After the fallout from the match against QPR, Chelsea crashed to a second half collapse against Arsenal. Should John Terry be taken out of the firing line?
Not for the first time, Chelsea and England captain John Terry finds himself at the centre of a media storm.
Whatever the outcome of the allegations made against him, while they are ongoing, his on pitch actions will come under close scrutiny.
On Saturday Chelsea’s defence seemed like it was modelled on Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle.
It was ill-disciplined in a positional and tactical sense, and scythed open at will by a confident Arsenal attack en route to a shock 5-3 win.
Does this remind you of anything?
When John Terry was accused of sleeping with the partner of former teammate Wayne Bridge, in spring 2010 all eyes were on him when Manchester City arrived at Chelsea.
How did Terry cope? Chelsea crashed to a 4-2 defeat, as Craig Bellamy and Carlos Tevez ran riot.
Now, with their captain under similar negative spotlight, Chelsea suffer their heaviest home defeat since then. Coincidence?
I think not.
When Terry scored before half-time he seemed to be reading the positive Sunday headlines already, and perhaps lost sight of the team and clearly the defence he was supposed to be marshalling.
In 2010 alongside the City game his form dipped, including being dominated by Louis Saha at Goodison Park in a 3-1 loss.
Andre Villas-Boas has every right to back his captain, but in times of trouble to claim that Terry should answer his critics on the pitch is wrong when the evidence suggests otherwise.
Whether Terry’s account of events is right or wrong with relation to Ferdinand’s allegations is a moot point. At present it is what it is, a cloud which threatens to engulf Chelsea’s season, and could have deeper implications for the England set up.
He should be dropped for a short period, or until he gets his head right, to ease the scrutiny and pressure on his every touch.
Otherwise he becomes a liability to Chelsea, who have a now crucial clash with Liverpool in a fortnight’s time.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
