Guus Hiddink had spoken of addressing the "little details" in his first press conference as Chelsea manager, warning those present that "I won't be making many changes" during his short spell at Stamford Bridge. Yet the tweaks and touches have already had an effect of sorts. New manager momentum drove this team to a first win at Villa Park in a decade, but the man in the dug-out could reflect on the subtle alterations he has made with some satisfaction.
At first glance, not very much had changed. Two of the three changes in personnel from Luiz Felipe Scolari's last game were effectively enforced, with Ashley Cole suspended and Petr Cech fit again to replace Hilario in goal. Didier Drogba's inclusion for Ricardo Quaresma was more notable, though hardly surprising. Either through injury, suspension or a poor attitude, the Ivorian had been peripheral under the ancien regime. Last week's excursion at Watford had offered up a reminder of his qualities. To witness him barging through Carlos Cuellar midway through the first half was to acknowledge the forward has been revived.
Yet, natural impetus from the change at the top aside, how did this side's approach differ from that of Scolari's last team who had huffed and puffed to a desperate goalless draw at home to Hull City a fortnight previously?
The formation
That Drogba started a league game at all was something of a break from the old routine, the Ivorian having not begun a Premiership match since the debacle at Old Trafford a month ago. Under Scolari, who grew to favour a 4-1-4-1 set-up, Drogba's involvement would invariably pin Nicolas Anelka to the flank where the division's leading scorer would, in turn, skulk disappointedly. Hiddink asked the same of the Frenchman at times here, employing a 4-3-3 with Salomon Kalou on the opposite flank when the visitors were launching forward from the back. Yet, Chelsea were also capable of switching to something more resembling a 4-1-3-2 at times - an in-built Plan B? - when the ball was down their right, with Paulo Ferreira supplying a hint of left-sided width, albeit from deep. That allowed Anelka licence to drift infield in partnership with Drogba and, from a central area, he duly forced the Londoners ahead.
The full-backs
Michael Mancienne had revealed Hiddink's thoughts on full-back play at Vicarage Road the previous weekend. "Instead of our wing-backs pushing too high up like we have been doing the past few games, he wants one of them to cover back when the play is around the other side," said the youngster. Jose Bosingwa was included at the more defensively-minded Mancienne's expense here, but the Portuguese - a galloping forward runner in the autumn when all appeared so rosy at this club - checked his natural instincts admirably. This was a more disciplined display, mirroring Ferreira on the opposite side, with Anelka and Kalou asked to provide the attacking width more often then their wide defenders.
Defending, particularly from set-pieces
Chelsea still boasted the second best defensive record in the division under Scolari, but fragility had crept in over the last few months, particularly at set-plays. The Brazilian's reaction as aerial vulnerability prompted concessions from corners and free-kicks was to flit erratically from man-to-man to zonal marking systems, with his players increasingly bemused and rarely any more assured. Hiddink went for clarity. His appeared to be a man-to-man instruction, with John Terry tracking Emile Heskey at set-pieces while Alex dealt with the tallest of Villa's up-field defenders, more usually Zat Knight. Ashley Young's delivery still induced the odd flash of panic, as he might against the best defence, but it said everything about Chelsea's strength at the back that the home fans grumbled their way through much of the first period, and even when Villa pushed forward in the second half the visitor's defence stayed firm.
A week of training, in which Hiddink would rather have been bolstering fitness levels, has brought that much. The potential is clearly there for him to make a huge impact over three months in charge. The visitors were not outstanding here, only really threatening to run riot in the opening 25 minutes when they were utterly dominant, but their ability to contain, stifle and infuriate opponents seems to have returned.
The Dutchman appeared to be taking his Premier League debut in his stride, rarely breaking from the deadpan where Scolari would pace his technical area like a bag of nerves. He laughed and joked with John Carew as the players departed down the touchline at the interval. The final whistle brought a smile of satisfaction before the handshakes. His brief reign could yet do the same.
