The Times

October 23, 2008

John Terry heads to the rescue for Chelsea
Chelsea 1 Roma 0

Matt Hughes

It is nights such as this that set John Terry apart. He rose above the
backache, he rose above the Roma defence and, as a result, Chelsea
have risen above their Champions League group opponents by three
points to take pole position at the halfway stage.

It might not have been that way. Remove Terry's contribution and
perhaps Chelsea would be viewing the coming weeks with trepidation.
Had they dropped points at Stamford Bridge last night, qualification
would have been perilously open, with all four teams in group A in
with a shout and Chelsea facing two of their final three matches away
from home.

This competition has not always been kind to Terry and nothing less
than lifting the trophy itself will ease the pain of his penalty miss
against Manchester United in Moscow, but this is a fresh campaign and
Luiz Felipe Scolari and his players already have their captain to
thank for allowing them breathing space going into the return match in
Rome next month. His will to win, and his determination not to lose,
carried the game.

It was not just his 78th-minute goal that separated the teams, but a
staunch defensive display, standing firm against the quick wit of
Francesco Totti and the counterattacking danger of a Roma team who
came to West London to do a typically Italian job by claiming a point
and came devilishly close to executing the plan to perfection.

Chelsea did not beat Roma in open play, Terry's winning goal coming
from a corner by Frank Lampard, and in the first half it was much the
same. Roma were vulnerable only once the action had been suspended,
from Lampard's set-pieces rather than the invention of Deco, who was
denied space and had a quiet game on his return to the starting
line-up after a month out with injury.

And if Chelsea would certainly not have won without Terry, a more
worrying thought is that, perhaps, they would have lost. Scolari has
been predicting a game such as this for some time, a moment when the
beautiful football would not be enough. Both through Chelsea's fatigue
and the solid organisation of the opposition, a blip had to happen
sooner or later and, suddenly, here it was. Chelsea were poor, Roma
were resilient and the game was drifting towards two points shared
when Terry arrived to score his first club goal in almost a year.

Lampard took an inswinging corner from the left and Terry got there
first, steering his header past Doni, the Roma goalkeeper, at the near
post, stumbling as he landed and sitting upright on the turf as home
supporters alternated between celebration and the fear that the
captain had further aggravated his injured back.

He may pay for it this morning, although Scolari claims he has been
pain-free of late, but as he rose gingerly and resumed his position at
the heart of defence, it appeared that he was merely making sure
everything was where it should be and accepting the congratulations of
his team-mates in repose.

He deserved it. This was one of those nights that serve as a reminder
of what an inspirational player Terry can be and it is no coincidence
that three of the greatest managers of the modern age, José Mourinho,
Scolari and Fabio Capello, have made him their captain. Rio Ferdinand
did an excellent job in his absence with England last week, but nobody
conveys that very English form of inspiration quite like Terry.
Scolari may be Brazilian by birth, but he is a football man at heart
and football men love leaders in the lionheart mould.

Arsène Wenger never once considered removing Tony Adams as the Arsenal
captain and Terry has played the full 90 minutes of every game under
Scolari, bar the final 13 minutes against Manchester City after he was
shown a red card. On Scolari's first day in the job, Terry introduced
himself by name. Scolari's response was to assure the captain he knew
who he was and what he could do.

In essence, he knew about nights such as this, when Chelsea would
labour and all that would dig them out of a hole is a captain who
makes it his mission not to finish on the losing, or failing, side. He
did it against Barcelona in Mourinho's first season, scoring the
winner, and the game against Valencia that turned Avram Grant's time
around also took on the form of Terry against the rest late in the
second half. Now it is Scolari's turn to benefit.

It was not that Chelsea lacked ambition, more that they failed to
attain the heights of recent weeks, and Roma came to Stamford Bridge
with a plan. This has been a poor season for Luciano Spalletti's side
so far, but any hope that Roma would be brushed aside as effortlessly,
if not as spectacularly, as they have been by Manchester United in
recent seasons soon evaporated. The Italians were level at half-time
and while Chelsea had the bulk of scoring chances, Roma caused a big
scare after 35 minutes when a moment of inspiration from Totti showed
why they cannot be casually dismissed in the return leg.

Totti has been Roma's talisman for more than a decade now and,
deployed as a lone striker, he was still the man who Chelsea had to
watch, dropping into space in midfield and creating room for Matteo
Brighi, bursting through from deep. He played a lovely pass to Brighi
just before half-time and, suddenly, space opened up in Chelsea's back
line. It took a quite superb tackle by Terry to divert Brighi's shot
for a corner at the last moment.

