Cape Town - Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is determined to keep strengthening the 3-4-3 formation after the Blues won their 10th straight match, after the 1-0 victory against Sunderland on Wednesday.
It has been a remarkable run for the club and they now enjoy a six point lead over both Arsenal and Liverpool at the top of the English Premier League standings.
As such, Conte takes the view that opponents are trying to counteract his tactical approach although he won't stop trying to work on ways to make improvements.
He told reporters, "I am seeing that now, if you compare with when we started playing 3-4-3, many teams try to disrupt our play and our football, and try to avoid us developing our football.
"For this reason, it's important to work more and increase our confidence and knowledge of this system. But it's good to see the opponent change their system to block you."
The London-based outfit will no doubt feel they have a good opportunity to go into the new year with a dominant advantage.
Chelsea play struggling Crystal Palace away in their next encounter before facing Bournemouth and Stoke City at Stamford Bridge.