Aston Villa 2, Chelsea 1: Lisa Smith's big match verdict

Oct 19 2009 by Lisa Smith, Birmingham Mail

Aston Villa 2 Chelsea 1

BRITAIN might be poised for a Royal Mail strike but one place you are guaranteed to get special deliveries is at Villa Park.

The country’s postal service is expected to grind to a halt this week with postmen staging a two-day walk-out.

But clearly no-one has told Ashley Young and James Milner that deliveries will be abandoned if their recent service to the defenders is anything to go by.

The wing wonders whipped the ball into the Chelsea danger area time and time again, providing their new centre-backs with the perfect crosses to head home and, in the end, that was enough to topple the Premier League leaders.

While the posties’ industrial action may affect the letters falling on to doormats this week, there will be no shortage of fan mail at Villa’s Bodymoor Heath training ground.

Villa stamped their authority on Chelsea by once again drawing on their impressive set-play routines. They ensured a red letter day for the home fans while heaping misery on Carlo Ancelotti’s multi-million-pound side – and that despite going a goal behind.

In recent games it has been goals from corners and free-kicks which have handed Villa the majority of their points – remember the corner against Manchester City for Richard Dunne’s debut goal and those strikes up at Anfield? They all came from set-pieces.

But to claim, as the Chelsea boss did at the final whistle, that set-plays are all Villa have to offer would be an injustice to a side who look like being genuine European challengers again this season.

It would, of course, be tempting fate to say this far-improved side has a chance of breaking up the top four after all the promise which faded away last season.

But Villa have quality now throughout the side and on the bench to boot. Something manager Martin O’Neill was quick to point out at the whistle.

The manager was indignant after Ancelotti’s claims that the set-pieces had been the only division between the teams.

“That is crazy talk, “ said O’Neill. “Chelsea say they were undone by a couple of set-pieces but there was much, much more to our game than that. There was excitement when our flair players picked it up throughout the game.