When Chelsea captain John Terry was replaced at half-time in the match against Manchester City, it ended a streak. It was the first time under Jose Mourinho that Terry was ever substituted in the 177 appearances he made.
The streak isn’t something that worries Terry at this moment. He should be looking behind his shoulder and be wondering if this is a sign. Niall Quinn certainly thinks so. He thinks that the 34-year-old Chelsea captain could be struggling to regain his place for the Blues.
I think it could be the start of the end for John Terry.
I think he’s got a hell of a battle on now to get back in the team. To be taken off at half-time in a big game, he would be gutted. He’ll be thinking long and hard tonight about what it means for him
If Terry had any doubts about the motive of his substitution, Mourinho made it all the more clear by indicating that the substitution was ‘tactical’. With his side run ragged by the counter-attacking City, the Blues manager wanted a faster defender in Kurt Zouma.
The fact that the Blues put in a much improved performance in the second-half proved that the decision was the right one. There were questions on the longevity of Terry amidst reports linking John Stones to the club.
The reports still link of the possibility of Stones ending up at the Stamford Bridge. He’s widely regarded as a long term replacement for Terry. If he ends up signing for the Blues, Terry could be seeing more of the bench in this season itself.
The interesting sub-plot for this entire story could be that Mourinho is sending a message out to his owner that he needs more signings. Either ways, Terry has a battle to fight, to win his place back.
