Few should be surprised that Mason Mount has responded to criticism with such conviction on Saturday against Southampton.
This has been the story of his blossoming Chelsea career so far. From his stunning free-kick against Wolves, that winner at Liverpool, his goal against Real Madrid. That pass to Kai in Porto.
At 23-years-old, the extraordinary thing about the analysis of the midfielder is how little we speak about his age. He is now treated as a senior player. Someone who the team relies upon and that in itself, reflects how special a talent he is.
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His two goals and one assist against Ralph Hasenhuttl's beleaguered Saints put him in great Premier League company. As noted by SPORTbible, only Mohamed Salah (with 30) and Son Heung-Min (20) have more goals and assists than Mount's 18 in the league this term.
The right-footed strike into the bottom corner with only 16 minutes gone was impressive enough on its own. But it had already doubled Chelsea's lead after he had cooly laid the first on a plate for Marcos Alonso to rifle home. It felt pertinent that he would round off the afternoon's scoring with the sixth with only 54 minutes gone.
Tuchel spoke after the game noted how Mount's usual inside forward role had been slightly altered to offer him more space and the tactic worked wonders.
"We expected a 4-4-2 and both number sixes to press high. So we wanted to pin the defenders with two strikers and find Mason in a bit of an open position between the lines. We had a bit of a different role for the wing-backs today because we anticipated an aggressive 4-4-2 and wanted to have three midfielders against their two midfielders and have an ideal position for Kai and Timo."
Mount was not the only Chelsea player Southampton could not get near, with Timo Werner scoring his first league brace since the reverse fixture in October and Ruben Loftus-Cheek with the freedom of St. Mary's to burst down the right.
This could not have been a more suitable environment for Chelsea to rediscover their groove before Tuesday's Champions League second leg against Real Madrid. Mount's return to form always feels indicative of a wider trend of good form within the side. When Mason plays, Chelsea play.
There was probably too much interest in the midfielder's haircut pre and post-game, with Mount himself joking it had become a distraction.
"It's been a long time coming. It had to go, it was getting too long. It had to go. It was hindering me in the games, getting in my eyes. Sometimes shorter is better."
Mount almost looked a little like Eden Hazard with his new trim, gliding around with a swagger the Belgian used to for Chelsea at the same ground. Hazard scored five times at Southampton during his Chelsea career, Mount now has four in his three visits. Probably aided by his personal connection to Portsmouth as he shushed a despondent home crowd.
As Mount continues to prove in a Chelsea shirt when you doubt him he is guaranteed to respond. Tuchel will be hoping Saturday's display can help spark something more significant at the Bernabeu.
