Even when Portland had the ball they were content with holding it deep, hitting the channels when they could, using the pace of Darren Mattocks, Fanendo Adi and Lucas Melano.
The newcomer hit nine fours in all, played solidly off the front foot but used the pace of the pitch to punish anything short, rocking back with fine judgment.
Previously, at their free-flowing best, Villa would hit teams on the counter using the pace of the wide forwards, but that isn't really the case any longer.
It taught her never to take anything for granted, and over the years she has consistently remolded her game, learning to move like a Spaniard on the clay and how to use the pace of the court to her advantage.
Knowing a scoreless draw would be sufficient to send them into the last 16, Fiorentina were happy to soak up pressure and use the pace of Salah on the counter-attack.
Benítez's best hope appeared to rest with getting men behind the ball and thwarting his guests before using the pace of Atsu and Gayle to accelerate behind Pochettino's high defensive line on the break.
He's not been able to pick out a killer pass yet, however, and when Chelsea do lose the ball, Villa have been quick to break, using the pace of their front three to good effect.
They tried to use the pace of Kevin Lisbie to get behind Blackburn's defence but created little until the striker set up Radostin Kishishev late on, the Bulgarian being well denied by Brad Friedel.
England's plan was to use the pace of wingers Oxlade-Chamberlain and debutant Wilfried Zaha to get behind the Belgian defence and they set out full of running, with the wingers regularly switching sides.
Normally played in the closing overs, the premise is simple but the execution far less so; get in line with the ball, crouch – usually on one knee – and use the pace of the ball to flick it over both your own and the wicketkeepers' head down to the region between third man and fine leg.
