Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has inspired an incredible turnaround at Stamford Bridge in the last few weeks. His team have won five straight Premier League games, scoring 16 and conceding none in that time. A shift to a 3-4-3 formation and focus on player fitness are the obvious factors behind it, but there is another more unsung aspect to the revolution.
A new report by the Daily Mail has revealed just how important the video and IT analysts have become at Chelsea, with Conte placing significant emphasis on reviewing hours of footage in a bid to stay ahead of the competition.
It is said that the analysts are now the 'busiest people at the club'. Conte apparently requests various clips to be prepared for viewing each afternoon before he leaves for the day and will then often request several more to watch the next morning because of a fresh idea he might havehad overnight.
As such, it's not uncommon to find the former Juventus and Italy boss scrutinising video footage before training begins each morning. And if any Chelsea player is unsure about where they are supposed to be at a particular moment, the videos are gospel.
From placing 10th last season - the club's worst league finish since the 1995/96 campaign when Glenn Hoddle was manager - Chelsea rose to second in the standings prior to the international break after a crushing 5-0 win over a previously resilient Everton.
They nowsit just one point behind early leaders Liverpool and even have the chance to go top themselves, if Southampton are able todisrupt the Reds on Saturday before Chelsea face then Middlesbrough on Sunday.
To continue the discussion on Twitter follow @jamiespencer155