Much of the rest of it was somewhere between ho and hum. There was
early promise when a cross from Wayne Bridge was blocked and Lampard
had time to tee the ball up before hitting a dipping shot that Doni
dealt with efficiently. After that, though, Roma sharply closed down
Chelsea's midfield and space was at a premium.

Chelsea's best early chance came from a dead ball after John Obi Mikel
had been tripped by Philippe Mexès, the Roma defender. Deco rolled the
free kick to Lampard, whose shot skimmed the top of Doni's bar. Soon
after, Salomon Kalou cut inside on the right to force a save from Doni
with a low shot and in the second half a free kick from Lampard was
headed to Doni's left by Kalou, only for the goalkeeper to be equal
again. But these were slim pickings by Chelsea's standards. Roma
looked the more dangerous team on the break and what appeared an easy
group may still turn nasty if Chelsea slip up in Rome.

Chelsea (4-1-4-1): P Cech — J Bosingwa, R Carvalho, J Terry, W Bridge
— J O Mikel — S Kalou (sub: F Di Santo, 77min), Deco, F Lampard, F
Malouda (sub: J Belletti, 46) — N Anelka (sub: P Ferreira, 90).
Substitutes not used: C Cudicini, B Ivanovic, Alex, M Stoch. Booked:
Malouda, Terry.

Roma (4-2-3-1): Doni — Cicinho, P Mexès, C Panucci, J A Riise (sub: M
Tonetto, 81) — D De Rossi, M Brighi — R Taddei (sub: J Menez, 80), A
Aquilani (sub: S Perrotta, 60), M Vucinic — F Totti. Substitutes not
used: Artur, S Loria, V Montella, S Okaka Chuka. Booked: Mexès.

Referee: K Vassaras (Greece).

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Telegraph:

'Injured' John Terry proves the difference for Chelsea against Roma in
Champions League
Chelsea (0) 1 Roma (0) 0

By John Ley at Stamford Bridge

If John Terry is happy to play through the pain barrier imagine what
he could do for Chelsea when he is fully fit. Terry is suffering from
a back problem that prevented him from England duty last week, with
Luiz Felipe Scolari claiming the defender would happily play in agony.

On Wednesday night, Terry headed the only goal in a game that was far
from the thing of beauty Scolari had predicted, to put Chelsea in a
commanding position in Group A. With Bordeaux beating FC Cluj, Chelsea
visit Rome in a fortnight three points clear and in a commanding
position.

Roma will have noted, with some trepidation, that Chelsea were able to
recall European heavyweights in Petr Cech, Ricardo Carvalho and Deco –
one Champions League finalist and two winners – to the side that swept
Middlesbrough aside in demonstrative fashion at the weekend.

Roma, beaten by the same 4-0 scoreline by Inter Milan, included
Francesco Totti for only his second game back since undergoing knee
surgery, while John Arne Riise's inclusion was met with some pleasure
by the Chelsea fans who remember with fondness the Norwegian's last
minute own goal, for Liverpool at Anfield in last season Champions
League semi-final.

Riise's final game in a Liverpool shirt was in the return at Stamford
Bridge, when Chelsea reached Moscow in extra time, and from the early
exchanges there appeared a determination from the men in blue to at
least match that achievement.

The incentive of playing the final on home turf should have been
enough to spur Roma but the home defeat by the Transylvanians of FC
Cluj had already dented the aspirations of the Giallorossi before last
night's game.

Luiz Felipe Scolari had predicted a "beautiful game" and while the
early exchanges were more on the attractive side, it was Chelsea who
began more positively with Lampard's ninth minute volley stretching
Doni, the Roma goalkeeper celebrating his 29th birthday.

Soon afterwards Florent Malouda kicked at air with an attempted volley
before another attempt, from Lampard, sailed into no-man's land.

Roma responded with a poor free-kick from Daniele De Rossi but the
Italians were beginning to settle, their midfield stemming various
attempts to get the ball to Nicolas Anelka, and their defence standing
firm.

A timely tackle by Alberto Aquilani halted an approach from Lampard on
the edge of the Roma penalty area and then Philippe Mexes was
cautioned for halting a flowing run by John Mikel Obi.

From the free-kick, Deco's short kick set up Lampard and his rising
attempt grazed the top of the Roma cross-bar.

Had events turned out differently, Lampard could now be facing the
likes of Roma on a more regular basis. That he chose to remain in
London rather than export his talents to Series A and Inter Milan in
the summer is proving, with each performance, to be Jose Mourinho's
loss and Scolari's gain.

The game was still refusing to reveal its beauty and was lacking a
goal; when Salomon Kalou directed a shot with some ferocity, Doni
saved well again. In Chelsea's last European outing, in Cluj, Didier
Drogba left on a stretcher and remains sidelined with an ankle
problem. His presence, as the game progressed, was being missed.

