These days, when Chelsea are playing, no longer do people talk about them parking the big blue bus, but more like purring along in a Rolls Royce.

Chelsea look like a well-oiled machine, while others are stuttering, having break downs and being left behind.

The Blues have started the season in great form and are already most people’s favorites for the Barclays Premier League title.

They were my tip before a ball was kicked and my opinion hasn’t changed.

There are a lot of ingredients that go into making a successful team, but the great title-winning sides have certain extra characteristics.

I never won the Premier League title, finishing third, was my best effort, but I have played against some of the great teams in top-flight history.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s treble-winning Manchester United team, Arsene Wenger’s invincible Arsenal side and Jose Mourinho’s record-points scoring Chelsea outfit were three of the best teams in Premier League history.

And I had the fortune, and misfortune, of playing against all of them.

That trio had the same star quality that I can see in this Chelsea side.

So what are the qualities that make up a great team?

A top manager This seems an obvious ingredient into any successful side I agree, but just like Sir Alex and Wenger, Mourinho will gain his team another ten points during the season on his own.

That is because he has the aura and personality to beat opponents before they have even set foot on the pitch.

World class keeper Peter Schmeichel, David Seaman and Petr Cech were all world-class goalkeepers and played a huge part of the teams success.

Chelsea have Thibuat Courtios in goal for them and he is already in that bracket, even though he is only 22.

A Solid AND consistent back four Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea all had one as have all the previous title-winners.

The centre back pairing of John Terry and Gary Cahill will get into nearly all the teams and certainly our national team (if Terry hadn’t retired from international football).

The full backs, Branislav Ivanovic and Cesar Azpilicueta, are near-perfect when they are defending in one-on-one situations and make the defence seem near impregnable.

The team player Roy Keane, Patrick Vieira and Claude Makelele were three of the most talented midfielders of their generation.

All three played a role for the team that sometimes meant doing the dirty, unglamorous stuff.

By that I mean the defensive work, breaking up opposition attacks and helping out the back four.

It’s not the role that’s going to get headlines, but it made sure the team could win.

Chelsea have a player like that in gritty midfielder Nemanja Matic.

Match-winners Sometimes a team is blessed with so many match-winners that opponents just struggle to cope.

That Man United team had Andrew Cole, Dwight Yorke, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, not forgetting David Beckham, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The invincibles boasted Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires and Freddie Ljungberg, with a young Robin Van Persie and Cesc Fabregas waiting in the wings.

Chelsea have so many talented and gifted players in their squad and right now any combination of them works a treat.

Oscar, Willian, Loic Remy, Andre Schurlle and Didier Drogba are just some of the match-winners that Chelsea have at their disposal.

Fabregas, Diego Costa and Eden Hazard can also give most teams migraines, let alone headaches.

But there are two things I haven’t mentioned that are just as vital – spirit and a winning mentality.

Chelsea display both these qualities in every game in abundance.

The team spirit is clear to see, the way they chest-bump and fist-touch each other if they get a teammate out of trouble.

A recovery tackle is celebrated like they have scored a goal.

The winning mentality is obvious to see – they are desperately hungry for victories.

There are never any guarantees for a win in football, but this Chelsea team do all that they can to get that victory.

Before anyone asks, I haven’t written this column wearing blue-tinted glasses.

In my opinion they are the best team in the league!!

I can see the title coming back to Stamford Bridge and deservedly so, certainly on current form.