Carvalho at one with Chelsea partner Terry

The Portugal defender has heaped praise on his fellow centre-half after the recent resumption of their partnership at the back saw them maintain their Barclays Premier League and Champions League title hopes.

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And Carvalho has also revealed the off-the-field dedication shown by the Blues skipper in helping out his colleagues.

"In my first year here it was hard for me because I was at a new club, in a new country, in a new league and playing a much more physical kind of game than I was used to in Portugal," he said.

"JT recognised this straight away and was such a big help, on and off the pitch. He really made me feel comfortable. He is one of the best I've played with and a great leader too.

"He is stronger than me and likes to get in the air whereas I play more with the ball than him. But that is what makes us such a good partnership together.

"As a centre-back, whoever you are playing with, you have to know your partner very well and have an understanding.

"It's like being two halves of the same whole."

Carvalho continued in Chelsea magazine: "Instinctively, I have to know what he is going to do and he has to know what I'm going to do. The understanding between the two players is very important."

Meanwhile, club doctor Bryan English is pleased with the progress made by goalkeeper Petr Cech following surgery on a facial injury.

The Czech Republic international underwent two hours of surgery on Sunday after cutting his face during training, ruling him out for another fortnight to compound his frustration following a recent ankle injury.

Coach Avram Grant's headache was only increased on Tuesday when Cech's replacement, Carlo Cudicini, sustained a hamstring problem in the Champions League win against Fenerbahce.

Cudicini will be out for around a month but English was at least able to issue an upbeat report on the Blues' number one, Cech.

"It's looking quite good," he said.

"The stitches are to come out in about three to four days' time.

"When you have a deep cut, you have several layers that you need to sew back together again, so a lot of the stitches are deep in the skin as well as holding the skin back together.

"It was the depth that was a little bit more of a concern rather than the length of the cut," English explained to Chelsea TV.

Grant will therefore rely on Hilario in goal for Monday night's home game with Wigan. Reserve keeper Rhys Taylor, 18, is set to be drafted into the squad as back-up.