And Roma threatened to open the scoring nine minutes from half time
when Matteo Brighi, from the edge of the Chelsea area, prepared to
shoot only to be tackled with brilliant timing by John Terry.

As the teams walked off at half time, the two captains, Terry and
Totti appeared displeased with the other, pushing and snarling as they
left the pitch and that encapsulated what had been a generally poor
first period.

The ineffectual Florent Malouda was replaced, at half-time, by Juliano
Belletti, whose first act was to deliver a 30-yard effort wide and
high – in keeping with the opening 45 minutes.

Scolari's frustration was evident by the touchline, the Brazilian
pacing the pitch like an expectant father frustrated by the wait. He
was almost satisfied, however, in the 61st minute when Lampard's
free-kick was met by the ehad of Kalou, but Doni made an impressive
save on the line.

The pain of the game was ended, for Chelsea at least, when Lampard's
inswinging corner was flicked in off the head of Terry, the captain
scoring his first goal since missing from the penalty spot in Moscow
in May.

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Independent:


Captain fantastic saves day for Chelsea yet again

Chelsea 1 AS Roma 0

By Sam Wallace

When the beautiful game does not suffice, sometimes the blunt object
will have to do and they come no blunter than John Terry's forehead.
It was an old-fashioned centre-back's header from the Chelsea captain
that settled matters last night, but then you take what you can get
against a side as shamelessly defensive as Roma.

Later even Luiz Felipe Scolari was talked into admitting that this was
hardly the most scintillating Chelsea performance Stamford Bridge has
witnessed this season, but do not be fooled by all the talk about
winning ugly. Great teams like Chelsea do not ride their luck – you
would not dare to against a team as predatory as Roma – instead they
broke their opposition down piece-by-piece and took their chance when
it presented itself.

Terry nipped in at the near post to nod in Frank Lampard's corner 13
minutes from time and, this being Terry, almost injured himself as he
landed awkwardly on his right leg. Until then, Chelsea had found all
the normal routes to goal blocked: neither full-back permitted to
overlap, no space for Nicolas Anelka to run into, so eventually they
took the simplest option of all. This was the kind of Champions League
game English teams once lost – those tense nights when the opposition
pounced to steal a victory.

But Chelsea are no Champions League naïves. Scolari had warned that
his team's football would not always be beautiful although there was a
discipline about last night's performance that was beguiling. "I told
the players that this would be a tactical game," Scolari said. "I said
if we were to pressure this team and make a mistake, we might lose the
game. We needed to be calm and score the first goal. After that, it
would give us more space. I said it would be a game between two
beautiful teams. Sometimes 1-0 is more important than 5-0."

Chelsea are top of Champions League Group A with seven points although
defeat away to Roma on 4 November will make life awkward for them.
Fail there and they still have to play Bordeaux in France and dispose
of the Romanians CFR Cluj at Stamford Bridge. Composure will be
required in Rome where, as Scolari pointed out, Victor Spalletti's
team will have to be rather more adventurous than they were last
night.

Despite the injuries that have plagued Terry's involvement with
England this season, he has played every one of Chelsea's games and is
a useful man to have around the penalty area when his team require a
goal. "When I was with Portugal and we played England, I was afraid
when Terry came up to our area for corner kicks," Scolari said. "I
would say to my players 'Look, this player is decisive. We need to
look at him because, if he touches the ball, it will be dangerous for
us'. Now I'm here and I tell Terry to do that for us. He got to the
ball and it was a big moment for us."

This new version of Chelsea have Scolari's passion for attacking
football running through them but they also have the ice-cold
discipline of Jose Mourinho's more prosaic instincts. Roma have the
discipline but, on last night's evidence, none of the flair. For much
of the game they were content to allow Francesco Totti to forage alone
up front chasing lost causes. There would be outrage in this country
if Manchester United made Wayne Rooney do the same.

For a team currently dawdling along at 14th in Serie A, you could not,
however, fault Roma for their preparation. They shut down Chelsea at
every opportunity and negated the damage that Lampard and Deco would
normally expect to inflict even though the former was always in the
game. He clipped the angle of post and bar with a shot on 23 minutes.

Only once did Chelsea really look threatened when, in the first half,
Totti played a ball through to the Montenegro international Mirko
Vucinic who was set to shoot when Terry came crashing in to deflect
the ball away. On nights such as these, Chelsea miss the injured
Didier Drogba. When he is fit – and, more importantly, up for a battle
– it is Drogba around whom things happen. Anelka just does not inspire
the same uncertainty in centre-halves.

