Chelsea were riding the crest of a wave between the Champions League final last May and the first competitive ball being kicked in Belfast against Villarreal.
What had felt like a mostly disappointing season had ended in the most spectacular of ways, a moment in time where a group of doubted players joined the icons of 2012's Munich triumph to skyrocket the club back to the top of European football.
This did not leave much time for serious introspection. Chelsea were champions of Europe, there was a sense of swagger from those on the Fulham Road. Anyone broader questions about the squad's quality felt inappropriate.
