Can John Terry Flourish in Antonio Conte’s New System at Chelsea?

STAMFORD BRIDGE, LONDON — The last time Leicester City were in town, Chelsea fans were playing a guessing game over John Terry’s future.

It was the last game of 2015/16, and after a stand-off between club and player that had lasted the best part of five months, Terry had been offered a one-year contract extension to keep him at Stamford Bridge for another season.

Some inside the stadium that day took Terry’s emotional speech at the end of the game as his farewell; others held out more hope that he would agree to whatever the new terms were that Chelsea had offered him.

We didn’t have to wait too long for an answer. Within a few days, Terry had signed on. Fast-forward to Antonio Conte’s new regime at Chelsea, and it seemed Terry wouldn’t be playing the reduced role he had been expected to. With few defensive reinforcements made, the early matches of 2016/17 saw him remain an integral part of Chelsea’s rearguard.

It was a case of deja vu; many things change in west London, but Terry’s pre-eminence has been the one thing we can bank on. Since Roman Abramovich purchased the club in 2003, the captain has been a mainstay. Whether Chelsea have been free-spending in the transfer market or sacking managers, it hasn’t diluted Terry’s presence.

We’re getting a hint of that all changing now, however. It’s not about age or ability but more of Terry’s inability to fit in where Conte needs him to.

The consensus after back-to-back defeats to Liverpool and Arsenal in September was that Terry’s return from an ankle injury couldn’t come soon enough for his manager. Without their leader at the back, Chelsea had crumbled, conceding five goals in 180 minutes of humbling football.

The Blues were slapped with a reality check—first the forehand of Liverpool before Arsenal swung a return with their backhand to land consecutive blows. Only now, as the dust has settled from those defeats, the changes Conte has made mean Terry’s position in this team is in serious doubt.

WATCH: John Terry back for @ChelseaFC clash with @LCFC, says Antonio Conte: https://t.co/tgf3f2yoKn #SSNHQ https://t.co/D9alwy2HYL

— Sky Sports News HQ (@SkySportsNewsHQ) October 14, 2016

When Leicester returned to Stamford Bridge on Saturday, five months after their last visit, Terry could only make it as far as the bench. He was fit and available to Conte, but unused he remained.

Coming back from an ankle injury that has seen him sidelined for the best part of a month, there will have been an element of match sharpness, or lack thereof, that played a role in the boss’ decision-making. More than anything else would have been that Terry isn’t exactly suited to playing in a back three.

Having flirted with the 4-1-4-1 …

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