Jose Mourinho believes the confidence is creeping back into his Chelsea team after a difficult few weeks.
Rumours of a bitter dispute between manager and owner, Roman Abramovich, have been accompanied by a blip in results that has seen The Blues slip six points behind league leaders Manchester United.
Whilst their league form remains patchy, Chelsea have restored some of their old swagger with two comprehensive cup wins over Nottingham Forest and Wycombe in their last two outings.
With key players set to return from injury in the coming days, Mourinho believes his team are beginning to recapture the character that has seen them lift the last two Premiership titles.
"The confidence is back and people are happy," said Mourinho in the Daily Mirror. "And if John (Terry) and Arjen (Robben) are back, our squad becomes strong again with more options.
"One month ago my defenders didn't want the ball. Now they want the ball and pass the ball and keep possession easily.
"The midfield is playing very compact. The young boys are playing very, very well - Lassana Diarra and John Obi Mikel."