Maurizio Sarri's son. Sideways passer. Short-ball merchant. Assist dodger. Frontrunner for the Premier League's unofficial Donkey of the Year award.
Jorginho was called all sorts in his first season at Chelsea. Even his own fans jeered him, apparently because he was a teacher's pet and cheerleader for 'Sarri-ball'.
How times have changed. Where once the sight of Jorginho on the front of the £3.50 programme might have prompted jokes about pricy toilet paper, he is now celebrated.
In the 87th minute on Saturday, after an afternoon of producing probing passes against a resolute Newcastle side, it was Jorginho's name that the supporters chose to sing. A starter in every game under new coach Frank Lampard, bar the EFL Cup win over Grimsby Town, he is now Chelsea's vice-captain and anchorman.
He is creating more chances per game. He is passing less — which isn't a bad thing — and when he does get the ball, he looks forwards rather than sideways or backwards.
At half-time, with the score 0-0, the buzzword for Lampard's team talk was 'patience'. He told his players to keep moving the ball between the lines, mix it up, use Jorginho.
They listened, and Chelsea got the win that takes them into the Premier League's top four for the first time under Lampard.
The young guns around Jorginho did their jobs, too. Callum Hudson-Odoi was particularly lively, while only an outstanding goal-line clearance by DeAndre Yedlin denied Tammy Abraham a goal.
Newcastle, on the other hand, did not manage a single shot on target and Steve Bruce admitted they need to work on making themselves a threat.
On this occasion, they put up a brick wall and it took the wicked left foot of Marcos Alonso to break it down. 'Before the game we prepared ourselves,' said Abraham of Newcastle's tactics. 'I worked under Steve Bruce myself. He loves his team to be compact and hard to beat.'
Abraham will continue to keep Olivier Giroud out of the team, and Lampard has promised he will speak with the Frenchman ahead of the January transfer window.
'I look at Ollie like an older brother,' Abraham said. 'I'm always learning from him on the training pitch and I've grown up watching him. I'm a visual learner. I like to watch and take people's ideas. Ollie is obviously not the fastest striker in the world, but what he has is unbelievable. His one-touch play, his hold-up play. He's always supporting me.'
Next up for Chelsea is a Champions League trip to Ajax, another team whose youngsters have been celebrated recently. This will be a real test for Lampard's kids. Keeping the ball and what they do with it will be key. That is where Jorginho comes in. Thankfully, he is now looking like the £50million footballer they signed last year.
VanishPrasad
392
That's because Lampard knew how to use him properly
Lanbdz
356
We all had reasons to say what we said about this player because of the negative way Sarri was using him. His system of play did not suit Chelsea and the English premier league at all at that time and eventually it was apparently observed by everyone that we were not going anywhere with that sort of play hence the supporters calling him all names and hating him for the way he slowed down play which was what his manager wanted. There comes Lempard and he advises his players to think forward always and stay focused at defending. Like Sarri Lempard is defending high up the pitch and by moving the ball fast and making defenders have no time with the ball but loose it quickly. We were all angry at seeing Kante play in a position we were not familiar with but we have come to realise why he is playing in that position now and we have also come to realise the role Jorginho is playing at Chelsea now as he changed overnight from a sloppy player to a pillar of the team. We are not fools and we appreciate the good a player is bringing to the team although seated up in the stands or in our comfortable chairs. Same with Kovacic, he wasn’t great last season but look at him now,a different player even though he hasn’t registered a goal for the club yet but his work is clearly noticeable. My opinion guys.