Given that Chelsea's abject start to the season has been compounded by a frustrating summer transfer window, Blues supporters have had little to cheer about recently.
The reigning Premier League champions may only be four games into the defence of a title won so comprehensively last term, but two defeats, a draw and a precarious win has dented the confidence of fans, and they will be hoping manager Jose Mourinho can turn the club's fortunes around swiftly after the international break.
Things might not be going quite as planned on the playing front at Chelsea, but with impeccable timing the London club deflected attention away from the challenges Mourinho faces by showcasing this week the latest plans for the redevelopment of Stamford Bridge.
Billed by the club as a "neighbourhood exhibition," the "public consultation process" commenced with local groups in May 2014 and gathered significant momentum in June this year when drawings depicting 'The Story of Stamford Bridge Grounds" past, present and future were shared at the stadium in an art gallery-style format with spectators and neighbours.
There was much to admire about the new stadium concept of Swiss architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, the men commissioned by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich to completely transform the Bridge from its current 41,663 capacity to a £500 million, "cathedral of sport" capable of housing 60,000 spectators, but the drawings also raised plenty of questions from an aesthetic point of view.
Principally, it was difficult to visualise how the new stadium would meld with its surroundings -- and what the matchday experience would be like for supporters. The latest exhibition certainly went a long way to addressing both concerns.
The consensus among visitors and across social media sites is that Chelsea's futuristic Stamford Bridge home will have a "wow" factor that will put the club in a league of its own, compared to other stadia. It is important and positive feedback for Abramovich and his minions, as they consider the risk of disenchanting existing season-ticket holders -- who are the Blues' lifeblood -- by failing to address concerns related to the development.
Among these, spectator view, atmosphere, seat continuity, ease of access and catering are now under the Chelsea microscope, with supporter opinion having been gathered at previous consultations and assimilated, with findings presented at the exhibition. Spectator view is the priority, closely followed by atmosphere.
While the new stadium is tiered in such a way as to afford an unencumbered view of the pitch to all spectators, there is no guarantee as yet that the club will create an environment that lends itself to generating the traditional football atmosphere that many Chelsea fans crave.
As the development progresses, well-organised bodies like the Chelsea Supporters Group will be championing the case for safe standing areas and young adult ticket concessions, which would help counterbalance the atmosphere-neutering effect of corporate areas in modern stadia.
Wembley, where Chelsea look increasingly likely to be playing their "home" games for three seasons commencing in 2017-18 while the Bridge is redeveloped, is a prime example of how atmosphere can be dampened by poor planning. With the middle tier at the national stadium playing host to corporate guests, any "wall of sound" generated is, more often than not, cut in half by spectators more interested in the prawn sandwich hospitality on offer in the boxes behind them than the football they have been invited to watch.
Atmosphere has certainly been a sensitive topic at Stamford Bridge since Mourinho returned in 2013 and, without understanding the underlying reasons, the Portuguese has incurred plenty of wrath among match-going supporters for barbed comments occasionally directed their way in respect to getting behind the team.
Provided the London club are prepared to empathise with, and understand the expectation and hopes of match-going supporters, then the current wave of optimism for the new stadium will be propagated throughout the period of redevelopment and Mourinho should have no cause for complaint should he still be in charge when Chelsea return to the Bridge at the start of the 2020-21 season.