Terry: No letting up
Chelsea captain John Terry will lead the Blues into tomorrow night’s Barclays Premier League clash with Bolton knowing that victory could prove to be a pivotal moment in the title race.
Manchester United’s goalless draw with Blackburn yesterday has presented the Blues with the chance to set-up a four-point lead at the top of the table.
Chelsea have already squandered numerous chances to pull away from their rivals this season but this time Terry is determined they will not make the same mistakes again.
“We are playing well, the confidence is high,” said Terry. “We have let the lead in the league slip once and we are determined not to let it slip again.
“It is three years since we won the Premier League and we are really determined to get it back to the Bridge.
“We have seen the team working hard in the last four or five weeks and that is the key.
“The quality has always been there and always will be in the top four or five teams in the Premier League but if we can work hard, win our tackles and do the basics very well then we should be ok. If we can win our games there is nothing anybody else can do.”
The destiny of the title may now be in their own hands but it all looked a hopeless situation last month when they were dumped out of the Champions League by Inter Milan and then held 1-1 by Blackburn in the Premier League.
But Terry revealed that a ’clear-the-air’ team meeting put their season back on track to leave them on the brink of a League and FA Cup double.
The draw at Ewood Park left them four points behind Manchester United and two behind Arsenal with a game in hand.
However, Chelsea rallied following an “open and honest” team meeting with management and the Blues have been unbeaten ever since.
They clinched a place in the FA Cup final for the third time in four years with a 3-0 victory over Villa at Wembley on Saturday and Terry conceded: “A few weeks ago it didn’t look as though we were in the running for anything really so we have turned it round,” said Terry.
“We went to Blackburn hoping we could win and go to the top but we didn’t.
“We didn’t really show the fight and on the day Blackburn wanted it more than us. That was not acceptable. We had a little get-together, nothing too much, but everyone spoke their mind, we got off our chests what we were feeling, and went again.
“We had the discussion between the management and players and everyone spoke honestly. It was a chance for everyone to get things off their chest.”
