Terry is still dreaming of the double
ANTONIO CONTE says no one has to sell him the romantic storyline of John Terry lifting the FA Cup for the sixth time.
Sweeping his arm through the air motioning a signature, he smiled: “I’d sign now for this. Right now.”
His 36-year-old skipper might need more than an imaginary pen to get a new contract, even if he does end up lifting two trophies in May.
The double is on and Conte says the inspirational Terry is a big part of his plans – for now.
Second-half goals from Pedro and Diego Costa saw the Premier League leaders safely through after surviving a couple of scares against Wolves.
Conte, below, said: “I’m pleased to give a player the opportunity but not for sentimental reasons. For me, John is a very important player, my captain. He’s important on and off the pitch. He’s helping me a lot.”
Terry said he had led a rallying call to Chelsea’s stars based on Lincoln’s humbling of Burnley a few hours earlier.
Conte made seven changes but still fielded a strong side, knowing this was a dangerous fixture.
They did not need a warning shot but they got one regardless when George Saville was presented with a great opportunity just five minutes into the game. He curled a shot goalwards with the outside of his left foot which hit a post and bounced out.
“If that goes in it’s a different ball game,” said Saville. “I am disappointed but I hit it well. That’s the bit of luck you need, especially in big games. I hit it how I wanted to hit it and on another day that hits the post and goes in.”
Chelsea goalkeeper Asmir Begovic admitted he got lucky, saying: “It was a good shot and I might not have covered it. It would have been tough to come back from behind but that was the little bit of luck you need sometimes.”
It was not to be and, though Wolves had the upper hand for the first hour, you sensed that Chelsea’s class would eventually tell.
That is exactly how it panned out – Pedro breaking the deadlock in the 65th minute with a close-range header.
That looked like enough, but when Costa swept the ball into the bottom corner in the 89th minute it really was all over.
Wolves can take a great deal from this match, not least the hope that it is a taste of things to come. The 30,000 gate was the biggest at the rebuilt Molineux in almost 40 years and one person watching for the first time with interest was Wang Qunbin, president of the club’s new Chinese owners.
Boss Paul Lambert said: “It’s important for the owners to see what this place can be like when it’s full.
“If we can get back into the Premier League we’ll have more nights like that.”
WOLVES (4-3-3): Ikeme; Coady, Batth, Hause, Doherty; Saville (Saiss 84), Price, Edwards; Costa, Weimann (Wilson 76), Bodvarsson (Ronan 84). Booked: Batth, Saville, Weimann.
CHELSEA (3-4-3): Begovic; Zouma, Terry, Ake; Moses, Chalobah, Fabregas, Pedro (Azpilicueta 73); Willian (Kante 80), Costa, Hazard (Loftus-Cheek 85). Booked: Pedro. Goals: Pedro 65, Costa 89.
Referee: J Moss (W Yorkshire).