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The FC crew discuss how a Tottenham win over Chelsea Wednesday could impact the title race in the Premier League.
Harry Kane and Dele Alli believe Spurs can use their impressive 4-1 win as a confidence boost for next match vs. Chelsea.
FC's Steve Nicol says Liverpool and Chelsea look like teams that want the title, but don't discount the other challengers.
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Chelsea's 13-match Premier League record-equalling win streak has propelled them to the summit of the table, where they hold a six-point advantage over second-placed Liverpool at the halfway point of the campaign. The omens for title success look favourable; on each of the previous four occasions they have won the current format of the English league, Chelsea topped the table on New Year's Day.
Given a free reign by owner Roman Abramovich after a hesitant start, manager Antonio Conte has completely transformed the Blues' fortunes. The embittered dressing room of last season is now filled with the happy smiling faces of players who have embraced wholeheartedly the boss' football philosophy.
Speaking after the 4-2 victory over Stoke, Gary Cahill, captain of the side since John Terry lost his place through injury, waxed lyrical about Conte's influence and the support he has from the team, who are focussed and working hard.
It's patently obvious that Chelsea are a well-drilled, tightly-knit unit. Interestingly enough, amid the bevy of statistics being bandied around at the moment, there is one that states that Conte has used fewer footballers, 20, for Premier League games than any other manager this season to date.
It is often said about life that familiarity breeds contempt, but in football perhaps the converse is applicable. Given that this is the case at Stamford Bridge, could bringing in new players with lofty reputations during the January transfer window upset the newfound equilibrium in the Chelsea dressing room and have a potentially detrimental effect on results?
The Abramovich factor and the sale of Oscar for £60 million to Chinese Super League club Shanghai SIPG mean that Chelsea have an abundance of funds available to make at least one marquee signing, and with that comes the temptation to frivolously do so.
There are plenty of star names being linked with a move to the Bridge, among them Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk, Paris Saint Germain's versatile Italy international Marco Verratti, Monaco defensive midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko and Real Madrid outcast James Rodriguez.
Oscar will complete his move from Chelsea to Shanghai SIPG in January.
Each player possesses the athleticism, physicality and ability that appears well-suited to Conte's 3-4-3 system, but there is an education necessary to execute it, which isn't an overnight process and would perhaps be better suited to a summer training camp rather than midseason. Conte doesn't have the luxury of a winter break to work with new players as he did when managing in Italy.
Looking back at the January transfer activity in Chelsea's previous Premier League-winning campaigns, it's notable that with respect to big-name transfers in, they have been remarkably quiet. Juan Cuadrado is the only player of note to command a sizable fee when signed by Jose Mourinho from Fiorentina in 2015 for £26m. The Colombia international scarcely featured in Mourinho's plans for the remainder of the season, starting just four league matches before eventually getting lost in Chelsea's loan system and returning to Serie A to ply his trade with Juventus.
Currently, for the style of football he has elected to play, Conte doesn't have any weak links in his preferred starting XI. Thibaut Courtois, Cesar Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Gary Cahill, Victor Moses, Marcos Alonso, N'Golo Kante, Nemanja Matic, Willian, Eden Hazard and Diego Costa have consistently proven to be more than a match for any team and should injury or suspension present problems there are sufficient high-calibre players within the ranks to provide cover as and when required. Asmir Begovic, Branislav Ivanovic, Kurt Zouma, Nathaniel Chalobah, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Cesc Fabregas, Pedro and neglected £33m striker Michy Batshuayi are matchday squad regulars who know exactly what is required of them if they are pressed into action.
If any one of Van Dijk, Verratti, Bakayoko or Rodriguez were to sign for Chelsea in January, while credentials and fees would suggest they merit immediate selection, the current scenario at the Bridge suggests otherwise. If Conte is keen on bringing in a player to build for the long term and future campaigns that include European competition then fine, make the signing, but loan the player back for the balance of the season.
Why try to mend what isn't broken? For the purposes of winning the Premier League this season, Conte already has the players he needs to do the job -- high-profile new faces could make for an unnecessary distraction.
Mark Worrall is one of ESPN FC's Chelsea bloggers. You can follow him on Twitter: @gate17marco