Just ask Joe Cole. The 24-year-old has been a great player in the making since Harry Redknapp was talking about the talented teenager at West Ham United a decade ago, but finally, in World Cup season, his time appears to have arrived. Cole has likened life at Chelsea to one long audition, but he has passed his screen test.

The tricks and flicks remain but greater maturity has brought so much more to his game. Cole is learning to hurt opponents as well as humiliate them. The biggest improvement has been in his finishing, with Saturday’s well-taken opener, a right-foot shot from the edge of the penalty area in the 47th minute, his fifth goal in ten starts this season.

After he had scored the winning goal in a Barclays Premiership match against Liverpool a year ago, Mourinho condemned Cole’s two faces, his trickery in attack contrasting with ill-disciplined defending, but his all-round contribution against Newcastle United was more warmly received. “Now Joe is a player,” Mourinho said. “One year ago he was a player with potential, now he is a player. He has everything. He’s strong physically, strong defensively and hasn’t lost his attacking qualities or the skill that made him potentially a very good player. He plays for the team, tactically understands the game. He’s a player for Chelsea and a player for England. We’re all very happy with him.”

The huge smile on Cole’s face suggested that he is equally happy although, being a modest sort, he will not become too pleased with himself. Having started the season as Chelsea’s fourth-choice winger he will not allow complacency to rob him of his position towards the top of the club’s creative class.

For all his improvement, Cole has some way to go to emulate the consistency of Frank Lampard, who equalled David James’s record of 159 successive Premiership appearances. “It’s amazing and he’s different class, Frank,” Cole said. “I think he’s probably the most effective player in the world in his position and to play that amount of games is incredible. I’ve started a little run and I think I ’m on six or seven now, so you never know.

“The last 12 months have been fantastic for me, just learning. I’m playing for the top side — the champions — and for England and I’m really enjoying my football. I’m just as hungry as I was 12 months ago. I’ve taken great strides but still want to improve.”

Hernán Crespo has also learnt some painful lessons this season, most notably that perspiration will always be prized above inspiration in the mechanical world of Mourinho, but finally he had something to celebrate. Four minutes after Cole’s goal, the Argentina striker conjured an even better one, expertly controlling Lampard’s cross-field ball and cutting inside Jean-Alain Boumsong to score. His temperament may be questionable but his movement is magnificent and, as his enviable record of four goals in six starts this season suggests, there are no better finishers in the Premiership.

Damien Duff’s goal after 90 minutes lent the scoreline a slightly flattering appearance after a disjointed performance, although the champions were never troubled. Petr Cech made just one save in the match and with Titus Bramble and Boumsong looking like Laurel and Hardy, Newcastle were always going to concede.

“We made individual errors in the second half which cost us dear,” Boumsong admitted. “We knew they’d come out strong in the second half and we got caught cold. We all feel the club is going in the right direction, but when you are up against a team like Chelsea, if you are not at your best then you’ve got no chance.”