There was a time when pundits questioned whether Duff and Robben could be accommodated in the same team. The Dutchman’s invigorating effect on his teammates after making his debut left many speculating about the departure of Duff but the Irishman’s sixth goal in nine games yesterday, which proved decisive against Villa, underlined that he is not going anywhere.
The duo carried Chelsea’s greatest menace at Stamford Bridge, albeit intermittent as they struggled to shift up a gear to break down a resilient defensive unit, and combined to get the match’s solitary goal. Robben collected the ball just inside his own half on 30 minutes and, with the defence backing off, ran deep into the Villa half before picking out Duff on the right apex of the penalty box. The former Blackburn Rovers winger cut inside Liam Ridgewell and scored with a low shot.
Ridgewell was a little guilty of backing off for the goal, but generally performed well in his first start of the season alongside Olof Mellberg. Mark Delaney was shifted to right-back with Ulises de la Cruz moving up the flank into an inexperienced five-man midfield, which included 19 and 20-year-olds Steven Davis and Peter Whittingham, while Mathieu Berson made his first start.
The Frenchman did a decent defensive job, even if he was often wasteful with his distribution as Villa were rarely overrun. Indeed, they started the brighter of the two sides and the waspish Lee Hendrie found himself in dangerous positions on the edge of the box, though the shots came to nothing. After Duff had broken the deadlock, however, Juan Pablo Angel became more and more isolated on his own up front and Villa were reduced to long-range efforts by Whittingham and substitute Nol Solano.
The Premiership leaders were hardly peppering Thomas Sørenson either, though the Dane was forced to save well from Eidur Gudjohnsen and was grateful for John Terry’s wasteful header wide and Delaney’s header off the line from Robben. Delaney was taken off injured at the interval and David O’Leary, who noted that every member of his available 16-man squad was available yesterday, will have huge defensive worries ahead of next weekend’s match against Crystal Palace as Olof Mellberg received his fifth yellow card of the season. “We don’t have any more centre-backs at the club,” he said.
His Chelsea counterpart has no such worries with the London outfit still five points clear and in his own indomitable style Jose Mourinho heaped praise on his two wingmen. “Duff and Robben – everybody thought only one could play and in this team they play together and it’s fantastic,” he said, leaving you wondering whose back he was actually patting. “I think Chelsea last season played 4-4-2 and he [Duff] was a pure winger. Now he’s an attacker with freedom and that freedom gives him a chance to play and a better chance to score,” he continued, leaving you in no doubt.
O’Leary has handed four names for Doug Ellis to chase when the transfer window opens, but the list is unlikely to include either Robben or Duff. It is a pity too as for all their defensive poise the lack of attacking verve must be a concern for the Irishman.