Jose Mourinho has stated he will deploy Ballack and Lampard together despite concerns there may not be room in the team for both players because of their similarity.

But Elliott, who enjoyed a successful three-year spell at Stamford Bridge, believes their styles will compliment each other with Ballack supplying the creative spark missing from Chelsea's midfield.

"It's all about quality and they give different things to the team. Lampard brings so much energy, particularly in the final third of the pitch," he said.

"If you look at their goalscoring records, Lampard will probably just about edge it, although Ballack has scored a few for Bayern.

"Ballack is more creative on the ball. He has the ability to thread a ball through and make the killer pass.

"They are different types of midfielder and I don't see a problem with them playing together - their styles will suit each other.

"The fact is they are two world-class players so you have to try and fit them in the same."

He continued: "In Claude Makelele Chelsea have the best holding player in the world. Michael Essien has great power, can break up attacks and can get forward

"Lampard is a class act as well but what Mourinho has lacked is a very creative midfield player. In terms of creativity on the ball, Ballack provides what was missing."

Lampard has rarely gelled with Liverpool's Steven Gerrard in England's midfield with observers pointing to their similarity as the reason, but Elliott insists that has little relevance to Chelsea.

"There are reasons why Gerard and Lampard don't play well together. For a start Premiership football is totally different to international football, and they could be better used," he said.

"Mourinho is an astute manager. He will know how to play them. Just because Gerrard and Lampard can't do it for England doesn't mean there's a question mark over Ballack."

Chelsea may start the season with a new formation with Mourinho abandoning his traditional 4-3-3 line-up in order to field Andriy Shevchenko and Didier Drogba in a two-pronged attack.

But using a midfield diamond would prove a real test of his man-management skills with Arjen Robben, Joe Cole, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Essien the likely victims.

However, former defensive hardman Elliott believes the formation is of minor importance when the team has so many match-winners with Mourinho taking a pragmatic approach.

"Mourinho is very flexible in his tactics with much depending on the opposition," he said,

"I think there will be variations of gameplan because Shevchenko is top class, so he might play two up-top with Didier Drogba there as well.

"There's an option for the diamond, for 4-3-3 and 4-5-1. But it's players who win games. Formations are just a basis of organisation.

"Mourinho has top class players so it's just about getting the right shape to compliment that."

Elliott is unconcerned that Mourinho will have trouble keeping all of his stars happy.

"Mourinho will have told the players they're at the best club, they're on the best wages, they have the best facilities and that they'll win things," he said.

"Football has changed - gone are the days when it's about 12 players winning things. It's 22 players and everyone shares in the success.

"That's the demand of the modern game and sensible players will realise that."