Analyzing the Importance of Nemanja Matic to Chelsea's Early Success

In every dominant team that modern football has seen, there's always been one or two guys in every side that has slide under the radar somewhat.

Naturally, all of the headlines among hugely successful football teams are dominated by the guys who do the damage up top. Think Arsenal's "Invincibles" of 2003/04 and the goalscoring prowess of Thierry Henry. Even Chelsea's early sides during Jose Mourinho's first spell in charge of the club had Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba doing most of the damage.

This current Chelsea side is no different, with the likes of Eden Hazard, Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa getting the plaudits for the Blues' unbeaten start to the Premier League season.

But sitting just behind the attacking creativity Chelsea possess is a man who is happy to soak up pressure and let the rest of the side attack with fluency and potency.

It was a brave move for Mourinho to bring Nemanja Matic back to Stamford Bridge, after the club effectively used him as a pawn in the deal to sign David Luiz back in 2011. The 26-year-old left Chelsea as an attacking midfielder who didn't have much of a future in the Premier League, but he has massively reinvented himself during his time in Portugal.

Matic has reverted to a much deeper role, one that allows everyone in front of him to surge forward without fear of being sprung on the counter-attack. All of Chelsea's recent sides have had excellent holding midfielders, with someone like Claude Makelele being a prime example of that.

And Matic's influence on Chelsea is arguably even greater than that; in fact, there are grounds to suggest he has been Chelsea's most important signing of the past 12 months.

FERNANDO BUSTAMANTE/Associated Press

All you need to do is examine his statistics this season to see how valid that statement is. He's played each and every minute of Chelsea's Premier League and Champions League campaigns this season, with his defensive figures in particular standing out.

Well over three tackles per game in the league, which rises to an astonishing 6.8 in the Champions League, per WhoScored.com, are impressive figures. He makes nearly three clearances per game in the Premier League, which underlines just how important he is to a Chelsea midfield that predominantly loves to attack.

Indeed, his average defensive actions per game are only bettered by Chelsea defenders; in fact, no other Chelsea midfielder comes relatively close to matching Matic's figures, per Squawka.

When the curtain falls on Chelsea's season, it is likely the goals of Costa and the creative flair of Fabregas and Hazard are what will be forever remembered. But without the calming influence of Matic sitting beside them, it's safe to assume that Chelsea would be nowhere near as successful.

In terms of important players for the Blues so far this campaign, Matic should be rightly sitting near the very top of the list.