THE shirts, the sponsor and the club badge may have changed but Jose Mourinho's loveable arrogance remains the same.

In his assured Portuguese manner, Mourinho accepts the challenge to defend the Premiership crown this season will be harder, yet maintains there is only one place the trophy will sit in nine months time. Stamford Bridge. And there is no reason to disagree.

Love him or loathe him, The Special One delivered what he set out to achieve in his first season in charge and that was to end 50 years without championship success down the King's Road.

The changes to the way the players will look in the Blues kit this season have been designed to bring the club into line with the top brass across Europe.

Major sponsorship deals, a straight to the point club emblem and a shiny shirt are all clear indicators of how Chelsea are hoping to do things not just for this season, or the next five but for the long-term.

And in Mourinho they have a boss more than capable of keeping Chelsea at the top of the Premiership pile for years to come.

Beneath his bravado and rhetoric lies more bravado. With that in mind, plus the millions of pounds he is armed with in the transfer market, suggests Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and anyone else will have their work cut out in toppling them.

The expensive signings of Shaun Wright-Phillips and Asier del Horno - with the possibility of Michael Essien arriving growing stronger - have strengthened an already powerful super power.

Mourinho has reminded his old school and revealed to his new boys just what is required this time around - the overriding factor to come from his squad meetings was to ensure the quality that clinched the title can't disappear.

If Manchester United land Michael Owen then Sir Alex Ferguson's chances of becoming a Premiership winner for the first time in three years increase.

But, while it would certainly help close the gap, it is hard to see how even Owen's return to England can thwart Chelsea's progress.

In fact, with Arsenal shy of a Patrick Vieira figure in midfield and Liverpool still a little off a title challenge despite their European Cup triumph, Chelsea's biggest threat is themselves.

With a full compliment of internationals in their squad eyeing up success in the Champions League, the FA Cup, the Carling Cup and the league the main thing to guard against is they lose their hunger and desire - they must make sure they avoid complacency.

If that is avoided then Chelsea, who lost just once last season, conceding only 15 goals in 38 games, should have no worries.

The most enthralling battle this season will be the battle for the other Champions League places, with Tottenham and not Everton most likely to gatecrash the party this time around.

Mourinho claims 'the others will be better' and he's right. But he still expects, and so should the rest of us, that Chelsea will be celebrating once again come May.

Unfortunately for the neutral and poor entertainment value it's that predictable.