So who is enjoying the US tour most so far?

Carlo Ancelotti has on several occasions declared himself happy with the way the team is performing, and FA Cup Final scorers Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard will be pleased to be among the goals again.

Even if Daniel Sturridge was not totally satisfied with his game in Seattle, winning debuts for both he and Ross Turnbull must bring satisfaction.

However for real celebration and smiles throughout Chelsea's trip to the States, the place to be is with Chelsea in America at one of their events throughout or in their block booking of seats in the stadia.

Doing their bit to make sure Chelsea are followed over land and sea, a mixture of fans who are resident in America and others who have travelled across the Atlantic to see the four games are letting Chelsea in America look after them and keep them busy.

Affiliated as one of the club's official overseas supporters clubs, Chelsea in America is active all year round but it has been during the five summer tours to their part of the world that the pace really hots up. The scale of what they are organising in 2009 is impressive to say the least.

'It all starts with getting the match tickets,' explains Beth Wild, secretary of Chelsea in America.

'We sort the tickets because in America they don't understand why four or five hundred people would want to sit together, and I have been working with the US promoter for a couple of years over that.

'One of our guys then stepped forward who works in the travel industry so he was able to negotiate us prices for all the hotels. And then we try to plan an event each day.'

Choosing a pub in each city that's recommended by local fans, this is the meeting point before and after matches and on the night before the games. That's when Neil Barnett hosts something akin to a raucous version of one of the Chelsea TV phone-ins, with a question and answer session with Tommy Langley and Steve Finnieston, both of whom played for Chelsea in matches in the States in the 1970s.

On recent tours Kerry Dixon, Charlie Cooke and Frank Leboeuf gave similar evening entertainment to the fans.

Speaking on a baking afternoon in a bar in Pasadena on the afternoon of the match v Inter, Beth Wild describes herself as a 'Chelsea Mom' and it's easy to see why. When it is decided that it is too hot for the planned two-mile march to the stadium, without fuss three coaches are laid on for the gathered fans.

Flags, t-shirts, food, a quiz night in Dallas, a tour of famous baseball ground in Baltimore, Chelsea in America (CIA) badges and wristbands, a supporters' football tournament in Los Angeles with shirts donated by the US Megastore, Langley and Finnieston as refs, and prizes donated by adidas amongst others are all part of what has been organised.

A couple of dollars on top of match tickets has helped finance it all and there is an event to raise money for the Past Players' Trust.

It all ends with a party at Beth's house. A Chelsea fan since 1981, she lives in Texas.

At its maximum, just under 700 fans are attending a game with Chelsea in America, word of mouth and fanzine publicity having attracted supporters over from England.

'Whenever we go over to England to watch Chelsea, we are always treated so well that we want to take care of them when they are in our house the same way they take care of us,' explains Beth.

It is hoped that Chelsea in America's growing membership will reach 500 this year and it operates with regional branches.

'Our biggest challenge is that in the United States, if you are a Yankees supporter you put on a baseball cap. If you are a Cowboys supporter you buy a shirt. They don't understand the supporters' club,' points out Beth.

'So it is a matter of explaining it, and doing events so people see a group in a pub every Saturday morning and say that group are having so much fun, I want to get involved.'

'We believed that the demand was out there from the new supporters as Chelsea began to become more global,' adds Andy Burbidge, Chelsea in America's treasurer and an ex-pat Englishman who went out for three months' work 20 years ago and never went back. He now lives in Michigan.

'They needed an identity, something to belong to, and that is the crux of it, it is a family.

'We have a website, a bulletin board, podcasts, webcasts, twitter. It is such a large country that it is not realistic for everyone to meet each other except once a year in summer, and those are ways for everyone to have communication.

'They are hungry for knowledge about the team, the history, and we can teach them our songs, our culture. For them getting up at four in the morning, coming down the pub, standing with their mates, that is their Chelsea experience. They won't go to the UK for years, often they are young people and they can't afford it, and they want to emulate what it is like being down at the Bridge the best they can.

'One thing that has pleased me is the mix of old school and new school, and men and women,' Andy adds.

'When we first started there was concern that the old school back home might ostracise the Americans and the first time we got everyone together and did a tour over there, some of the locals were getting upset at these Yanks coming over, taking the seats, but now a lot of people have met these Americans and they realise that okay, they have only been supporting Chelsea for a few years but and the passion is no different.

'Chelsea in America has developed a lot of respect back in England and there are season tickets holders who take our members under their wing, take them to the pub first and give them the Chelsea experience.

'We are about recreating the culture, not just getting together in a pub once a week to watch the games.'

Click on Chelsea in America for their website.

Click here for information on official overseas supporters' clubs.