Message from Mourinho: Watch your backs

And in that statistic, in the Goals Against column more than the Goals Scored, lies the story of Chelsea8217;s success, and the chief reason why they are such overwhelming favourites to lift the Premiership trophy come May. Robben and Duff have thrilled but the back five have thwarted.

Indeed, don8217;t bet against Chelsea breaking another record this season: the least goals conceded. They have let in eight so far; the record, set by Liverpool, is 16.

It is easy to forget, in the backdrop of Arsenal8217;s brilliance last season and Manchester United8217;s thrilling football in their treble-winning year and subsequently, that scoring goals is only half the business and, as Real Madrid can testify, not always good business. Championship-winning teams 8212; especially those involved in three-way races 8212; build from the back.

One needn8217;t go too far back in time to look at examples: Manchester United8217;s domination of the Premiership was based on a bedrock of three players: Schmeichel, Bruce and Pallister, the latter two the key central defensive pairing. The spotlight was on Cantona and Hughes but the real stars played at the back.

United8217;s bad seasons of late have come about because of defensive problems. This season began the way the last season ended: on a bad note, and both times because of Ferdinand8217;s absence from suspension. In 2002, they were undone by the bizarre goalkeeping habits of Fabien Barthez.

Arsenal fans, too, would admit 8212; if they search deep down inside 8212; of just how safe they felt, of just how much confidence they had in their team8217;s winning abilities, not over 90 minutes but over a season for that is the real currency of football, when they had the Famous Five in their defence. They may not have had Henry, Pires and Reyes but they would not have blown a lead as they did in 2003 and as they look like doing now.

Even during their glorious unbeaten run Arsenal always looked like they could be beaten by any team that stood up to them. Manchester United did it in the FA Cup, Chelsea 8212; Old Chelsea, at that 8212; in the Champions League. Wenger8217;s avowed policy 8212; they score one, we score two 8212; had its limitations.

New Chelsea are not just an expensive upgrade on Claudio Ranieri8217;s team; they are a completely new model, organically different to anything the luckless Italian put out. Cech, for one, is the best example of just how important a good 8217;keeper is to a team. There was an opinion that Chelsea were being indulgent buying him when they already had Carlo Cudicini, last season8217;s best keeper in the Premiership. Now we know better.

True, Mourinho inherited most of the others 8212; Gallas, Terry, Bridge 8212; but he took a bunch of good defenders, added a couple more and made them a great back four. With plenty of cover to spare.

There is still some distance left in this Premiership season and Chelsea face their first real test 8212; on two counts 8212; on Sunday. They host Manchester City, the only team to beat them in the league so far, and they do so without Robben, out injured for the next two weeks.

It shouldn8217;t perturb Mourinho too much if at all anything perturbs him. He knows a goal will come from somewhere, maybe even from Terry who has seven in all matches this season. Then it8217;s back to the back five.

It almost sounds easy.