Overshadowing Chelsea’s point in Monday night’s draw with Everton which leaves Liverpool as the “Christmas Champions” for the 2008-09 season was the red card of skipper John Terry for a foul on Leon Osman, which left the Blues to play the second half with ten men. The England captain’s dismissal – his second in a Chelsea shirt this season – was the major talking point of a disappointing game.
Everton boss David Moyes described the tackle as “reckless” although Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari was less than impressed and was seen remonstrating with referee Phil Dowd at half-time.
After the 0-0 draw, a Chelsea spokesman said: “The management had issues with a number of decisions and felt they could get into trouble if they spoke.”
Terry’s tackle was high and it was late, but my personal opinion was that it was the sort of tackle he would have got away with 9 times out of 10. Whether or not Phil Dowd was correct to brandish a red card is an entirely different matter, however, as it was a nasty challenge.
The skipper will now miss Chelsea’s Premier League matches against Fulham and West Brom as well as the FA Cup tie against Southend – although he is likely to be available for the crunch match against Manchester United on 11 January.
It was Terry’s second dismissal of the season. He is not having much luck wearing the black Chelsea away shirt, having also being sent off for a foul on Jo in Chelsea’s 3-1 victory over Manchester City in September.