On the hour Salomon Kalou squandered a very promising free header from
Lampard's free-kick from the right. Terry did not make the same
mistake when he scored the winner with 13 minutes remaining, running
in at the near post to head the ball across the goalkeeper Doni and
into the far corner. Later Lampard's blistering free-kick from the
right side was tipped over by the Roma goalkeeper.

Against Liverpool on Sunday, Scolari said that he hoped it would be a
different kind of game. "Yes, I want to play beautiful football
against Liverpool," Scolari said. "They are a strong team and they
don't fight for 90 minutes, but for 100 minutes. They've won four
games this season [with goals] after the 85th minute. We'll need to
play very well and we'll need concentration until the referee says the
game is over. We will try to play a beautiful game but, more important
for us, is that, if we don't play that well, we'll need to score one
or two goals to win the match."

How often have Chelsea relied upon their two east London boys Terry
and Lampard to get them out of difficult situations? Both were
excellent last night and they needed to be. Late on in the game, Roma
opened up and we were afforded a glimpse of this game as it might have
been with Chelsea's full-backs streaming forward and gaps appearing in
the Italian team. By then, however, Chelsea had been forced to do it
the hard way.

Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Cech; Bosingwa, Terry, Carvalho, Bridge; Mikel;
Kalou (Di Santo, 77), Deco, Lampard, Malouda (Belletti, 46); Anelka
(Ferreira, 90). Substitutes not used: Cudicini (gk), Ivanovic, Alex,
Stoch.

Roma (4-3-3): Doni; Cicinho, Panucci, Mexes, Riise (Tonetto, 82); De
Rossi, Aquilani (Perrotta, 61), Brighi; Vucinic, Taddei (Menez, 81),
Totti. Substitutes not used: Artur (gk), Loria, Montella, Okaka Chuka.

Referee: K Vassas (Greece).

Group A

Results: Chelsea 4 Bordeaux 0; Roma 1 CFR Cluj 2; CFR Cluj 0 Chelsea
0; Bordeaux 1 Roma 3; Bordeaux 1 CFR Cluj 0; Chelsea 1 Roma 0.

Chelsea's remaining group stage fixtures: 4 Nov: Roma (a); 26 Nov:
Bordeaux (a); 9 Dec: CFR Cluj (h).


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Guardian:


Terry gets back in the old routine to ease Chelsea's frustrations

Chelsea 1 Terry 77 Roma 0

Kevin McCarra at Stamford Bridge

John Terry celebrates after scoring the winning goal for Chelsea
against Roma. Photograph: Alex Morton/Action Images

Chelsea made progress with a backward step. No home supporter could
have complained about an old routine when they were overwhelmed with
delight that patience was rewarded in this Champions League tie. Their
side won with the familiar spectacle, in the 78th minute, of the
captain, John Terry, outjumping a marker, Rodrigo Taddei, at the near
post to direct Frank Lampard's corner neatly across the goalkeeper,
Doni. It was his first goal of this campaign.

No effort had been spared to consolidate in the tournament and Chelsea
are now three points clear in Group A after Cluj's defeat in Bordeaux.
There was, all the same, nothing slick about them, despite the wholly
deserved praise that has drenched them of late.

The intention, once again under Luiz Felipe Scolari, was for a
flexible, flowing style. Opponents, though, inevitably make a study of
such an approach and Roma, in a rather featureless game, checked the
overlapping of the full-backs, whose vivacity is so significant to
Scolari's style. Chelsea did not always stifle their annoyance and
Terry, for instance, was rightly cautioned after challenging with a
raised boot even though he did not appear to make noteworthy contact
on Francesco Totti.

Roma probably lost because they wearied in the face of Chelsea's
persistence. Their counterattacks grew ever more rare and Scolari will
be moderately pleased that they were worn down after the attempts to
tear them open with verve had foundered. The side, so early in his
tenure, cannot be exactly as he wishes.

On occasion Chelsea have been checked, with draws at home to Tottenham
and Manchester United as well as away to Cluj. Scolari's team normally
transcend the difficulty of counting on a single experienced striker,
Nicolas Anelka, while Didier Drogba gets over his knee injury.
Strikers, all the same, are not really optional and Chelsea may suffer
occasionally from the shortage of them.

Resources, overall, are admittedly abundant. Stamford Bridge is a
tough place for visitors but it can be harsh, too, for people on the
Chelsea payroll. When Scolari saluted the makeshift line-up that beat
Middlesbrough 5-0 on Saturday, he hinted that they were ready to
challenge for regular inclusion in the first team. This was a touch
misleading.

