perceptions may have changed. Hiddink did not claim the credit, but there is some reflected glory in being the manager who unleashes a prodigy when he scores his first goal.Perhaps Mourinho, reluctant as he proved to use the midfielder in meaningful matches, imagined he would be the beneficiary. Instead, Hiddink has sauntered in with a smile and a shrug, finding that the problems his predecessor left seem to be solving themselves.Whatever must Mourinho think?
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