WHEN Alkmaar boss Louis van Gaal reeled off a list of Newcastle's principal attacking threats ahead of last week's UEFA Cup last-16 clash on Tyneside, it was telling that Damien Duff's name did not figure prominently among his thoughts.

Feted as one of the signings of the summer when he made a £5m move from Chelsea, the Republic of Ireland international has been a peripheral presence at best during his first seven months on Tyneside.

His form has been erratic, with fleeting glimpses of the quality that made him an integral part of Chelsea's back-to-back title successes breaking an extended period of largely unconvincing displays, and his fitness has proved equally unreliable.

A pre-Christmas knee injury sidelined him for more than two months - the problem was exacerbated by a brief return to action in mid-December - and once that was solved, a strength-sapping virus hampered his rehabilitation.

The result has been a combination of frustration and embarrassment. The former can be addressed simply by returning to first-team action, but the latter, a result of unfulfilled expectations on the part of Newcastle's supporters, is proving rather harder to shake from Duff's thoughts.

His performance in last week's first-leg success on Tyneside helped - the deft back-heel that led to the Magpies' opener was arguably the winger's most significant contribution since he scored the opening goal at Upton Park in September - but the 28-year-old continues to feel uneasy about how little he has contributed to his club's campaign.

This evening, with Newcastle standing just 90 minutes away from a third UEFA Cup quarter-final appearance in the space of four years, Duff has an ideal opportunity to put that right.

And while van Gaal might be dismissive of the Irishman's attacking threat, Alkmaar's shell-shocked defenders will hardly be relishing the prospect of facing a winger desperate to make up for lost time.

"When you join a new club, a big club, you're desperate to show your worth straight away, to prove to everyone what you can do, but obviously that didn't happen for me," said Duff, whose last European goal came against Barcelona in the Champions League more than two years ago.

"I came into this season without a proper pre-season behind me and I don't think a lot of people realise what that means. I didn't do a real pre-season, I've had a lot of niggles throughout the year and I was never sharp, which was obvious to see.

"But I'd like to think that I'm feeling more like my normal self now and hopefully that's shown. It's been really frustrating, but I have to get over that, keep working hard and hopefully show the fans what I'm all about. That's what I'm determined to do."

Duff's recent re-emergence has coincided with the adoption of a new training programme, designed specifically by Newcastle assistant manager Nigel Pearson.

The pair have attempted to build up Duff's physical strength without impeding his more esoteric attacking attributes and Pearson, due to become the first person to lead out an England side at the new Wembley when he takes charge of the Under-21s in nine days time, is delighted with the winger's progress.

The respect is clearly mutual, with Duff claiming that his much-improved showing seven days ago was a direct result of the training-ground re-think.

He said: "I've put in a lot of hard work on the training ground with Nigel, working on certain things, and that seems to be starting to pay off.

"I feel really sharp now and it's been great to work through a few things with Nigel beside me. It's been his first year as well and I've enjoyed working with him. We've been doing a lot of one-on-ones together and it's been good."

With Alkmaar sure to come flying out of the blocks as they seek to overhaul a two-goal deficit, this evening's game at the DSB Stadion is likely to provide a significant test of Duff's new-found resolution.

Despite his attacking credentials, the Irishman will be expected to do a fair amount of defending as Newcastle look to keep things tight in the early stages.

The concession of one goal or less will guarantee Newcastle's progress but, while Duff accepts he will have to rein in some of his more flamboyant instincts, he insists it would be a mistake for the Magpies to concede both territory and possession to their opponents. In the wake of the first leg, Antoine Sibierski claimed that Newcastle would be "sure of progressing" if they were to score on Dutch soil, hinting at an attacking philosophy that Duff was quick to endorse yesterday.

"I don't think we can afford to sit back over here," he said. "We did a bit of that in the second half at home and that's probably why they nicked a goal back in the end. I'm sure we'll just play our normal game and look for goals, that's what we have to do.

"I think there'll be opportunities to score. In Alkmaar's previous tie against Fenerbahce, I think they conceded five over two legs.

"To score four at home is always pleasing, and hopefully we'll nick another couple over here.