One of Mason Mount's greatest strengths is his versatility, the ability to slot into various roles depending on what Frank Lampard wants from Chelsea's midfield in any particular game.
It is true of several members of the squad - Cesar Azpilicueta, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz among them - but with the England player it is even more pronounced.
Mount has been effective on the wing and less regularly as a No10 but yesterday's win away to Burnley showed that his best role is as a No8.
The academy graduate was everywhere. No one had more attempts or made more passes leading to clear chances. He made three tackles, tied highest with N'Golo Kante, and pressed with an intensity that denied Burnley from getting into much of a rhythm.
"I'm a No8, a midfielder. I always have been," he told Chelsea TV at Turf Moor yesterday afternoon. "It's natural for me to play in there. I know I've started a bit wider this season but I loved playing in midfield, it's my position."
But to have Mount in his best role means that Lampard must stick with a 4-3-3 having favoured a 4-2-3-1 for most of the season so far as the head coach tries to figure out the right balance for a squad featuring half a dozen new faces.
As a result Kai Havertz will then need to play as a fellow No8 instead of his preferred role as a No10, though he also looked good against Sean Dyche's side. The German's work out of possession stood out considering there had been some question marks over his languid approach without the ball.
Looking at the wider picture, however, it is complicated for them to stay in that 'loose eight' role for every game because there are few suitable back up options for a system requiring such a high-energy approach.
Mateo Kovacic did not travel to Burnley having been left out of the matchday squad once more, while Billy Gilmour's games have come in a deeper role and Jorginho is not mobile enough.
N'Golo Kante sitting behind Saturday's pair looks like Lampard's best midfield but could they end up regretting the decision to loan both Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who both possess the legs required to do a job in such a demanding position?
It seems pretty certain that Lampard will switch things around depending on his available personnel, their conditioning and the opponents' strengths and weaknesses but he arrived at the most potent formula yet this past week.