The Brazilian manager has been charming ever since he got to London
and it turned out that he was treating those players with mere
politeness. In practice he could hardly wait to reinstate the
established names. So it was, for example, that Carlo Cudicini, Alex
and Juliano Belletti dropped to the bench. There was no sense in
making Petr Cech, Ricardo Carvalho and Deco wait to regain their
starting berths.

Roma, however, were not intimidated. Although the vogue for Serie A
has dwindled for the time being, these visitors had purpose in their
approach as if no one had told them of their reduced status. They were
initially brisk and got players behind the ball swiftly. There was,
for instance, an exhilarating moment, nine minutes before half-time,
when Totti turned smoothly, strode away from Mikel John Obi and set up
Matteo Brighi for an attempt which ricocheted off Terry for a corner.

The best of Chelsea, at that stage, had come from a set piece awarded
for Philippe Mexès's foul on Mikel. Deco rolled the ball to Lampard
for a drive which clipped the angle of bar and post. Frustration had
started to escalate in the home ranks. Scolari and his men were in a
rage, after 42 minutes, when the referee, Kyros Vassaras, let play
continue after Deco was felled. Roma mounted a counterattack.

After that burst of indignation the interval had to be a period of
reflection and Scolari made his adjustments. Belletti took over from
Florent Malouda and played on the right wing, and Salomon Kalou
switched to the left. There was more dynamism and a relentlessness
from midfield in the alteration from 4-3-3 to 4-1-4-1. Belletti's
eagerness to run looked set to open up the space that had been denied
the right-back Jose Bosingwa.

There was still vexation for Chelsea, particularly when Brighi went
down and required treatment even though it did not seem that Carvalho
had actually made contact with his face. Whatever the means, Luciano
Spalletti's side continued to be effective for a while, with the
former Liverpool left-back John Arne Riise stubborn as opponents tried
to get behind the defence on his flank.

It took a free-kick in the 62nd minute to encourage Chelsea. Kalou
called for a save from Doni with his header from Lampard's service.
That moment hinted at a specific weakness which would ultimately be
exploited. By then Roma were at least being confined to their own
half.

Exasperation was a hazard to Chelsea but the captain ultimately
soothed himself and most occupants of the ground.


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Mail:

Chelsea 1 Roma 0: Terry back in business - First goal of season ends
Roma resistance
By Neil Ashton

John Terry will be feeling his back this morning, for sure. It will be
sore and stiff, a
product of carrying this team across the finishing line against Roma.
For 78 minutes at Stamford Bridge last night, Luciano Spalletti's team
threatened to stop Chelsea scoring on home soil for the first time
this season.
Enter Terry the Gladiator. Come on, dust off those cliches. Captain
Colossus. Captain Courageous. Captain Marvel. Pick your personal
favourite

He is certainly the fans' favourite at Stamford Bridge, with cries of
'there's only one England captain' swirling around the stadium after
his headed goal separated the two sides.
A ringing endorsement from the supporters and then another from his manager.
'When I was coach of Portugal, I warned my players when we played
England that he was dangerous at set-pieces,' said Luiz Felipe
Scolari.
'We saw just how dangerous he can be.'
Unless he counts the goals he scores when he nutmegs his two children
in his frequent post-match kickabouts, Terry had not appeared on the
scoresheet at Stamford Bridge since Manchester City were thrown to the
lions in August 2006. Some wait.
There was no sign of the back injury that prevented him playing in
England's World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Belarus last
week. Instead the big man is
back.

He scored his first goal of the season, rising unannounced at the far
post to meet Frank Lampard's corner and steering it past Roma keeper
Doni.
England's general manager, Franco Baldini, the former technical
director at Roma, was in the stands to witness the renaissance.
A glowing report will land on Fabio Capello's desk at Soho Square this morning.
Chelsea needed this rescue act against the Italians, waiting until the
final phase of the game before they finally wore down their resolute
defence to put the second stage
within touching distance.

They are nearly there after two victories (against Bordeaux and Roma)
and a draw in Romania against CFR Cluj. Three down, three to play,
Chelsea are on the charge.
They controlled this game, playing Continental football at the back
and stretching Roma to the limits whenever their full backs were
released down the wings.
Whatever confronts this team, they find a way to combat it.
Middlesbrough's chocolate soldiers were melted at the Riverside last
Saturday, throwing in the towel the moment Salomon Kalou put them in
front.
Roma, arriving at Stamford Bridge off the back of a 4-0 defeat against
Inter Milan in the Olympic Stadium on Sunday, adjusted accordingly.
They flooded the midfield.

Spalletti's team are a shadow of the side who were 18 minutes away
from clinching the league title on the final day of last season,
living proof of the fine line between success and failure.

