Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho says he has a squad capable of sustaining the "marathon" of a Premier League title challenge.
Mourinho is delighted with the character of his current line-up.
"The group is different. Costa is a man, Fabregas is a man. It's not about individuals, it's about the team profile. Chelsea last season were closer to winning the title than the season before. Then (2012-13) they finished third but only in the last game of the season. Before that, fifth, 20 points behind.
"If you generate in the team the feeling that you are not ready to compete for the title, you don't have that habit of playing every game for every point. You lose qualities. In the last years, Chelsea became a good team in knockouts, in Cup and European competitions and so on.
"In terms of competitive marathons, being strong every week, every game, fighting in every condition, at home, away, in rain, cold, in hot sun, I found a team that lost the ingredients you need to be champions. Last season, step by step, we recovered these. Some boys, like Eden Hazard, Oscar, for them it was something new to go in that direction. This season they are much more prepared."
