John Terry is the best centre-back in Premier League history - Jamie Carragher

[Dirkus_Circus]

John Terry is the best centre-back in Premier League history - Jamie Carragher

Last Updated: 27/04/15 9:37am

Jamie Carragher states that Chelsea's John Terry is the best centre-back of the Premier League era. Is he right?

John Terry is the best centre-back to have played in the Premier League, according to Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher.

The Chelsea captain produced a man-of-the-match performance as the Blues moved to within six points of a fourth Premier League crown after holding Arsenal to a goalless draw.

And Carragher, who made more than 500 Premier League appearances predominantly in the centre-back position, believes Terry stands alone in the pantheon of all-time great defenders.

Asked whether Terry should be a nominee for the PFA Player of the Year award, Carragher said: “Yes, Terry should be in the top six players.

“There’s no doubt that, just behind (Eden) Hazard in this Chelsea team, Terry has been the most influential.

“We’ve seen (Cesc) Fabregas, (Nemanja) Matic and Diego Costa feature in the early part of the season, but if you look at Terry’s display today he was outstanding.

“We talk about Chelsea being a defensive team, but sometimes you’ve got to say they defend brilliantly, and Terry is the best.

“There have been a lot of great centre-backs in Premier League history, but I think he has been the best that we’ve seen.”

Carragher went on to suggest Terry’s displays during his time at Chelsea will have a lasting effect on the way centre-backs of the future are viewed.

“For the next 20 or 30 years, that position at the near post, when we see other defenders doing it we’ll call it the ‘John Terry’ position,” he added.

“You can’t always find yourself in the right position to put your head on things and clear things, you’ve got to have an understanding of the game.

“We’re not just talking about a big aggressive centre-back, Terry is always in the right position.

“His understanding of where to be, his reading of the game and reading crosses cannot be matched. I don’t think we’ve ever seen anyone better.”

http://www1.skysports.com/football/...edium=facebook&utm_source=twitterfeed_Chelsea

 

[jexykrodic]

From our own I'd say Sami Hyppia is a rival to John Terry for that accolade.

 

[6TimesaRed]

From our own I'd say Sami Hyppia is a rival to John Terry for that accolade.

If he had the glittering career that Terry has had he certaibly would be..

I can't disagree though with JC.. Despite being a cunt.. he has been the PL best defender over the years..

 

[Dirkus_Circus]

I want to disagree with this so much but I'm struggling to find an argument to refute Carra's points.

 

[Mystic]

He's probably right.

 

[Pesam]

If we're just talking the Premier League era it would be a toss up between John Terry and Tony Adams.

 

[Athens]

Tony Adams is less of a cunt, isn't he?

 

[gkmacca]

I couldn't give a toss about 'Premiership History'. Is just saying 'in the last twenty years' too unexciting for these twats? Did the art of defending suddenly get much, much, harder at the start of the 1990s? Terry is probably the best defender to have lasted the longest in a top four team, but certainly since Mourinho came in the team's been organised to make Terry's job as simple and secure as possible. Especially now. Quite a few excellent defenders would absolutely love playing in his position with the protection he gets from the players ahead of him. During the non-Mourinho intervals Terry had some really flaky spells because he was much more exposed. And if you look back beyond when Sky thinks football began, you'll see plenty of defenders who were as effective as he is but with more class and style.

 

[Judge Jules]

I couldn't give a toss about 'Premiership History'. Is just saying 'in the last twenty years' too unexciting for these twats? Did the art of defending suddenly get much, much, harder at the start of the 1990s? Terry is probably the best defender to have lasted the longest in a top four team, but certainly since Mourinho came in the team's been organised to make Terry's job as simple and secure as possible. Especially now. Quite a few excellent defenders would absolutely love playing in his position with the protection he gets from the players ahead of him. During the non-Mourinho intervals Terry had some really flaky spells because he was much more exposed. And if you look back beyond when Sky thinks football began, you'll see plenty of defenders who were as effective as he is but with more class and style.

This. Terry has been a fine player (lack of pace aside) but he's also benefited big-time from having top class defensive mids in front of him.

 

[Red Astaire]

He's right - EBJT is a cunt but he's bloody good at his job.

 

[Dirkus_Circus]

I couldn't give a toss about 'Premiership History'. Is just saying 'in the last twenty years' too unexciting for these twats? Did the art of defending suddenly get much, much, harder at the start of the 1990s? Terry is probably the best defender to have lasted the longest in a top four team, but certainly since Mourinho came in the team's been organised to make Terry's job as simple and secure as possible. Especially now. Quite a few excellent defenders would absolutely love playing in his position with the protection he gets from the players ahead of him. During the non-Mourinho intervals Terry had some really flaky spells because he was much more exposed. And if you look back beyond when Sky thinks football began, you'll see plenty of defenders who were as effective as he is but with more class and style.

This is a good point, just 3-4 years ago Terry was putting in some really bad performances. Maureen's return has given him his 2nd wind.

 

[doctor_mac]

No offence Dirkus but I fucking hate these threads. Fuck Terry.

 

[Red Astaire]

No offence Dirkus but I fucking hate these threads. Fuck Terry.

Ha ha - Is the right answer.

 

[Hansern]

Posting something about Terry should always include this:


Matt Dickinson – ‏@DickinsonTimes
Terry painfully has to recount to court the song from Liverpool fans about his "mum loving Scouse cock"

 

[Fabio]

Thing about terry, he's clearly a very good defender, and yeah, arguably the best in recent times ; however he's a lot less good when mourinho isn't his manager.

 

[mark1975]

It's difficult to disagree because he's a brilliant defender. We can argue all day about being overprotected - you could say that about alot of defenders, even the best ones go to pot when the system collapses. We bought Henchoz from a side that got relegated and he went on to be a great centre back for us for a couple of seasons. Carragher and Hyypia were less formidable when the system was opened up, they were as vulnerable as Terry (if not more so) when not protected by defensive fullbacks and a well drilled system.

 

[gkmacca]

It's another blow to the idea that the most impressive performers are the ones who stand out in a mediocre team, because it doesn't work like that. Concentration, discipline, coping with pressure and standing out even among other stars is the best test. Otherwise keepers in relegation zone teams would be hailed as brilliant when they keep out a high proportion of a shower of shots each game (consider Mignolet at Sunderland compared to here), and the likes of Baresi would be downgraded because he didn't do it for, say, Bari. Kompany now is in a shambles of a defence, by their standards, where every moment he's trying to figure out what his teammates are going to do, or fail to do, and it's wrecking his own game. Mourinho has created a bespoke defensive system for Terry in which he's completely settled, secure and confident. He's never been better placed to make an interception or anticipate a move because of that set-up. So I'm not sure how easy or meaningful it is to draw a circle around an individual defender and say they're the best regardless of the context.

 

[HC]

Terry certainly is. Commanding, strong in the tackle, good in the air, a carra like love for his club and a goal getter too.

Unfortunately, he's had a fantastic career at chelsea..

 

[gkmacca]

a carra like love for his club .

He agreed in principle to move to us when Ged was manager.

 

[mark1975]

A Gerrard like love for his club then 😉