Chelsea 2 Aston Villa 0

As Luiz Felipe Scolari continues to steer Chelsea out of the shadow cast by Jose Mourinho that consumed Avram Grant, revitalised winger Florent Malouda today hailed the impact the Brazilian has had on his own career.

Malouda arrived from Lyon for £13.5million in July last year as a hugely talented winger and had an explosive start in England, scoring in his first two games and becoming an integral part of the side.

But a knee injury in November forced him out for two months and reports emerged that he was struggling to adapt to London life, and that was before Joe Cole and Salomon Kalou overtook him in the pecking order as Grant took control at Stamford Bridge.

Malouda played in the Champions League Final against Manchester United but could not get a consistent run in the team. However, the 27-year-old has started the last six matches, including a promising display in yesterday's 2-0 win over Aston Villa.

“First of all, he knew me before he came to Chelsea so that helped,” said Malouda of Scolari. “Then working with him every day in training has helped my confidence to rise.

“When you have confidence, then you can try things and be free in your mind. He wants me to express myself on the pitch.

“The first year is always difficult for foreign players. But this League is the best in the world so you have to be at the level and for this you have to work in training.”

At the time that Scolari took over, Malouda (right) was being linked with a number of clubs and it appeared he was on his way out but he insists a move was never on his agenda.

He added: “I never thought about leaving. I signed a four-year deal so I came here to stay and try to have an impact. I am really happy at Chelsea. I have the confidence of the lads, the board, and everybody.

“When the coach arrived he told me that he wanted to help me get back to my best and that is what you are seeing now. But I hope that the best is to come.”

The same could be said of Chelsea, who appear to be heeding Scolari's message. Big Phil's preference for overlapping full-backs demands that his wingers' tuck in ­— and Jose Bosingwa and the outstanding Ashley Cole posed a problem Villa could not answer.

Indeed, it was the adventurous Cole whose smart cut-back from the line helped set up the Nicolas Anelka tap-in that doubled the lead Joe Cole had given Chelsea in the 21st minute.

This was high-octane stuff, particularly in the first-half, and the impact the full backs had, coupled with the fluidity in midfield, was much improved from their disjointed display against Manchester United.

Grant's tenure saw little shift in emphasis — although in his defence, he was not given a pre-season to change things and still got the club to
its first Champions League Final — but Scolari's 4-1-4-1 system is proving to be the catalyst toward the attractive football owner Roman Abramovich craves.

Chelsea were scintillating at times with Frank Lampard pulling the strings expertly in midfield, and the transition away from Mourinho's style was not lost on Martin O'Neill.

“He is a brilliant manager,” said the Villa boss. “He's proved it, he won the World Cup with Brazil — a side whose expectations were incredibly high — and that is hard to do.

“He's inherited a very good side and put his stamp on it, which is remarkable. They were brilliant, which is a credit to him and the players.”

Although it remains early days, Scolari is showing encouraging signs of delivering a brand of football that is as successful as it is entertaining.

He said: “We are first in the Premier League, first position in the Champions League and in the next round of the Carling Cup. But I want more.”