It may seem a little hollow to send praise Chelsea’s way following their defeat away to Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League. But the pace at which Roberto Di Matteo has transformed his backs-to-the-wall Chelsea side into a group of entertainers has been astonishing.

It seems as if Roman Abramovich has finally found the right ingredients to put together a hugely entertaining and attractive football team, and after years of searching it turned out that the key to that forbidden door was in the hands of a former Chelsea player and West Brom manager.

His nationality would suggest otherwise, but there’s nothing remotely glamorous about Roberto Di Matteo. When the comparisons are made against Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti, the current Chelsea manager is the obvious odd one out. He doesn’t strike you as a manager who has just won the Champions League in unforgettable, albeit ridiculous fashion. He’s hardly made enough of a name for himself to have the other big names around Europe plotting an approach for his services. But somehow he’s managed to find the perfect blend for Chelsea’s previous success with the many they hope to have in the future.

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And on the backs of Oscar, Eden Hazard and Juan Mata lies the majority of that weight. What a collection of a attacking talent to have and carry out the orders from the top. There doesn’t appear to be anything ‘manufactured’ about this attacking trio. It’s not a group who have been put together on one of those mindless Saturday night televisions shows to compete with the natural diamonds of the music scene. This is a group very much brought up in the ways of the continental (and South American) style that has become so irresistible in recent years.

There has always been plenty to admire about the way Brazil play football and their game which at times, appears to hark from another planet. However, Spain have taken that on to another level and brought the once alien football a little closer to home. They've stunned opponents and stolen the hearts of many more onlookers. Everyone wants to emulate that quality but so few can.

The Chelsea transformation, which really only started last year, has been given a strong push forward by the introduction of Oscar and Hazard. Last season, the flair players like Juan Mata had to adapt, if only briefly, to the hard-working nature of the English grind. It was not his natural game but he rolled up his sleeves and became a winner on two fronts. It was a noticeably un-Mata set of performances last season, despite of course remaining the very talented player that arrived from Spain.

This season, however, he’s been joined by a set of players who are more than comfortable in the ways of the attacking, irresistible game. It’s a brand of fluid football that really makes you question whether you’re watching Chelsea, and all the while you’re reminded, attack after attack, what a wonderful spectacle is on display.

It was right of the journalists on the Sunday Supplement this past weekend to question whether Di Matteo would still be in a job if Guardiola instantly became available. But it seems as though the reality of Chelsea’s offensive game is so stunning that it hasn't quite hit home yet. A leader who is not Guardiola bringing this style of football to England seems absurd, and yet Chelsea are doing everything Roman Abramovich has ever asked for.

The speed at which the Chelsea attacking trio move forward is outstanding and there are certainly a few top teams in the Premier League who can learn from the manner in which they stream forward. It’s incisive and it’s devastating. It really does raise the question as to how good this team can be if Fernando Torres were back to his old self. We’re seeing hints of it, and his technical quality is certainly a perfect marriage for the three midfielders just behind him. But there’s always the sense of doubt about Torres - the speed of thought is lacking as well as that added burst of pace. However, it certainly doesn’t take away from the good Chelsea have done so far.

It’s always worth remembering that the season is still incredibly young and that any good team is likely to crumble at some stage. Oscar is certainly not used to the December and January games of English football, while you’d like to hope that the trio remain healthy and firing throughout the campaign. But it was equally worth mentioning just how incredible this Chelsea attack looks now. As the results continue to rack up, this group of players are sure to put Chelsea on the map as one of the most exciting teams in European football.