News

Duffy heading into Chelsea clash with confidence

Shane Duffy says Albion are heading into the New Year’s Day clash with Chelsea full of confidence after a morale-boosting win over AFC Bournemouth at the weekend.

By James Hilsum • 30 December 2019

By Paul Hazlewood
Shane Duffy in action against AFC Bournemouth

Goals from Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Aaron Mooy sealed a 2-0 win over the Cherries at the weekend, and Duffy felt that the result helped to ease the memory of a 1-0 defeat to Sheffield United in their last home match.

He said, “It was needed because you can get sucked into it [a relegation battle] with a few defeats, we were conscious of the fact that we weren’t at our best in the last home game.

“With that in mind, it was nice for our fans to see us win. We’re back here on New Year’s Day now and the games are coming round quickly. We’re excited about it and we’re ready to go again.

“There’s pressure in every game that you play, and we knew we were playing okay, so we weren’t too down about it. We believed that the results would come.

“We’ve played much better than that, but either lost or drawn the game. It’s what we needed at the minute, and it was good to go back to basics in terms of picking up a win and the clean sheet.”

20:50

MA+ members & STH only - Log-in required

An existing MyAlbion+ membership or season ticket is needed to view this content. Please note that new memberships take 24 hours to be active to view, registering today for Luton Town match streaming will not be valid in time.

Extended highlights: Albion 2 Bournemouth 0

The Irishman was one of only four players that kept their place from the last match away at Tottenham Hotspur on Boxing Day, and he highlighted the importance of everyone in the squad being ready to play their part.

“It’s important that we’ve got a competitive squad, because it means that everyone is improving to try and play well," he continued. 

“No-one can rest on their laurels, as we’re all being kept on our toes. We’re all heading in the right direction, and that’s what it’s all about. Some players get more game time than others, but no one is complaining about it.”

02:44

MA+ members & STH only - Log-in required

An existing MyAlbion+ membership or season ticket is needed to view this content. Please note that new memberships take 24 hours to be active to view, registering today for Luton Town match streaming will not be valid in time.

Jahanbakhsh and Burn

One of those players introduced to the side was Jahanbakhsh, and Duffy was overjoyed to see the Iranian score for his first goal for the club.

“I was delighted for him, as he’s a great guy that works hard and never causes a fuss. That’s why all the players were buzzing for him, because he works hard every day to try and improve.

“It’s been tough for him, but you can see how much he’s improved. Hopefully he can kick on now, as we’ve got a top player there.”