Jorginho on Chelsea Fans: 'I'm Happy They Are Seeing Me in a Different Light'

Chelsea midfielder Jorginho is delighted the club's supporters are seeing him "in a different light" this season after his challenging debut campaign. 

Jorginho arrived at Chelsea from Napoli in 2018, having established himself as one of the best midfielders in Serie A. However, there were times last season when supporters directed their frustration towards the Italy international, as many saw him as the epitome of Maurizio Sarri's unpopular style of football.

Since the appointment of Frank Lampard as manager in the summer, Jorginho has had his role tweaked and has excelled at the heart of the Chelsea midfield. The man himself said he's delighted to have altered some opinions, per the club's website:

"I absolutely have noticed that change. That's why I'm so happy. I'm happy they are seeing me in a different light and they're seeing the complete player that I am, so actually that's really cool right now and it's a really great moment to be playing.

"It's really rewarding because it's great to be feeling acknowledged for the work you're putting in, so I couldn't be happier with things at the moment. 

"It's just great that I can see the fans looking at who I am, Jorginho the player, and at the same time I'm really happy to look at them and see their reaction and feel their support."

The midfielder's quality has never been in doubt, and he showed off his passing range in Chelsea's recent win over Watford, finding Tammy Abraham with this pinpoint ball:

Per Squawka, the 27-year-old has also become the Blues' go-to man for penalties:

Under Sarri, Jorginho was the player used at the base of midfield in a 4-3-3 system. His job was to sit deep and start attacks, utilising his passing quality and quick feet to construct moves. However, he struggled in the Premier League at times, occasionally slowing down the Blues.

Now he's playing as a more orthodox midfielder and is beginning to thrive, with Lampard giving the Italian increased freedom to push forward. He's benefited from that tweak.

Per Sky Sports, with Jorginho excelling, there is a lot of healthy competition for the Blues in the midfield positions:

If there's one area where the Chelsea No. 5 needs to improve, it's his discipline, as he missed Saturday's win over Crystal Palace after having picked up five yellow cards in the Premier League this season.

Nevertheless, given many thought Jorginho would only be suited to Sarri's style of play, the manner in which he's adapted his game will delight Chelsea fans. With the Blues third in the Premier League and playing excellent football, the playmaker's renaissance looks set to be indicative of an exciting season.