Fearless Terry still ready to lead from the front

It was difficult to know what was more impressive last night; John Terry's brave headed winner which broke Roma's stubborn resistance at Stamford Bridge or the post-match defence of his commitment to captain his country.

Actually, both performances said everything you needed to know about the drive and heart of Terry and demonstrated why, for both club or country, neither Luiz Felipe Scolari nor Fabio Capello could ever seriously dream of choosing anyone else to lead their teams into combat.

The skipper made a beeline for reporters straight after last night's 1-0 Champions League win to express his irritation.

It stemmed from watching Scolari's pre-match press conference when he was asked how Terry had been unfit to play for England in Belarus last week three days before turning out for his club against Middlesbrough.

"People were asking the manager about my commitment to England and how I could be fit for Saturday when I wasn't for Wednesday It's just disappointing that anyone would question my determination to play for my club or country," he protested, before offering a detailed timetable of how he had "given everything" in a bid to play at both Wembley and Minsk.

His fitness, passion and determination were back on show from the moment he saved Chelsea with a wonderful last-ditch tackle to prevent Roma midfielder Matteo Brighi opening the scoring before half-time to the instant in the 77th minute when he put his head where few would dare to nod home Frank Lampard's corner at the near post.

Petr Cech, largely a bystander on his return to goalkeeping duty, hailed his captain's performance as "fantastic" while Scolari himself was again reminded why earlier in the week he had noted: "For John Terry, dying in the field would be glory."

For this was a night which brought to mind the pre-Scolari Chelsea when the only motto was 'never mind the quality, feel the win'.

The Brazilian had promised it would be "beautiful" but ended up admitting it had been anything but.

Chelsea, dominating possession, had to stay patient and resolute against a team whose lack of ambition saw them fail to land a single shot on target but who defended with such Italian aplomb that it was always going to take something or someone special to make the difference. Scolari always felt that difference could be Terry because, as he explained, even when he was Portugal's manager he was "afraid" of that England defender in the box who so clearly wanted to win so badly.

He's a man Big Phil is now eternally grateful to have on his side, and Terry was last night keen to repay the compliment.

He said: "The manager backs me without a doubt and that's because he knows me. Everyone has warmed to him and maybe Chelsea is a friendlier place to come.

"He's just a great guy and it's rubbing off on all of us. Things are going well on and off the pitch. The man deals with things very well and has put the club in a direction we want to go."

A friendlier place the Bridge may be but it remains just as unrewarding a hunting ground for visiting teams.

Terry's first goal at home for two years ensured their unbeaten streak in all competitions there now stands at 74, while the undefeated 12-match start to Scolari's own reign features six straight clean sheets.

A win in Rome's Stadio Olimpico in the return fixture in a fortnight would secure Chelsea's passage to the knockout stages and Scolari believes that the Italians being forced to push for the victory could open up enough space to play right into his side's swift counter-attacking hands.

Before then, though, there's the little matter of Sunday's visit of Liverpool, fresh from their 1-1 draw in Madrid against Atletico, in the top-of-the-Premier League clash, with the returning Cech adamant that it is the Stamford Bridge factor which will prove decisive.

"Liverpool didn't play well at the start of the season but they still kept winning even then and that shows the strength and good mentality of the team," said the keeper.

"At the moment they have the momentum with them, but we are controlling games well. We're at home and I think that could end up being the key."

Or could Terry be the key again? He is predicting a potentially more open game than those old turgid Mourinho versus Benitez affairs yet if it is another tight, unlovely affair which comes down like last night to one man muscling in on the end of a set-piece delivery, you surely wouldn't back against someone who appears to be on a personal crusade to exorcise his Moscow shoot-out nightmare.