Chelsea 4-0 Wolves match report: The Sunday Mirror verdict

Who needs Guus Hiddink?

That might be a heretical thought at Stamford Bridge, where the ex-Blues boss is as popular with Chelsea fans as Jedward are with the great British public.

And following Russia’s failure to qualify for the World Cup, Hiddink is strongly rumoured to be returning as technical director.

But Carlo Ancelotti doesn’t seem to be doing too bad a job on his own.

The Blues are the runaway Premier League leaders and have already qualified from the group stage of the Champions League.

Before this routine thrashing of Mick McCarthy’s strugglers, Ancelotti praised his defence as the best back-line in the world.

Indeed, John Terry and co have now gone an incredible 16 hours and two minutes without conceding a goal.

And the midfielders and strikers aren’t doing too badly either. They have scored 30 unanswered goals at Stamford Bridge in all competitions since the opening day of the season.

Despite being without the injured Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Deco and Michael Ballack, the barnstorming Blues put Wolves to the sword to make it seven league wins out of seven at the Bridge. Since drawing with Barcelona in May they have won every home match.

It is an astonishing record – but there’s even more bad news for Chelsea’s rivals. Joe Cole, who was out for eight months after being injured in January, scored his first goal of 2009 – and looked like he was back to match fitness.

And 18-year-old Gael Kakuta, whose name has been synonymous with controversy, showed just what all the fuss has been about.

Remember Kakuta? Chelsea were handed a two-window transfer ban by FIFA after being found guilty of inducing him to break his contract with Lens.

The ultra-gifted youngster,  shrugged off the pressure with a fine cameo display which more than hinted at his jaw-dropping potential.

With his first touch, he glided past Richard Stearman and hit the side-netting.

Then, for half an hour, he teased and tormented a Wolves defence, who had been well softened up by his team-mates.

Ancelotti, who has described Kakuta as the best teenage footballer he has ever seen, warned fans not to get too carried away.

“We need to stay calm with him,” said the Italian coach. “He is very young.”

Poor Wolves, who have now gone seven games without a win, were shown no mercy in the west London rain. Jody Craddock gifted the home side an early goal, passing straight to Florent Malouda – who smashed the ball past Wayne Hennessey with his left foot.

Michael Essien then netted a brace – the first a header from Malouda’s corner, the second a shot which slid under the hapless Hennessey’s body – before Cole completed the rout following some great link-up play between Nicolas Anelka and Salomon Kalou.

Essien was desperate to take home the match ball and three times came close to recording his first Chelsea hat-trick.

“He is one of the most important midfield players in the world,” said Ancelotti. “He’s very strong and has a lot of quality.”

“We were happy to get nil,” admitted McCarthy. “We made mistakes. We didn’t clear the ball for the first goal. Then at 2-0 down it was a done deal.

“We weren’t expecting to get anything. They are as good a team as I’ve seen. Arguably, they will be champions. We are in a relegation fight. We should understand that now.”

With a bit more luck and accuracy, Ancelotti’s boys would have racked up double figures.

In January, the Italian will be deprived of a raft of first-team stars when the Africa Cup of Nations begins. At this rate, Chelsea will be so far ahead by then it won’t matter.