Best is yet to come says Duff

Duff set up both goals as The Blues edged past Middlesbrough with a late 2-1 win at The Riverside on Sunday.

Ranieri's troops did not perform at their optimum in the North East but, after going level with Manchester United and a point behind league leaders Arsenal, Duff warned that the best was yet to come from Chelsea.

"I wouldn't say we are going full pelt at the minute, the gaffer has got a big squad and he needs to chop and change some weeks," said Duff.

"We haven't really got a lot of momentum, even though we are getting the points. At times we are not playing the best football.

"But we have got the three points today, so we are happy enough.

"The next game could not come quick enough for us. In midweek, it was very disappointing, losing our first game in the Champions League in front of our home crowd.

"It was a bad game and a bad result, but thankfully we have got back on track today. It's definitely what we needed."

Ranieri once again tinkered with his side and made seven changes to the team that lost against Besiktas in midweek.

The Italian coach has defended his rotation policy and says that he is still searching for his favoured starting XI to challenge Manchester United and Arsenal for the title.

Ranieri played down his own side's title hopes, saying that he needs to find his best side first before he can challenge the top two.

"We are not close to Arsenal and Manchester United," he added. "They have a first XI and play together all the time - we don't.

"At this point I have a lot of players in good condition and why should I not make changes if these players have done well during training?

"At this moment, I chose this first XI, maybe in a week or one month I will have 'the' first XI but at the moment, no, I don't have that.

"Everybody is working very well and the first XI are the ones that play."