It was over a year ago when there were still some question marks over Vinicius Jr. There was certainly exciting potential within the young Brazillian, in flashes proving to be quite captivating within a moment.
But like a superhero just discovering their new powers, we were still watching a player learning to control his gift and balance it into a more consistent threat. There were nice flicks and tricks, bursts of speed and inventive ideas, but he could still be nullified and go missing.
The difference between the Vinicius Chelsea faced in 2021 to 2022 best demonstrated the change in under 12 months and how quickly he had grown under Carlo Ancelotti's leadership.
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Some had even questioned whether Vinicius could become an elite talent to elevate the might of Real Madrid to another European cup. The answer was an emphatic yes in an incredible run where he and Karim Benzema were involved in a series of miraculous comebacks against some of Europe's best teams.
Off the back of his Champions League-winning strike against Liverpool in Paris, the 21-year-old is set to receive a new huge contract at the Bernabeu, elevating him to a new status in European football. That rise has felt pretty rapid, but it came with patience and trust.
When looking at Chelsea's current squad contains several young attackers that probably need more patience, the future of Callum Hudson-Odoi comes to mind.
The 21-year-old appeared to be on a fruitful track in the early months of last season. He was finally fit and was getting consistent minutes in his favoured left-wing spot, a position that had mostly alluded him since breaking through in 2019.
And he was impacting games, showing a level of guile and influence in the final third to meet the high expectations placed on him by Thomas Tuchel.
However, injuries cropped up post-Christmas and what could have been a transformative year for the winger turned into another one that failed to give us a clear answer. Is he good enough to persist on the left of Chelsea's attack?
With two years left on his current contract, Chelsea needs to make a decision soon over his future. And the rapid rise of Vinicius shows the benefits of believing in young talent, giving him the room to blossom.
The conversation around Hudson-Odoi has felt very stale for some time. It has been unclear whether the talent that shined through the academy can translate to the first team or if his development is best served elsewhere.
Tuchel's whole attack feels very uncertain this summer, with a number of players needing to consider their futures and the challenge for Tuchel to construct and more productive attack.
Hudson-Odoi could prove to be a game-changer, and given how young he is compared to his peers, the argument for patience is obvious.