Manchester United stuck two past them in Rome in the quarter final
last season and Chelsea will have little to fear against this fading
force of European football in Italy on November 4.
Scolari will demand the point that will almost certainly be enough for
his team to qualify for the knockout stages, squeezing their way
through a tricky group and into the bear pit that is the second stage.
Roma's confidence is shot. They are 14th in Serie A, scratching around
for a win under Spalletti and still haunted by memories of last
season's near miss when Inter Milan snatched the championship.
It is seven years since Roma were champions, when Capello made his
mark in a dressing room with characters such as Franceso Totti,
Gabriel Batistuta and Vicenzo Montella.
They have been longing for another success story ever since.

Totti's return - he started only his second game last night since he
picked up a knee injury last April - will help with the revival but
this Trojan cannot carry this team on his own.
His movement allowed Matteo Brighi to home in on goal just before the
break but Terry's superbly timed tackle on the edge of the area
prevented the unthinkable.
Chelsea were brisk and to the point, with every man jack in the team
getting a touch, from Petr Cech to Terry to Mikel John Obi to Nicolas
Anelka.
Mikel, in particular, had an impressive game sitting in front of the
back four. Most improved player at Chelsea?
Don't speak too soon, but he made the game look easy as he showed by
intercepting a through ball on his chest and twisting his way past
Totti. It was cheeky, audacious and classy rolled into one.
Chelsea are teasing the opposition with their touches, trapping the
ball with one foot and then sending it effortlessly on to a team-mate
with the other.
Blue shirts buzz in every direction, demanding the ball and then
sending it Special Delivery into the path of another. Little wonder
Scolari is happy.
So, too, are Chelsea's supporters, lapping up their progressive
football with sell out stadiums for the group games.
Scolari had promised to serve up beautiful football for starters.
Typically, Terry applied the finishing touch.


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Sun:

Chelsea 1 Roma 0
From SHAUN CUSTIS at Stamford Bridge

PHIL SCOLARI reckons John Terry is so committed to the Chelsea cause
he would die for the club.

But, last night, Terry delivered the mortal blow which killed off Roma
after another heroic display on the field of battle.

Captain John George Terry was at his imperious best at both ends of
the pitch, making two superb tackles to keep the Italians out in the
first half before rising to head home Frank Lampard's corner to clinch
Blues' victory 12 minutes from time.

Terry was gutted to miss England's World Cup qualifying wins over
Kazakhstan and Belarus with a bad back and there were whispers that
manager Fabio Capello was "surprised" at his skipper's quick comeback
for Chelsea.

But Terry will proudly take up arms for both club and country as long
as he can put one foot in front of the other.

Capello's assistant Franco Baldini was at the Bridge last night and
can only have been hugely impressed by Terry's display.

Scolari had warned us his team might not always produce the bright
free-flowing football which has characterised the start of his Chelsea
reign.

Sometimes, he said, the fans might just have to be happy with three points.

And so it came to pass. This was more a display from the Jose Mourinho
era and a damp squib after Saturday's 5-0 win at Middlesbrough.

Chelsea remain on course to qualify for the Champions League last 16,
although Roma defied the form book for most of the game.

Their manager Luciano Spalletti is feeling the heat with his team 14th
in Serie A after crashing 4-0 at home to Inter Milan last weekend.

But the Italians played with a surprising amount of confidence,
particularly in the first half, and were prepared to attack Chelsea
rather than just sit back and soak up the pressure.

Terry made one sensational challenge on Matteo Brighi on the edge of
the box as the striker threatened to break through, then blocked a
fizzer from Alberto Aquilani.

The closest either side came to scoring before the break was when Deco
touched a free-kick into Lampard's path and the resultant drive grazed
the top of the crossbar.

Salomon Kalou also had a go from a tight angle with an effort which
was swallowed up by keeper Doni at his near post but it was fairly
turgid fare.

Juliano Belletti replaced Florent Malouda at half-time and the moment
the Brazilian touched the ball the crowd were yelling at him to shoot.

Belletti scored from 30 yards at the Riverside and amusingly got
suckered into trying a repeat which, perhaps predictably, finished in
the stands.

Roma tried to get down the flanks with the familiar face of John Arne
Riise pushing on from left-back.

The former Liverpool man is fondly remembered by Blues fans.

Riise's last goal was FOR Chelsea in last season's Champions League
semi-final — he put through his own net in the final minute to gift
the Blues a vital first-leg draw.

But Nicolas Anelka got away from him after 50 minutes and flicked an
effort just wide.

Kalou should also have put Chelsea in front just after the hour but he
directed a free header too close to Doni and the keeper saved.

