Former Chelsea midfield ace Joe Cole believes the arrivals of Edouard Mendy, Thiago Silva and Ben Chilwell at Stamford Bridge during the summer have been vital to the Blues' impressive start to the Premier League campaign.
After securing a fourth-placed finish at the end of Frank Lampard's maiden season in charge at Stamford Bridge last term, the Chelsea hierarchy felt the time was right to loosen the purse strings and spend big in an effort to turn themselves back into genuine title contenders once again.
In total, the Blues spent more than £220million during the summer, signing both attacking flair and creativity, as well as strengthening their faltering defensive-line.
Arguably, it was the arrivals of Hakim Ziyech, Kai Havertz and striker Timo Werner that were the headline additions. However, it is Mendy, Silva and Chilwell who have caught the eye of many, with the trio having played a key role in improving the Blues' defensive qualities.
And for former Blues midfielder Cole, it is those three that have been vital in allowing the likes of Ziyech, Werner and the rest of Chelsea's attacking stars to strut their stuff at the top end of the pitch.
"Prior to the Everton game, they were on a run of 17 games undefeated, so it is clear that there is quality there," Cole told Amazon Prime ahead of the Blues' clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux on Tuesday evening. "Thiago Silva has come in, alongside the goalie [Mendy], and it has just sured everything up.
"I think Chilwell, as well, has been a big part of that, because last season they never settled with a first-team left-back; it was Emerson and [Marcos] Alonso that could not quite nail down that start. But Chilwell has done well.
"So, the back-five have really been the catalyst for the rest of the squad to go on and score goals.
"Everything is looking rosy, but the Premier League is so tough."
Though the Blues have improved massively in the defensive department, after boasting the worst record of the clubs that finished inside the top 10 last season, Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Everton highlighted that the Blues have not completely eradicated mistakes from their game.
Mendy and Silva were involved in a defensive mix-up, which resulted in the former bringing down Everton ace Dominic Calvert-Lewin for a penalty.
And with that in mind, fellow Amazon Prime pundit Paul Scholes believes mistakes are still going to creep into Chelsea game, though he does believe Saturday's events at Goodison Park may have been a one off.
Scholes said: "As I have said, I love Thiago Silva, I think he has been an unbelievable centre-half in his time. At 36 years of age, I think it is a very difficult league to come to.
"He will not have played against many centre-forwards like Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who made it really difficult for him. As well as that, the 'keeper, for the first time on Saturday, looked a little bit shaky.
"Frank, though, will be hoping that is just a one off.
"Chelsea are a really good team going forward. I think they can be devastating at times with Werner."
