Chelsea’s Pedro unable to produce the goods as West Brom salvage point at Stamford Bridge

Gus Hiddink’s admission that he considers the blooding of young players to be part of his remit for the remainder of the season does not sound particularly promising for the big-money signing, writes Greg Lea.

Five months after a fantastic debut against West Brom, Chelsea's Pedro came full circle at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. AFP PHOTO / JUSTIN TALLIS

After a topsy-turvy few months in the Premier League, August now feels like an awfully long time ago.

West Bromwich Albion's trip to Chelsea on Wednesday night was the return fixture of both sides' third game of the campaign, when Jose Mourinho's champions recorded their first victory of the season with a 3-2 triumph at the Hawthorns.

Having taken one point from a possible six before that, it was widely anticipated that the win over Tony Pulis’ men would spark Chelsea into life and kick-start their title challenge.

Instead, that success – rather than the draw and defeat that preceded it – proved to be the aberration. Chelsea won just three of their next 13 matches, a run that culminated in Mourinho’s dismissal in mid-December.

Online gallery: Liverpool hold Arsenal in draw, Leicester get signature win over Tottenham – EPL in pictures

The most notable feature of that victory over West Brom was the performance of Pedro, who was making his debut after sealing a £21m move from Barcelona three days previously.

The winger was superb all afternoon, his speed and direct dribbling causing plenty of problems for the hosts. He added thrust and vigour to the Chelsea attack and deservedly took home the man-of-the-match award after a display that featured a goal and an assist.

Unfortunately for Chelsea fans, that initial appearance was not a sign of things to come.

Read more: Six strikers Chelsea should consider signing in the January transfer window

Pedro has largely underwhelmed since that August afternoon. Against the same opposition on Wednesday during their 2-2 draw, he was withdrawn at half time following another subdued showing.

Kenedy, the 19-year-old Brazilian who replaced him at the interval and forced Chelsea’s second goal, was far more effective than his more illustrious team-mate.

With Eden Hazard set to return from injury in the next couple of weeks, Pedro may soon find himself pushed right down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge.

West Brom were good value for their point in the end: the visitors created numerous chances and recorded four more shots on target than the hosts, who forced Boaz Myhill into a save on only one occasion.

Perhaps, though, Pulis’ charges would have found it difficult to get back on level terms had they not been given a helping hand from Pedro.

Chelsea were second best for the majority of the first half but had started to wrestle back control from West Brom before Pedro was caught in possession inside his own half by Darren Fletcher, who supplied Craig Gardner for the equalising goal.

It was a superb strike from the midfielder, who drove the ball past Thibaut Courtois and into the bottom corner from 30 yards out, but the concession from Pedro was sloppy, as Hiddink acknowledged when asked why he had substituted the Spaniard in his post-match news conference.

“We were disappointed with the goal but we did not anticipate on this loss of possession of the ball,” he said. “We are also in a period where we want to give the youngsters [such as Kenedy] a chance.”

Making up for such a costly error with a moment of magic at the other end would have been the ideal response, but Pedro was again unable to produce the goods.

Decisive interventions in the final third have been rather rare for the 28-year-old this term. He has contributed only one goal and two assists since Chelsea’s last meeting with West Brom 18 Premier League games ago; while there can be no questioning Pedro’s talent and pedigree, it is clear that English football has not yet seen the best of him.

Hiddink’s admission that he considers the blooding of young players to be part of his remit for the remainder of the season does not sound particularly promising for the big-money signing who turns 30 in 18 months’ time.

READ ALSO: Chelsea's Guus Hiddink happy to work with feisty Diego Costa

Kenedy will have played himself into his manager’s thoughts with his second-half showing, while 19-year-old winger Bertrand Traore will also hope to receive a chance or two before the campaign’s denouement in May.

Five months after a fantastic debut against West Brom, Pedro came full circle at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

It was arguably the nadir of his Chelsea career to date, and how he responds to it could determine his future at the club.

Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport