JT is in top shape for his age and he is still one of the best cb's in the league. No problem with John.

I'm more worried about Cahill and Ivanovic than i am Terry.

You must be joking. I've seen him grimacing and limping in back play already in preseason. Never mind the lack of pace and lack of agility. His positional play is still good as is his touch and he is strong in the air. It's just not enough. His ability to lead the team goes down because the rest of the team start to see him as more of a liability than an asset.

If you get kicked, stood on, injured in a match regardless of your age it's going to hurt and you are going to grimace.

He has just completed a full pre season without any soft tissue complaints.  He was never pacey but I'm quite confident he is as quick as he's been in the last 6 years.

Snails have always done wheelies past JT, pace was never his game. I think he's still up there, look at the fossilised Italian centre halves that played till they were 38 or 39, none were overly pacy, JT still has loads to offer.

As quick maybe, but not as agile I'll wager. Like many of us I've been watching Terry since about 2004 maybe a bit longer and I don't think he has the energy levels today or as much influence as he had in his prime.

I'll agree it's not helped by the decline of Ivanovic and Cahill isn't Carvalho or even Billy Gallas but as many have said our lack of pace and drive at the back means we can't play a high enough line leaving us vulnerable to the space between the midfield and defence and letting the attacking teams dominate for extended periods. Terry is part and I think a big part of that problem.

As quick maybe, but not as agile I'll wager. Like many of us I've been watching Terry since about 2004 maybe a bit longer and I don't think he has the energy levels today or as much influence as he had in his prime.

I'll agree it's not helped by the decline of Ivanovic and Cahill isn't Carvalho or even Billy Gallas but as many have said our lack of pace and drive at the back means we can't play a high enough line leaving us vulnerable to the space between the midfield and defence and letting the attacking teams dominate for extended periods. Terry is part and I think a big part of that problem.

 

I think people let their love and respect for JT cloud their judgment. We're in real trouble unless we upgrade our backline this transfer window because our veteran defenders are long past their prime and the distinct lack of mobility makes things even worse. We need to be aggressive in the market and willing to overspend, if needs to. That Kouilibaly saga is like a Groundhog Day version of Stones affair a year ealier. "We'll start our bidding with two bags of crisps. No? How about a bottle of Coke as an add-on? OK, you certainly drive a hard bargain, senior De Laurentis. I guess we'll have to start offering you actual money". Then, a few weeks later we come up with 40m, and it's still rejected. What a fine way of negotiating.

 

I think in the last couple of years it became abundantly clear that we're restricted in our spending, that's why we are prone to spend weeks after weeks trying to work out a better deal and nine times out of ten we're left with nothing. We were going after Pogba and Stones last summer and ended up with Hector and Djilobodji. We need to figure out what kind of club we are. Are we trying to compete with United and City or are we turning into Arsenal?

Edited August 9, 20169 yr by abramovich

Wish I was... sorry to be so pessimistic but unless the formation is something like 4-3-2-1 with 3 holding DMs to protect the back four I've seen enough last season / this pre season to suggest the Cahill -- JT partnership is finished. I'm glad JT signed for another year, but for me a 28 yr old Jonny Evans is certainly as good if not better than a 35 (soon to be 36) yr old JT.

Evans would be an monumentally stupid signing, it would make no sense at all. He isnt that much better than our starting defenders in JT/Cahill, hes definitely not got the potential like Christensen/Zouma and wouldnt have any impact on our first choice quality. Any signing has to be significantly better than JT/Cahill/Ivanovic otherwise its just more short term thinking.

Evans would be an monumentally stupid signing, it would make no sense at all. He isnt that much better than our starting defenders in JT/Cahill, hes definitely not got the potential like Christensen/Zouma and wouldnt have any impact on our first choice quality. Any signing has to be significantly better than JT/Cahill/Ivanovic otherwise its just more short term thinking.

Fixed that for you. Jonny Evans is not an option we need to be looking.

Edited August 9, 20169 yr by PedroMendez

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/705613/Chelsea-Transfer-News-Gossip-Deadline-Day-Victor-Lindelof-25million-Benfica-Defender