Terry sets a bad example (video) - Chelsea 1-0 West Ham
Chelsea’s resilience and quality shone through as they stood up to, and then disposed, a spirited West Ham side at Stamford Bridge today.
However, this isn’t about the match but a particular incident in the game, in context of how the first half went in terms of petty fouls and late challenges. As the image at the top of the article indicates, the Boa Morte / Terry / Alex incident was the highlight of the physical aspect of the Chelsea-West Ham game, and one that needs to ushered out of football.
First, here’s the video: Boa Morte v Chelsea defence.
Here’s how it plays out - Cudicini fumbles an easy collect, for a second really, and then he secures the ball again. In that second, Boa Morte, running in towards the ball, aims a kick at it. Overzealous, perhaps, but not dangerous to the keeper (no sliding two-footed challenged aimed at Cudicini’s family jewels or a knee aimed at his head). LBM misses the ball, hits the keeper in the thigh and as Cudicini stands up to remonstrate, LBM has his hands up and is immediately apologising.
I find that instant the most poignant - in recent incidents where players have gone in hard against the keeper, they have hardly turned around for a second look. Despite connecting with Petr Cech’s skull with his knee, did Stephen Hunt stop and check on the Chelsea keeper? Every weekend we see players deliberately knocking goalkeepers to one side either with carefully timed jumps or innocent nudges in the back. Compared to that, and keeping in mind that LBM was immediately remorseful, you’d think that this was harmless.
Terry and Alex certainly didn’t think so. A shove in the back and then thuggish manhandling of the West Ham player, as if he had aimed a kick at Cudicini’s head. I can sympathise with the rush of emotion that accompanies such a situation and I have nothing but admiration for the team spirit that Terry embodies at Chelsea (made all the more poignant by the fact that he cannot replicate it at national level), but perhaps some intelligence and restraint is in order as well?
As Chelsea captain, Terry set a bad example. I’m sure that Avram Grant would have had little to say, and every Chelsea player (and many fans) would have supported his actions because he’s looking after his own. It’s one thing to protect your teammates, it’s quite another to be ready to beat the opposition up for a mistake.
Howard Webb did a good job refereeing the game and I think that he did the right thing in not dishing out yellow cards for such a petty squabble. Having said that, it’s a shame that such behavior goes unchecked, because this does nothing but give license to fans and players to trash the opposition and somehow makes assault acceptable, just because the person on the receiving end is one of the others.
Related Items from Soccerlens
- Wednesday Goals Videos: Liverpool, Chelsea, Barcelona, Marseille and West Ham
- West Ham fans fracked over by MSI, previous board and Premier League
- West Ham - beacon for squad players as ambitious players bail out
- West Ham will be a bad move for Reading’s Shorey
- West Ham: Victims or Idiots?
great spot, and in total agreement
Look closer. Boa Morte makes an attempt at the ball with his left foot - then just kicks at Cuducini with the right foot. Nothing wrong with the left - but the right is just a blatant kick - no where near the ball.
that is why hte reaction is so strong. That is why the apology is so pathtic ane meaningless.
Plus the fact that this was already Boa Morte’s 5th or 6th foul of the first half. How he failed to get 4 or 5 yellows I will never know. Most of Chelsea’s yellows were for getting back at him.
come on, watch it again. That second kick was not a mistake.
Mickey has it spot on. There was nothing wrong with the left foot kick, it was the follow up with the right foot. That is why both Alex and Terry reacted. I find it strange that there is upset over a reaction, not the original action.
So a few minutes later we all saw Terry running over to Mikel saying that his tackle on Parker was awful did we? No we saw him running to the ref whinging that Mikel shouldn’t have been booked despite him completely clearing Parker’s legs from under him when he had no chance of getting the ball. His double standards are appalling. Every challenge he looks for a foul and his diving is laughable. I used to admire Terry and thought he was a great defender but his actions make him look a complete prat.
mickey is dead right, if u cant c boa morte kick out blatently at cudicini u must b blind
Another vote for Mickey’s accurate view.
Also not to be forgotten that this was the same ref that allowed Terry to get a kick in the head in the cup final and gave no foul or booking to the offending player.
When refs fail to do their job, this is what happens.
Terry should have been sent off. It was an unreasonable reaction, and he grabs him by the throat. Do you think if that was Alan Smith, Joey Barton or Roy Keane the incident would go unpunished?
hell no.
Hopefully the new England manager picks a new captain. Stevie G anyone? And im a united fan…
Stevie G? Under whose captaincy England achieved consecutive defeats against Russia and Croatia and led them to lacklustre performances to go out of Euro2008 qualificaion?
If you want a confirmed loser, sure. Or if you’ve lost all your marbles, why not?
John Terry is quickly becoming one of Englands most hated and overated players, His response to the LBM kick at Cudicini was unreasonable and typical of a hooligan at a club that gets his beer accidentaly knocked.
We need to rid English football of these idiots, i would have understood if he complained to the ref about the challenge and demanded a booking, but where does he get off on trying to strangle another person, i can guarentee he would never have done that to Ashton or bellamy and stayed on his legs.