Blues are feared again, insists Terry

By Adrian Curtis

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

CAPTAIN John Terry insists Chelsea are becoming a feared team once more as he prepares to lead Carlo Ancelotti’s side through an 11-day period that could go a long way to defining their season.

Terry wants the Blues to rise to the challenge and get through four games without a blemish. Victory over Porto will earn Chelsea first place in Group D but Terry is also casting his eye over two Premier League blockbusters against Arsenal and Manchester City as well as a quarter-final Carling Cup tie against Blackburn.

Some of his England colleagues have already told Terry that, under Ancelotti, Chelsea are becoming a side to be feared again and Terry is prepared for real battle over the next 11 days.

"We know here what it takes to win major titles, and we need to produce that now," said Terry.

"It takes winning runs. It takes periods when you keep on top, striding from result to result. Good performances, strong performances, dogged performances, and everyone in the squad playing their part.

"When we are away with England, players from other teams tell us they are fearing us again. We have got a good chance of going on to do great things this year.

"Porto in the Champions League. If we win, we win the group with a game to go. Not many teams win in Porto but we can do it. Arsenal and Manchester City in the league — two teams with real aspirations this season.

"Manchester City are serious top-four contenders and, like Porto, are a very strong home team. We have a great record there and these are the games when we can really make the difference.

"There’s also Blackburn away in the Carling Cup, in between Arsenal and City. A victory and we are through to the semi-finals."

Terry knows that overcoming the first hurdle, victory in Porto, will not be easy.

"At the moment a lot of big sides are not only struggling to qualify but to come top of their group," added Terry.

"It could mean a lot of big sides finishing runner-up and the advantage could be the other way round this year. But from our point of view, we want to win every game and we want to finish top of the group.

"It is a difficult place to come. They pose a real threat going forward. They play with a lot of confidence and tomorrow will be tougher than maybe a lot of people think."

Didier Drogba will start on the bench along with Saturday’s two-goal hero Michael Essien.

Essien scored twice in the 4-0 win over Wolves but has a knee problem and will start among the substitutes. Striker Drogba has still not sufficiently recovered from a chest injury.

But Deco, Michael Ballack and Ricardo Carvalho will all return to the side, with Yuri Zhirkov preferred to Ashley Cole at left-back. Frank Lampard misses out with a thigh problem.

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Wednesday, November 25, 2009