REVEALED: How Chelsea flop has gone from being a target of boo boys to playing a crucial part in their push for Europe… and a key change shows why Pep Guardiola wanted him at Man City

Long after their full-time employment, when Stamford Bridge was empty and only the cleaners remained in the stands, Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart emerged from the tunnel smiling after one of their regular visits to the Chelsea dressing room.

The two sporting directors have reason to hope that their signings will demonstrate their worth in time to secure European football – from Noni Madueke to Moises Caicedo to Nicolas Jackson – although they can take no credit for any of the catalysts in this revival in form.

That’s Marc Cucurella, the left-back who now steps into midfield and shows why Pep Guardiola wanted to sign him for Manchester City before Chelsea paid Brighton £55m plus £7m.

Cucurella was signed in August 2022 ahead of the arrivals of Winstanley and Stewart, but the 25-year-old is in the middle of a satisfying redemption arc at Stamford Bridge.

His first start of the season came in the Carabao Cup against League Two Wimbledon – a 2-1 win in which his name was booed as Manchester United were linked with a loan move.

Cucurella’s touch map in the first half against Villa (L) and the second half after a tactical substitution

Now he’s as valuable as anyone in Mauricio Pochettino’s late bid to reach Europe – one of those that would represent a ‘blow’ if he were to suddenly appear on the club’s unpredictable injury list after his contributions to the 2-0 and 5-0 wins Tottenham and West Ham.

When Chelsea have possession, Cucurella moves into midfield alongside Moises Caicedo, a maneuver that allows Conor Gallagher to move further up the pitch into the number 10 position he has become accustomed to.

In turn, Gallagher’s presence gives Cole Palmer permission to roam, mostly to the right side where he has been at his best.

It’s another tactical adjustment from Pochettino, with Cucurella previously acting as a typical wide man when he started in the Premier League.

Insiders say this is a move the manager has been thinking about for some time, even practicing it during 11-v-11 training at Cobham, but it was during half-time of the trip to Aston Villa less than a fortnight ago. that Pochettino decided to test it properly.

In the first half at Villa Park, Cucurella stayed level on the left as Chelsea trailed 2-0. In the second half, Pochettino decided to go for it and told his left back to play much more centrally as the visitors came back to draw 2-2.

We’ve seen Chelsea managers make tactical changes mid-match before, most notably Antonio Conte and his 3-4-3 formation at half-time of a 3-0 defeat to Arsenal that ultimately saw them win the Premier League.

Like him or not, Pochettino deserves credit for this adjustment that has given the club a chance of a strong finish to the season.

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has instructed his left back to play much more centrally

Cucurella’s touch map against West Ham (L) and average Chelsea positions during the match

Since that draw at Villa, Chelsea have beaten Tottenham, wiped the floor with West Ham and now face a trip to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, where Cucurella will likely continue his reverse forays into partner Caicedo as Enzo Fernandez recovers from surgery.

Cucurella is performing as well as we’ve seen him in a Chelsea shirt and insiders are raving about him; one person says he is often referred to by teammates as the “funniest” in the locker room.

That sympathy is why the people around him want him to be much more liked by the outsiders of the club. Keep performing so impressively and he will soon earn that praise.