Chelsea are in pole position to win both the Premiership and Champions League because they are a TEAM in every sense of the word.
The Blues may have suffered a setback with the 2-1 defeat by Arsenal on Sunday, but Michael Ballack insists his team are still the team to beat to the titles.
The emphasis on the word 'team' from the German midfielder this week appears to be a jibe at Liverpool, who were slammed for possessing great individuals but no solid unit.
Neighbour Jimmy Bullard at Fulham scoffed at the notion of a Reds threat to a west London challenge for honours after his team held the Merseysiders to a 0-0 draw at Anfield two weeks ago.
Bullard reckoned Liverpool had an awesome squad of individuals, but no team.
And when Ballack was asked if the Blues had the best midfield in the world, bearing in mind himself, Deco, Frank Lampard and the injured Michael Essien all jostling for position, the German reckoned the middle four was only half of it.
"I don't just think we have one of the best midfields in the world - but one of the best teams in the world," Ballack said.
"We're lucky enough have some outstanding players at Chelsea, but importantly we have the right mentality to be a great team and a team committed to the club and to each other."
Maybe the last part was a reminder to Didier Drogba, who's on-off move to Inter Milan was quashed this week by Chelsea themselves.
Meanwhile, Ballack shunned ideas he is ready to switch his leadership skills on the pitch for a coaching career off it.
He said: "I'm just happy to be a player at the moment - I don't know what will happen in the future."
The German captain's past as a child was not half as good as the future of west London kids able to make use of the club's Blue Pitches initiative launched this week in Battersea, Kensington and Fulham.
He said: "We didn't have things like this - we used to find space on the street or in the parks, but things are not so easy now especially for kids in cities.
"It's fantastic that kids and the communities have these type of facilities." ..SUPL:
