John Terry clearly had a point to make when he showed off the captain’s armband after helping put Chelsea into the FA Cup semi-finals with a 2-0 win over Stoke on Sunday. For Dominic Fifield in the Guardian, it was a dominant display from the deposed England captain and a return to the form that has escaped him since the negative headlines started making the front and back pages.
John Terry has made his point. This tie was still on edge, the visitors mustering themselves in pursuit of an equaliser, when Chelsea’s talisman barged himself into space at Frank Lampard’s corner to thump in the goal that deflated Stoke City’s challenge. The manic goal celebrations that followed arguably offered the best insight yet into the centre-half’s thoughts at surrendering the England captaincy.
Terry peeled away from the near post, the net billowing after his header had flicked off Andy Wilkinson and beyond Thomas Sorensen, to run to the corner of the East and Matthew Harding stands pointing at the armband. By the time he wrestled himself clear of the celebratory huddle, he had rolled his left sleeve up to his shoulder while leaving the armband exposed on his biceps, his charge alone back into his own half pointedly aimed at the Stoke fans packed into the Shed.
Terry is growing used to the abuse to which he is subjected at games these days, the vitriol all born of the allegations over his private life that cost him the England captaincy last month. The visiting fans delighted in an array of chants – all following the same, predictable theme – and, when they remembered, booed Terry whenever he found himself in possession. Chelsea’s fans responded with cries of “There’s only one England captain” despite the fact that there had been three at Wembley last Wednesday night alone and none of them had been Terry.
At the current rate, and if the abuse continues for much longer, the 29-year-old is in danger of emerging from the Wayne Bridge affair, no pun intended, as an unlikely victim. It has to be hoped that, as he had stated in the aftermath of the Egypt game, a line has been drawn under the unhappy episode. His own form had suffered over the last month, the high-profile errors against Everton, Internazionale and Manchester City pointing at uncharacteristic fragility.
His display for England in midweek was made to look more assured by his central defensive partner Matthew Upson’s slip for the Egyptian goal, but he was more ruggedly impressive here. Stoke are not the aggressive long-ball team that some imply, but they boasted rugged and awkward forwards in Mamady Sidibe and Ricardo Fuller. Terry and the excellent Alex coped admirably as Rory Delap’s throw-ins ripped into the six-yard box and Henrique Hilário, a goalkeeper living on his nerves, heaved himself through the clutch of bodies in search of the ball. Terry offered reassurance in the circumstances.
He concludes:
The holders’ grip on this trophy remains as firm as ever, and their captain’s dip in form appears to have passed.
While Terry did enough to silence the doubters against Egypt, though, team-mate Frank Lampard was so unconvincing that Stan Collymore in the Daily Mirror has reopened the debate about his worth to the national side.
Fabio Capello has made some ruthless decisions recently and I now think he must also axe Frank Lampard from England’s World Cup starting line-up.
England boss Capello has already taken the captain’s armband from John Terry for his off-the-field antics and having watched England at Wembley last week in their friendly against Egypt, I think the time has come to drop Lampard from midfield.
I am a massive fan of Steven Gerrard, Lampard and Gareth Barry as individual players but it was only when Michael Carrick replaced Lampard at half-time did England come alive last week against Egypt.
For me, there is a case that Gerrard and Lampard can’t play together in the middle of the pitch for England and now, if I was picking the team, it would be Barry and Gerrard all day long with Carrick as the defensive player.
I think left-footed Barry is wasted as a defensive midfielder as he gives England far more going forward. His passing and crossing are good and he rarely gives the ball away, while Gerrard is one of the world’s best attacking midfielders who creates plenty and can score.
So bearing in mind what I saw in the second half last week, unfortunately on current form Lampard would be the man to drop out.
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