Chelsea Football Club News

• Nickname:Blues
• Founded:1905
• Manager:Roberto Di Matteo

• Ground:Stamford Bridge
• Capacity:42,440

Malouda hails Hiddink impact

17 Mar 2009 - 12:55:53

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Winger Florent Malouda believes Chelsea are a more dangerous attacking force under interim manager Guus Hiddink.

The Dutch coach has started his reign with an unbeaten five-game run which has seen the Blues close the gap in the Premier League on leaders Manchester United, book their place in the FA Cup semi-finals and progress to the last eight of the Champions League.

Chelsea have looked a much-improved side to the one which former manager Luiz Felipe Scolari presided over for six months before being sacked in February.

But although claiming the players were to blame for Scolari's exit, Malouda has suggested the change in manager has had a profound effect on the attitude of the squad.

"We changed manager and we changed our habits and we keep working hard every day in training," he told the club's official website.

"The way we start the game, the way we try to push on and find a result have changed.

"Sometimes when things are closed we have to push more. Somethings you can't explain but you have to reach a level of confidence, or a level of performance, and it wasn't enough before.

"It wasn't about the manager, it was about us, so we have to take our responsibility and all the team is committed to our targets this season.

"We can see that it is still possible. When we didn't get the results it was not possible to get that level of confidence, but we have changed our minds and now we have more hope than the last two months."