Frank Lampard could only laugh. It was about halfway through the broadcast section of his pre-match press conference when one well-known questioner asked what his plans were for Valentine's night.
The room cackled collectively and when Lampard composed himself his answer was unsurprising apart from, maybe, the last part.
"Do you want the details? The finer details?" he said. "It will look something like Wolves against Leicester, a nice takeaway followed by Love Island on ITV+1."
It was the lightest moment of a session dominated by two topics: Hakim Ziyech's summer arrival from Ajax and the form of Kepa Arizzabalaga, who it seems is likely to start against Manchester United on Monday evening.
There was still room for a question about Tyson Fury's bout with Deontay Wilder - "I'm a big fan [of Fury]. He's a showman. I love listening to him" - and another about next season's Africa Cup of Nations, along with United's strengths.
Lampard is always careful with his words, measured to the point of frustration for those looking for a headline, and even when there are some loaded questions or a statement that could be twisted or misconstrued he always strikes a nuanced note.
Towards the end of today's press conference, for instance, he was asked which Premier League players Ziyech could be compared to. You're not striking him out with that curve ball.
"That's dangerous ground," he replied before expanding on the qualities the Moroccan will bring to Stamford Bridge, displaying the agility of a featherweight boxer to sidestep the question. "I won't say he is unique but he has an incredible left foot and an elegance about him. He can find a pass.
"I don't want to start comparing him because that's an easy headline to take the story that way but I see a player that can have a big imprint on the Premier League and our team. We've at times struggled to have the finishing touch and hopefully he can help that."
On Kepa there was the confirmation that the Spain goalkeeper has trained well this week. And while Lampard has already made his decision about who starts in goal, he would not make it public today.
“I have decided," he said. "Is he going to start?" came the follow up. “You’ll find out.”
But perhaps most tellingly Lampard seemed refreshed after the winter break. The next three games could be decisive in terms of Chelsea's top-four hopes and Champions League progress.
"I wouldn’t say I needed the break, I sometimes want a break but when I have it I want to get back to work," he said. "It can go like that. I do love what I am doing. I enjoyed having a little time away, refreshing feel and think about things, a small reboot for everyone.”
And what about the players? “A bit of a tan. I haven’t seen a really visible difference but I think it was a good thing." The biggest assessment of that will come about 10pm on Monday evening.
