All does not appear to be well down at SW6.
Chelsea opted to face Manchester United without a recognised striker.
There are doubts as to the long-term availability of skipper John Terry.
Midfielder marvel Frank Lampard is playing with a broken toe.
And if that's not enough there is a sense that four key players might not be plying their trade come the end of August.
This is not the way we wanted to enter the first game of the season.
Birmingham City are newly-promoted and will be fired up.
Chelsea have to chance to break the Premier League record of undefeated matches at home - we want to be relaxed, happy and confident.
We cannot be any of those three.
Lampard will skipper the side on Sunday. Carvahlo and Ben-Haim will play centre-back.
Ashley Cole at left-back.
Who will play on the right?
Johnson was injured on Sunday, Lassana Diarra is one of the four players who might be off, therefore it's unlikey he will play for fear of injury.
Ferreria might just be fit and Geremi is gone.
Arjen Robben's future must be creating tension in the camp.
Officially he is injured, but with Real Madrid ready to buy, Chelsea will be looking to maximise their valuation for the player.
Michael Ballack reiterated his intentions to stay at the Bridge - and that is the only good news of the week.
Didier Drogba and Andriy Shevchenko are injured and Pizzaro not ready for a full 90 minutes.
Malouda is also injured, alongside another possible player to go Claude Makelele.
Joe Cole, ironically, is fit and raring to go - good luck, Joe.
Have I missed anyone else out? I'm sure that I have - you see, I'm tense.
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Also check out today's The Independent newspaper.
In the sports section your favourite webiste editor gives his view on the season ahead.!
They were given last week - a lot has changed in seven days.