Wexford Blue
Well-Known Member
Re: Is anyone that arsed if John Terry doesn't sign?
Good read from Football365 about it :
Chelsea Should Cash In On `Symbol` Terry
Posted 07/07/09 09:47EmailPrintSave
"John Terry is a symbol of this team. He will be captain next season. He said he wants to stay forever and we want to keep him for ever. Now there is a question of Manchester City, but for Terry (there is) no price. Terry will be at Chelsea forever" - Carlo Ancelotti, July 6.
There's been much hand-wringing and indignation at Chelsea this week at the suggestion that Manchester City are trying to chuck oodles of cash in the direction of John Terry, hoping he can be tempted up north.
Leaving aside the hilarity of Chelsea getting annoyed because a club is trying to bully someone with the size of their wallet, one wonders quite why Chelsea are quite so concerned that someone is willing to pay north of £40million for Terry.
Our boffin friends over at Opta were good enough to knock up some stats that showed Chelsea actually have a better record when Terry is out of the side than when he's in, winning 68% sans Terry and 64% with him. Of course stats like that can be misleading and can be interpreted in many different ways (indeed, Chelsea's defence is tighter with him in place, conceding an average of 0.54 goals per game next to 0.86 when he's absent), but it does illustrate a point.
Players like Terry are supposed to be 'big game' performers, but one of Chelsea's big problems last season was their dire record against the other big boys. Of their six league games against the rest of the 'Big Four', they only won once, and that was against Arsenal as both teams' league seasons dribbled to a meaningless conclusion. Terry was present in all six of those games.
He's becoming something of a disciplinary liability too. He was booked ten times and sent off twice last term, and although his dismissal for rugby tackling Jo against City was rather scandalously overturned, he's no good to anyone suspended.
There's also the injury factor. While he still managed 35 league games last season, he has a back complaint that requires extensive attention after every game, something that is only going to get worse with age.
Something else that is only going to decline as time takes its toll is his pace, which is his major weakness anyway. When an already slow man's legs become heavier, he becomes a passenger.
Chelsea's stance may well be very different if it was Real Madrid or another continental side with deep pockets chasing Terry, rather than City.
Their position as the top nouveau riche cash-splashers in the Premier League disappeared last September, and City's ability to solve problems by throwing money at them will no doubt make Chelsea uncomfortable.
If Terry is sold then some will interpret it as a sign of weakness, but Chelsea should not choose pride over what would be a sensible move, both in a financial and footballing sense. They would have to spend big to fill Terry's boots, but he is far from the irreplaceable colossus that some would have you believe.
Chelsea also need to consider Terry's commitment to the cause. A fair bit has been made of his silence since City made their last bid, but the man is on holiday - he can't be expected to respond to satisfy the media. Then again, City's faces have only just recovered to their natural shade after the Kaka debacle in January, so they would be foolish in the extreme to get involved in another big money saga if they didn't think there was some chance of success.
Some reports suggested on Monday that £45million would be the magic figure that would persuade Chelsea to do business, and so they should.
Terry is clearly an excellent player, and perhaps a 'symbol' for Chelsea, but if they are serious about becoming a self-sustaining, viable business as soon as possible, they should not turn down such an excellent price for a man whose ability is only going one way.
Nick Miller
Good read from Football365 about it :
Chelsea Should Cash In On `Symbol` Terry
Posted 07/07/09 09:47EmailPrintSave
"John Terry is a symbol of this team. He will be captain next season. He said he wants to stay forever and we want to keep him for ever. Now there is a question of Manchester City, but for Terry (there is) no price. Terry will be at Chelsea forever" - Carlo Ancelotti, July 6.
There's been much hand-wringing and indignation at Chelsea this week at the suggestion that Manchester City are trying to chuck oodles of cash in the direction of John Terry, hoping he can be tempted up north.
Leaving aside the hilarity of Chelsea getting annoyed because a club is trying to bully someone with the size of their wallet, one wonders quite why Chelsea are quite so concerned that someone is willing to pay north of £40million for Terry.
Our boffin friends over at Opta were good enough to knock up some stats that showed Chelsea actually have a better record when Terry is out of the side than when he's in, winning 68% sans Terry and 64% with him. Of course stats like that can be misleading and can be interpreted in many different ways (indeed, Chelsea's defence is tighter with him in place, conceding an average of 0.54 goals per game next to 0.86 when he's absent), but it does illustrate a point.
Players like Terry are supposed to be 'big game' performers, but one of Chelsea's big problems last season was their dire record against the other big boys. Of their six league games against the rest of the 'Big Four', they only won once, and that was against Arsenal as both teams' league seasons dribbled to a meaningless conclusion. Terry was present in all six of those games.
He's becoming something of a disciplinary liability too. He was booked ten times and sent off twice last term, and although his dismissal for rugby tackling Jo against City was rather scandalously overturned, he's no good to anyone suspended.
There's also the injury factor. While he still managed 35 league games last season, he has a back complaint that requires extensive attention after every game, something that is only going to get worse with age.
Something else that is only going to decline as time takes its toll is his pace, which is his major weakness anyway. When an already slow man's legs become heavier, he becomes a passenger.
Chelsea's stance may well be very different if it was Real Madrid or another continental side with deep pockets chasing Terry, rather than City.
Their position as the top nouveau riche cash-splashers in the Premier League disappeared last September, and City's ability to solve problems by throwing money at them will no doubt make Chelsea uncomfortable.
If Terry is sold then some will interpret it as a sign of weakness, but Chelsea should not choose pride over what would be a sensible move, both in a financial and footballing sense. They would have to spend big to fill Terry's boots, but he is far from the irreplaceable colossus that some would have you believe.
Chelsea also need to consider Terry's commitment to the cause. A fair bit has been made of his silence since City made their last bid, but the man is on holiday - he can't be expected to respond to satisfy the media. Then again, City's faces have only just recovered to their natural shade after the Kaka debacle in January, so they would be foolish in the extreme to get involved in another big money saga if they didn't think there was some chance of success.
Some reports suggested on Monday that £45million would be the magic figure that would persuade Chelsea to do business, and so they should.
Terry is clearly an excellent player, and perhaps a 'symbol' for Chelsea, but if they are serious about becoming a self-sustaining, viable business as soon as possible, they should not turn down such an excellent price for a man whose ability is only going one way.
Nick Miller