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Chelsea Comment: John Terry's Inspiration Reminds Manchester United What They Lack Without Cristiano Ronaldo
The Chelsea captain replaced the absent Portuguese winger as the big game difference-maker yesterday...
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Nov 9, 2009 12:30:00 PM
It was telling that, after Chelsea had defeated Manchester United 1-0 in a closely fought contest yesterday, Nicolas Anelka was unwilling to overstate his claim to the decisive goal.
"I don't know; I think I touched the ball, but maybe John [Terry] will claim it,” Anelka told Sky Sports after the match, with his captain standing next to him,.
For a striker not to fervently claim a goal is a rarity these days — just witness Eduardo’s actions on Saturday after the Arsenal forward’s misdirected lob was turned in by the head of Jody Craddock — but when Terry is the other man claiming the goal, it is understandable the Frenchman remained quiet.
After all, at Chelsea the 28-year-old is not just club captain, but also king of all he surveys.
He leads from the front, and his authority is never questioned — even when he knows he might be in the wrong.
"I got a touch on it, but I think maybe Nico got the second touch - but I'm still claiming it,” Terry said after the game.
"I was watching the stats before the game and I've never scored against them home and away.
"That wasn't the best of games, but I think overall we deserved it."
Whoever got the decisive touch, the goal was the defining action in a tense yet high-quality game.
The visitors came prepared and played well throughout, nullifying their opponent’s much-lauded attacking threat.
But despite a less than stellar performance, Chelsea came away with the crucial three points.
Now, who does that usually sound like?
Midfield stalemate | Teams nullified each other
United have long been the masters of grinding out crucial results, but yesterday that didn’t quite happen, despite their best laid plans that seemed to disrupt the rhythm of Carlo Ancelotti's men.
The game was there for them to take, but United have seemed to lack a consistent game-changing presence ever since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo during the summer — and Chelsea went on to show that in Terry they have exactly such a big game character.
There are those — perhaps rightly, it must be said — who don’t believe Terry is a world-class defender, that he is nowhere near as commanding without other top level players alongside him as is so frequently the case.
But yesterday was a shining example of everything else the Blues academy graduate brings to his side.
He gives clarity and direction at the back, and his uncompromising approach to physical confrontation intimidates his opponents and inspires his team-mates.
In big games, that can prove the difference.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but recent performances this season only go to highlight exactly how much Manchester United miss £80 million Ronaldo.
Wayne Rooney was in imperious form yesterday, but without anyone to support him up front his one-man show fell agonizingly short of making what could have been a crucial breakthrough.
In seasons past, Ronaldo would have been around to support the England striker and that breakthrough would almost certainly have been made.
All in vain | Rooney's efforts were not enough
But the Portuguese winger is now playing the lead role in Galacticos II out in Spain, and so yesterday at Stamford Bridge it was Luis Antonio Valencia who struggled gamely on the wings — and Terry who stepped up to make the difference.
That is not to say the game was without its controversies. Referee Martin Atkinson made many dubious decisions — against both sides – which left Sir Alex Ferguson fuming after the game.
"The referee was in a ridiculous position - he couldn't see anything," the Scot said about the decision to award the free-kick that resulted in the only goal of the game.
"He had a Chelsea player standing right in front of him and he didn't even move. It was a bad decision."
Ferguson’s rants against referees come so thick and fast nowadays that they are almost not worth listening too. Yesterday’s game was certainly a close one, but one decision from the man in the middle did not decide it.
Martin Atkinson did not instruct United’s defence to go AWOL from Frank Lampard’s resulting free-kick. Shorn of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand, they just weren’t able to keep the Blues at bay.
Easy option | Blaming Atkinson is typical Sir Alex
At the other end, despite being under equal pressure, Terry and the outstanding Ricardo Carvalho never faltered as they marshalled their defence and prevented a breach.
"Another clean sheet for us - we talk about the attacking players and midfielders coming back and working hard for the team, and that's exactly what we got," Terry said.
Consequently, they are now five points ahead of their rivals in the league table.
"That was exactly what we wanted coming into the game - we've been working on it all week."
This season United are struggling without their difference-maker of old — arguably the finest currently in the world game.
With Terry at the heart of defence, however, Chelsea seem to have no such problems.
Alex Dimond, Goal.com UK
"I don't know; I think I touched the ball, but maybe John [Terry] will claim it,” Anelka told Sky Sports after the match, with his captain standing next to him,.
For a striker not to fervently claim a goal is a rarity these days — just witness Eduardo’s actions on Saturday after the Arsenal forward’s misdirected lob was turned in by the head of Jody Craddock — but when Terry is the other man claiming the goal, it is understandable the Frenchman remained quiet.
After all, at Chelsea the 28-year-old is not just club captain, but also king of all he surveys.
He leads from the front, and his authority is never questioned — even when he knows he might be in the wrong.
"I got a touch on it, but I think maybe Nico got the second touch - but I'm still claiming it,” Terry said after the game.
"I was watching the stats before the game and I've never scored against them home and away.
"That wasn't the best of games, but I think overall we deserved it."
Whoever got the decisive touch, the goal was the defining action in a tense yet high-quality game.
The visitors came prepared and played well throughout, nullifying their opponent’s much-lauded attacking threat.
But despite a less than stellar performance, Chelsea came away with the crucial three points.
Now, who does that usually sound like?
Midfield stalemate | Teams nullified each other
The game was there for them to take, but United have seemed to lack a consistent game-changing presence ever since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo during the summer — and Chelsea went on to show that in Terry they have exactly such a big game character.
There are those — perhaps rightly, it must be said — who don’t believe Terry is a world-class defender, that he is nowhere near as commanding without other top level players alongside him as is so frequently the case.
But yesterday was a shining example of everything else the Blues academy graduate brings to his side.
He gives clarity and direction at the back, and his uncompromising approach to physical confrontation intimidates his opponents and inspires his team-mates.
In big games, that can prove the difference.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but recent performances this season only go to highlight exactly how much Manchester United miss £80 million Ronaldo.
Wayne Rooney was in imperious form yesterday, but without anyone to support him up front his one-man show fell agonizingly short of making what could have been a crucial breakthrough.
In seasons past, Ronaldo would have been around to support the England striker and that breakthrough would almost certainly have been made.
All in vain | Rooney's efforts were not enough
That is not to say the game was without its controversies. Referee Martin Atkinson made many dubious decisions — against both sides – which left Sir Alex Ferguson fuming after the game.
"The referee was in a ridiculous position - he couldn't see anything," the Scot said about the decision to award the free-kick that resulted in the only goal of the game.
"He had a Chelsea player standing right in front of him and he didn't even move. It was a bad decision."
Ferguson’s rants against referees come so thick and fast nowadays that they are almost not worth listening too. Yesterday’s game was certainly a close one, but one decision from the man in the middle did not decide it.
Martin Atkinson did not instruct United’s defence to go AWOL from Frank Lampard’s resulting free-kick. Shorn of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand, they just weren’t able to keep the Blues at bay.
Easy option | Blaming Atkinson is typical Sir Alex
At the other end, despite being under equal pressure, Terry and the outstanding Ricardo Carvalho never faltered as they marshalled their defence and prevented a breach.
"Another clean sheet for us - we talk about the attacking players and midfielders coming back and working hard for the team, and that's exactly what we got," Terry said.
Consequently, they are now five points ahead of their rivals in the league table.
"That was exactly what we wanted coming into the game - we've been working on it all week."
This season United are struggling without their difference-maker of old — arguably the finest currently in the world game.
With Terry at the heart of defence, however, Chelsea seem to have no such problems.
Alex Dimond, Goal.com UK
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