Chelsea boss Roberto di Matteo says he isn't trying to force upon the players a new playing style.

Di Matteo described the evolution at Chelsea as a natural process given the signings made over the past couple of years, but it is also a pragmatic choice.

"Our belief is that with the players we have it is our best chance to win games playing like this," said the Italian.

"We believe it is the best solution. We don't want to just be playing nice but lose. We play in a certain way to win games. It is the ability of the players that really allows you to do this.

"As a manager you need to be able to adapt to the players you have at your disposal,' he added, 'because there is no point playing a way that your players are not comfortable with, or don't have the characteristics for, and last season it was right to go that way with the players we had, and this season we believe it right to go this way and it gives us the best chance."