Chronicle EditorLONDON. — John Terry warned Arsenal that they will never win the Barclays English Premier League by playing “tippy tappy football”. In a robust defence of Chelsea’s recent tactics, the club’s captain admitted Jose Mourinho changed the way the league leaders approached games after Christmas.
Mourinho’s team were booed off the pitch following their 0-0 draw with Arsenal and left the field to chants of “boring, boring Chelsea”.
Terry said: “We are definitely not boring and if we do go on to win it, nobody’s going to remember the performances when perhaps it’s not been that exciting, but we’ve dug deep where other teams haven’t and that is why they are so far behind us.
“Possession is great, we could see that from the Manchester United game last week.
“Possession and tippy-tappy football’s great, but if you are not winning games you’re not going to win the league.
“Let’s not forget the first half of the season, up until Christmas, we were the best side by far.
“The football we played with Fabregas and his assists, the goal at Burnley by Andre Schurrle and goals after that. The play was different class.
“Things then went against us and the manager being him, came up with the way to get us through games and that’s where he’s at his best.
“Let’s not forget we were the best side up until Christmas for sure and we have actually beaten the teams who have made things difficult for us.
“We are grinding out results, we have got the quality in the squad, so hopefully we can get over the line because we are very close.”
Terry also admitted defending was an art after Mourinho claimed his performance against Arsenal on Sunday was one of the finest of his career. The Chelsea defender’s reading of the game has always been one of his biggest strengths and he was at his best repelling Arsenal’s attacks at the Emirates.
He added: “It is an art. Listen I totally respect him, he is a great manager, but from our point I am just delighted.
“I got on the end of a lot of crosses and cleared a few. You can feel when things are going well and stuff and definitely during the game I felt it was.
“But to hear that from the likes of the manager, who stands there and assesses you day-in, day-out, is really nice. But I just have to keep on and keep going, because it can go the other way.” — Mailonline.
Online Reporter
dyton mupawaenda