In fact, Xabi Alonso’s debut in the Chelsea managerial dugout on Monday 24 August will be just the third time we have played away at Fulham in the opening month of the league campaign. We won 3-0 there all the way back in 1965, while more recently Carlo Ancelotti, steered us to a statement victory early in a title-winning campaign.

Chelsea had already chalked up two wins – at home to Hull City and away to Sunderland – when we headed to the Cottage to round off a busy opening week of the 2009/10 season.

The Blues had battled from behind against the Tigers and the Black Cats to register 2-1 and 3-1 victories respectively. Good results, no doubt, but performances that left some questions to be answered.

Before the Fulham game, Ancelotti stated he felt the Christmas Tree formation – 4-3-2-1 – would serve his team best in away fixtures. Frank Lampard and Nicolas Anelka were the two players fielded behind Didier Drogba at the tip of the attack. Florent Malouda was deployed in a deeper midfield trio.

The Cottagers, managed by Roy Hodgson, used a 4-4-2 system that included ex-Blue Damien Duff on the left wing.

It was a gloriously sunny day in south-west London and the spirits of both sets of fans were lifted by the news that England had sealed an Ashes victory over Australia a few miles away at the Oval.

At the Cottage, meanwhile, Chelsea produced a performance of dominant possession and excellent movement. Just as pleasing as the displays from the attack and midfield was a defence that kept a first clean sheet of the season. In fact, Fulham, who would go on to reach the Europa League final, were not able to muster a single shot on target.

We did have to wait until the 38th minute to take the lead. From his deep central position, Anelka threaded a perfectly-weighted pass through to Drogba, who finished low beyond his future Chelsea team-mate Mark Schwarzer.

In the second half Anelka advanced closer to Drogba. The Blues set about pressing home our advantage and it soon became a question of when, not if we would score a second goal.

The answer to that question was 76 minutes, and once again the Anelka-Drogba pairing combined to devastating effect. This time it was the Ivorian who turned provider, slipping in Anelka who rounded Schwarzer to net in front of a Putney End filled with Chelsea supporters.

Two outstanding strikers working well in tandem had been the key difference between the sides as Fulham were dismantled on the banks of the Thames, leaving Blues fans excited for the season ahead.

'Nicolas is a very complete striker,’ said Ancelotti afterwards. ‘He can play in the centre, he can play on the right or the left position and he can play behind the striker.

'But not only did Drogba and Anelka work well together on the pitch, all the team worked well together on the pitch.'

Drogba added: ‘There is no doubt we can play together. We are intelligent people who can play together well, we just needed some time.’

Ancelotti’s acknowledgement of Anelka’s versatility proved prophetic. With the Blues struggling to fashion openings as autumn turned to winter, the Italian manager – currently in charge of Brazil at the World Cup – shifted to a 4-3-3 shape.

That meant Anelka being deployed wide on either flank, with Drogba in a central position. Lampard added thrust from deep, and quickly the goals began to flow in record-breaking fashion.

Seven were scored past Sunderland, Aston Villa and Stoke, while Wigan were hit for eight on the title-sealing final day, with Drogba completing a hat-trick and Anelka bagging a brace. Between them they were responsible for 40 of the 103 Premier League goals we scored that season, as well as registering a combined 19 assists.

And it was on a lovely summer’s day at the Cottage that Chelsea fans first got a glimpse of just what the two attackers were capable of under Ancelotti.

Fulham 0-2 Chelsea - Sunday 23 August 2009

Chelsea (4-3-2-1): Cech; Bosingwa (Hutchinson 85), Carvalho, Terry (c), A Cole; Ballack, Mikel, Malouda; Anelka, Lampard (Deco 80); Drogba.
Scorers Drogba 38, Anelka 76.

Fulham (4-4-2): Schwarzer; Pantsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky; Gera (Kamara 62), Murphy (c) (Baird 69), Etuhu, Duff; Dempsey, Zamora (Nevland 74).