The pressure was cranking up on the visitors and John Obi Mikel's
strike only went wide because it deflected off his own man Anelka.

As time marched on, Terry took the responsibility on himself to get
the job done as he timed a near-post run to perfection and, from six
yards, glanced a header beyond the helpless Doni.

Terry stayed down under a mountain of celebrating team-mates and for a
moment there were worries he had been wounded.

But he eventually dragged himself back to his feet and punched the air
in delight.

Roma had nothing left to give and it was just a case of whether
Chelsea could get any more.

But Doni denied Lampard, tipping over his 30-yard free-kick.

Liverpool are next up at the Bridge for a titanic Premier League clash
on Sunday. And with another win on the board and no goals conceded in
their last six games, Scolari's men show no signs of cracking.

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Mirror:

Chelsea 1-0 Roma: John Terry ensures Chelsea stay up

Captain John Terry ensured Chelsea stayed top of Champions League
Group A with a 77th-minute match-winner against Roma.

Terry outwitted his marker to head home a corner from Frank Lampard.

The goal ended Roma's stubborn resistance which, until Terry struck,
had threatened to earn them a surprise point.

Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari welcomed back goalkeeper Petr Cech
and defender Ricardo Carvalho after injury.

Deco was given a starting role in midfield with Nicolas Anelka a lone
attacker. England midfielder Joe Cole was not fit enough to be
considered.

Roma captain Francesco Totti returned to lead the struggling Italians.
He played 70 minutes against Inter Milan last weekend after recovering
from a knee injury.

Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari had promised the fans more of the
same kind of beautiful football that had put them on top of the
Barclays Premier League.

Roma, a team struggling in the lower reaches of Serie A, were not
expected to upset Chelsea's European momentum even though Luciano
Spalletti had called for his team to put an end to their poor form.

The opening few minutes saw Chelsea enjoy the lion's share of the
possession with the impish Deco pulling the strings in midfield.

But eight minutes had elapsed before Chelsea's first real attempt on
goal - a 20-yard volley from Frank Lampard that Doni dealt with
effectively.

In the 21st minute a rare attacking drive from John Mikel Obi brought
a booking for Philippe Mexes when he brought the Nigerian crashing
down on the edge of the penalty area.

However, Lampard saw his effort cannon into the crowd after smashing
against the angle of upright and crossbar.

It was the nearest either side had come to breaking the stalemate and
it provided the home with fresh impetus.

In the 27th minute Deco set Kalou free on the right but the striker's
shot was lacking in power and accuracy and Doni again collected
safely.

Two minutes later Malouda was booked by referee Kyros Vassaras for
shirt pulling.

Chelsea's performance was now verging on ugly rather than beautiful
with little to enthuse about.

Time and again full-back Jose Bosingwa wasted the chance to supply a
telling cross into the penalty area.

Roma were more than happy to stop Chelsea trying to play their way
through the middle with Alberto Aquilani particularly impressive.

It required a superb tackle from Chelsea captain John Terry to prevent
Matteo Brighi from opening the scoring in the 35th minute.

Terry dived in to deflect the ball for a corner after a superb piece
of skill from Francesco Totti had set up Brighi.

Lampard tried his luck at the other end after Deco had bamboozled the
Roma defence with a clever back-heel but the England midfielder was
again off target.

Scolari was incensed four minutes before the interval when Deco was
brought down on the edge of the penalty area but the Greek official
opted to let the home side play on.

Scolari replaced Malouda during the interval with Juliano Belletti and
he immediately sent a 20-yard drive high into the crowd.

Roma were forced to make a change on the hour when Aquilani suffered a
hamstring injury and was replaced by Simone Perrotta.

Moments later Kalou brought an outstanding save from Doni with a firm header.

Chelsea were beginning to get on top once more but the cutting edge
remained noticeably absent.

Mikel sent a 25-yard drive well wide of the target as Chelsea
struggled to find a way beyond the Roma rearguard.

A fine ball from Deco was squandered by Kalou when the Ivory Coast
striker sent over a tame cross that was easily dealt with by Christian
Panucci.

Roma were happy to settle for a point and with Totti offering a solo
option in attack, the onus was on Chelsea to make the breakthrough.

That almost arrived in the 67th minute when a 20-yard shot from Mikel
was deflected over the bar by Anelka.

Bosingwa continued to press down the right flank but when he provided
a decent cross into the penalty area, it was quickly dealt with by
Roma's defence.

But the deadlock was finally broken by England captain Terry in the
77th minute when he slipped his marker and headed a corner from
Lampard into the net.

