Our short trip to Craven Cottage to play Fulham on Monday evening follows the nine other fixtures on the opening weekend of the campaign and heralds a new dawn at Chelsea.

Xabi Alonso is preparing to take charge of his first game as our manager and several new players – including Rogers – are hoping to make their competitive debut for the Blues.

He may not have been at the Bridge for long, but Rogers is already acutely aware of the standards he and his team-mates are expected to meet. He wants to set the tone for the season right from the off.

‘There’s a process, and there being a new manager, it takes time to gel and fit perfectly, but we do want to hit the ground running,’ said Rogers. ‘We believe we've got the ability and the quality to.

‘The fans want to see their team perform to the level that they expect, and Chelsea Football Club as a whole expect to compete with every team and be right at the top of the league. That's our aspiration and goal.

‘It's about staying focused, and understanding it's a journey. It might not always go perfect, but with the right mentality, with the right mindset, we'll be where we deserve to be and where we need to be as a club and as a team.’

On a personal level, Rogers has been forming connections with his new colleagues as quickly as possible to ensure no time is wasted in getting up to speed. He has also taken information on board about what Alonso expects of him.

What is unknown is how the Premier League will pan out this season. Several clubs, including us, Manchester City and Liverpool, have new head coaches. There is a feeling among pundits that it will be an open division and, as always, anyone can beat anyone on their day.

‘It’s exciting times ahead,’ Rogers enthused. ‘I'm as much of a Premier League fan as everyone else. I know I play in it, but I'm still a fan when I'm not playing. So I want as much excitement as possible.

‘No one knows how each team will set up or how everyone will play, and that’s exciting. That’s why we watch the game and why we love the sport.

‘And hopefully, we're in the exciting element of it at the top of the table where we want to be.’