da pixbet： The arrival of David Luiz at Stamford Bridge has been the most unheralded of the big money transfers which rained in on the Premier League in the closing hours of the transfer window.
da dobrowin： With the acquisition of a new, young central defender, Carlo Ancelotti has been at pains to stress that the new addition will mean regular squad rotation for his key defenders, captain John Terry included; “Everyone knows that in the top teams there is competition for places, that is normal.”
Competition for places is not, however, always normal at Stamford Bridge. For years, come poor runs of form or injury, Terry has essentially picked himself. So long as Chelsea’s talisman wants and is able to play, he has slotted into the starting line-up.
Ancelotti’s statement, however intended, will raise inevitable questions. Is Luiz meant as a direct replacement for a Manchester City bound Terry? Does such a high profile addition to the squad represent a concession that the defence organised by the former England skipper, has not been up to scratch?
Ancelotti would be foolish to alienate Terry – he only needs to see how Luiz Felipe Scolari’s reign at the Bridge ended for evidence of the power the Blues’ captain still possesses.
In the past the Italian has tried to appease his skipper, suggesting he can play deep into his thirties in a similar fashion to one time AC Milan legend, Paolo Maldini. “He has no physical problems and a lot of passion,” the Chelsea boss claimed last season. The passion Ancelotti talks of has never been in doubt, however, ignoring the physical effects of being Chelsea’s bedrock for nearly a decade has not been wise.
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The concerns over Terry’s pace and mobility are nothing new – critics have long flagged up the Chelsea captain’s perceived lack of speed – the former England captain has compensated by being excellent from a positional point of view and reading of the play in front of him.
Nevertheless, this season has seen an unprecedented level of weakness from the current domestic champions. Whilst the Blues retain the best defensive record in the league, the months of malaise at the Bridge has had a visible impact on the side’s lynchpin.
During Terry’s time at the club, the Blues have been guilty of complacency from time to time and Ancelotti’s warning that no man is irreplaceable is in stark contrast to Jose Mourinho’s list of ‘untouchable’ players during his tenure.
This may well be a reflection of the way in which the Blues are playing. By electing to address the issue of his captain’s continued selection, Ancelotti is firing a warning to every player in the squad. With the exception of Petr Cech, Ashley Cole and possibly Branislav Ivanovic, none of the first team regulars can be happy with their performances this season.
The arrival of David Luiz hardly heralds the end of the ‘John Terry era’ at Stamford Bridge – the club captain will continue to be selected for major fixtures so long as he is able to walk. The concern for Chelsea fans has been whether Terry himself will know when to play and when to rest. Ancelotti’s piece of January business shows he is no longer frightened to take that decision away from his skipper.
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