Middlesbrough v Chelsea: Rowing Blues should qualify

27Feb 2013

FA Cup

Christian Crowther previews this FA Cup fifth-round tie, with arrives amidst more paper talk of a rift between Rafa Benitez and John Terry...

Chelsea have a huge tie against Middlesbrough in the FA Cup fifth round on Wednesday night, but no one seems to be concentrating on the football match in the build-up.

Instead, reports have been emerging this week of a heated training ground exchange between senior players and interim manager Rafa Benitez.

Following Chelsea's 2-0 loss to Manchester City on Sunday, Rafa is thought to have accused some of his players of not pulling their weight for the cause and not listening to his instructions.

At the centre of the "exchange of views", as diplomatically described by the Chelsea boss, was out-of-favour club captain John Terry, who apparently stuck up for his under-fire teammates.

Terry wasnot been selected for the game at the Etihad Stadium and was also omitted from the starting line-up for the first leg of the Blues' Europa League tie in Prague.

The Chelsea stalwart has previously denied a rift with Benitez over his selection policy, though this latest development would suggest that there is certainly some needle there.

However, if Rafa is consistent with his recent selection strategy with Terry then ironically the ex-England captain should be in line to start against Boro.

Although Chelsea are still in the Europa League round-of-16, the FA Cup is surely still their best chance of silverware, although a trip to Old Trafford does await the winners of this one.

Standing in their way is a Middlesbrough side whose season has started to slide away from them recently.

Tony Mowbray's team have now lost seven of their last nine games in the Championship, instigating a drop out of the top six for the first time since October.

Despite some unrest in the build-up, whatever Chelsea side is picked here should have enough quality to get past a confidence-drained Boro outfit, who've now lost three of their last five home games and would probably willingly sacrifice this competition for a promotion spot.

Half With The Most Goals

One of Middlesbrough's deficiencies which has contributed to their recent slump is an inability to get a grip on the match before the half-time whistle. You have to go back ten games to the home win over non-league Hastings in this competition for the last time Boro struck a first-half goal. Equally as sluggish before the break of late are their illustrious visitors. Only one of Chelsea's last 12 goals in all competitions has arrived before the oranges are handed out.