Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Football London
Football London
Sport
Daniel Childs

How do you rate Chelsea's new owners and the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge?

Few know what truly awaits Chelsea Football Club following the madness that was the final few months of last season.

In March after the sanctions hit there were fears, if eventually unfounded, that the club's entire existence might be at risk. A £4.25bn transaction emphatically answered those fears after the UK government approved the sale of the club from Roman Abramovich to the Todd Boehly and Clearklake consortium.

We are only a couple of months into the new regime but seismic change is already taking place, senior figures like Bruce Buck and Marina Granovskaia have gone, along with Petr Cech who had more influence than perceived in recent years.

READ MORE: Thomas Tuchel disagrees with Gary Neville's verdict on Todd Boehly's Chelsea transfer strategy

How much do you approve of your club's ownership?

Focusing on the new ownership and how they have handled the opening few months, is generally positive.

Although the loss of notable figures raised concerns from a transfer perspective, the freezing of prices of tickets was welcomed, plus the removal of the £2 admin fee that had been a bone of contention for fans when buying tickets for several years.

Boehly has been available and active in the summer trying to get deals done to improve the squad. And although some may lament his lack of experience or the feeling the club have overpaid on players this window, he has been aggressive and shown ambition.

When Abramovich left there were questions over Chelsea's ability, or willingness, to still bid near the top of the market, with Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly, it is clear Boehly is keeping to his word: he wants Chelsea to remain competitive.

How that plays out on the pitch remains to be seen, and how reflective this window is of future ones is equally unpredictable.

The future of Stamford Bridge and potential redevelopment remain key issues over the next 18 months, plus the fan-led involvement in the club given the consortium's backing of a golden share and shadow board which the Chelsea Supporters Trust proposed during the takeover process.

How do you rate the atmosphere inside your club’s stadium on match day?

It needs to be lifted after the end of last season. With only season-ticket holders allowed in due to the sanctions, it was a weird feeling, eventually leading to a sense of exhaustion by the time Chelsea played Watford in May.

The Bridge is notoriously one of the quieter grounds in the Premier League, though not that different to the issues many of the elite clubs run into given the expectation to win on most matchdays. And the feeling that unless the team goes behind or a big incident happens, games against teams outside the top six can feel a little mundane.

Thomas Tuchel needs to improve his own form at Stamford Bridge this season which could vastly lift the mood, ending with the lowest number of home wins in the Premier League last season since the terrible 2015/16 campaign.

Three of the first four home games this season are likely to spark a good atmosphere though. Up against bitter rivals Spurs on the second week before facing another London rival in West Ham with Liverpool near the end of September.

I've been fortunate enough to experience some great occasions at Stamford Bridge and in all fairness, you usually get a few throughout the season even if the accusation from rivals over noise is not totally unfounded.

Have your say on your club with our big Chelsea forum! Answer questions on everything from overall happiness with the club to how you think the transfer window has been so far.

READ NEXT:

Thomas Tuchel must avoid Antonio Conte warning to ensure Raheem Sterling Chelsea test is passed

Chelsea news and transfers LIVE: All the latest updates and rumours from Stamford Bridge

Full Chelsea Premier League fixture list for 2022/23

Thomas Tuchel and Chelsea face fresh questions after summer of change

Ben Chilwell position, Marc Cucurella plan: Tuchel Chelsea formation after £50m transfer

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.