The silliness (and, it has to be said, enjoyment) steps up a notch with the arrival of star recruit Zava (Maximilian Osinski, husband of Nepalese-born Australian actress Dichen Lachman). Clearly modelled on the Serbian-Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic, he is a footballing genius, a goal-scoring machine, and a one-man love-in, with himself as both subject and object of his affection.

He’s also a bit of a Zen master, and his impact on the team is instantaneous and powerful. Picked by every pundit to be relegated at the end of the season, AFC Richmond are soon riding high, and challenging West Ham, improbably tipped to “win the lot” in a bit of punditry that could only have come from Americans with little knowledge of or interest in English soccer, for top spot.

But throughout it all, the real battle is inside. Ted’s wife has hooked up with the marriage counsellor, the club psychiatrist (Sarah Niles) has moved on, and even occasional lover Sassy (Ellie Taylor) thinks he’s in no state to go on a “real” date. Ouch.

With Nate eaten up by resentment and self-loathing, Ted by self-doubt, star player Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster) torn between narcissism and team ethic, it’s clear the real subject of Ted Lasso is self-belief. Too much, you’re a Zava. Too little, you’re a mess.