Lampard almost made it two in the 83rd minute but Doni reacted quickly
to tip his long-range free-kick over the bar.


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Express:

TERRY'S ALL GOLD YET AGAIN FOR BLUES

Thursday October 23,2008
By Tony Banks CHELSEA..1 ROMA..0

LUIZ FELIPE SCOLARI called him fantastic in the build-up to this game.

Savaged by those who questioned his commitment to club or country,
last night, once again, John Terry showed just why every Chelsea boss
comes to rely on him.

A 78th-minute header finally broke the deadlock against a stubborn
Roma side who arrived and shut up shop.

But Chelsea's own centurion, so often their saviour and inspiration,
broke the wall Luciano Spalletti's legions had erected – and allowed
his side to put one foot in the knockout stages.

This was a war of attrition, unlike recent romps for Chelsea. But once
again their sheer quality emerged, thanks to their skipper's first
goal of the season.

Scolari produced a surprise when he brought back Ricardo Carvalho
after a five-match gap through knee ligament problems. Also returning
was Deco, starting his first game in a month after his thigh injury.

A further boost for a side who hardly needed it was the return of
goalkeeper Petr Cech.

There could hardly have been greater contrast in the shape these
sides found themselves in going into last night's game.

Chelsea are rampant, top of the Premier League and unbeaten in their
11 games under Scolari. They have been playing football that is
sweeping all before them and are without a goal against in five
matches.

Spalletti's Roma arrived knowing that various bodies are looking to
buy their club, having been thumped 4-0 at home by Inter Milan on
Sunday and lying a miserable 14th in Serie A.

Wily old fox Scolari was, though, unlikely to be fooled. This was a
side who got to the quarter-finals last year, and were narrow
runners-up in Italy.

Scolari said in the build-up that though he liked the fact people were
loving Chelsea's football, he would just be happy with another three
points. It was clear why in a cagey opening spell.

Frank Lampard's measured volley that was well held by Doni was a rare
break as Roma flooded the midfield in an attempt to stifle the game.

But soon the irrepressible Blue tide found their rhythm and were
pressing and probing.

When Mikel John Obi was brought down, Deco and Lampard combined for
the latter to arrow in a drive that had Doni beaten but agonisingly
clipped the angle. Then, Salomon Kalou saw his low shot saved as
Francesco Totti was left a lonely figure up front with Roma trying to
weather wave upon wave of attacks.

However, there was a warning when 33-year-old Totti slipped a clever
pass through, and only a great tackle from an alert Terry stopped
Matteo Brighi. Immediately, though, Lampard was cutting a drive just
wide.

It was clear that this was not going to be another Riverside romp,
such as Chelsea had enjoyed in their 5-0 rout of Middlesbrough on
Saturday. Roma might not be the force they were when winning the
Italian title seven years ago under Fabio Capello but they are no
mugs.

Lampard was looking for his 19th goal in Europe, which would have made
him Chelsea's record scorer outside domestic competition, having
previously been level with the injured Didier Drogba.

But it was not going to come easy. Florent Malouda, an ineffective
figure in the first half, was replaced by Juliano Belletti as Chelsea
looked for more penetration. As Scolari paced the touchline, arms
waving in frustration, Doni saved Roma again as he plunged superbly
to parry Kalou's header from another accurate Lampard free-kick.

Roma's massed legions were proving hard to break down, though.

Only Tottenham, amazingly, and Manchester United, have denied Chelsea
victory this season, but you sensed that Scolari had known this one
was going to be tough.

The beautiful football flowed. It was just that this Roman army are
battle-hardened. They have been here before, earning their colours on
the field.

Mikel saw his shot deflected just over the angle with Doni helpless,
as Chelsea pressed even harder.

If the breakthrough was going to come, you sensed, it would be from
the Lampard-Deco axis as Nicolas Anelka was a subdued, surrounded
figure.

At last it came. Lampard, typically, swung in the corner and Terry
threw himself into the fray to glance home a header.

He might be struggling from game to game with the bad back that has
frustrated England and Capello but no man stands taller or prouder for
his club. Chelsea's gladiator had saved the day – yet again.

Chelsea (4-1-3-2): Cech; Bosingwa, Carvalho, Terry, Bridge; Mikel;
Deco, Lampard, Malouda (Belletti 46); Kalou (Di Santo 77), Anelka
(Ferreira 90). Goal: Terry 78.

Roma (4-2-3-1): Doni; Cicinho, Panucci, Mexes, Riise (Tonetto 82); De
Rossi, Brighi; Taddei (Menez 81), Aquilani (Perrotta 60), Vucinic;
Totti. Booked: Mexes, Panucci.


Referee: K Vassaras (Greece).