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Although the Three Lions armband has been ruthlessly ripped away from him, his role as Chelsea skipper was never in question. And, no doubt boosted by support from both his manager and the fans, Terry showed once more what an asset he can be.

Excellent throughout, he was the defensive rock in the formidable spine of players that Carlo Ancelotti has built his title chasing team around. Along with Terry the Italian has Cech in goal, Lampard in midfield and Didier Drogba up front.

The Ivorian loves playing against Arsenal and demonstrated this again with an impressive brace to take the Blues back to the top of the league and deal a potentially fatal blow to Arsenal’s title ambitions.

How Arsene Wenger would love a quartet like Cech, Lampard, Terry and Drogba to build his team around. Although they are technically impressive, the Gunners appear to lack those big game players that make the difference in the tightest matches.

Chelsea and Manchester United have both secured the double over Arsenal this season, a sure fire sign the north London club lacks the players to make that extra step.

Wenger has been praised for his tight financial management of the side, especially when compared to the money worries of United and Liverpool. But if he is sitting a £30 million war chest surely now is the time to splash the cash.

His dream of winning the title with his young charges, nurtured as teenagers through the academy, with sprinklings of experience thrown in on top, is looking increasingly unlikely.

It is your Wayne Rooneys and Didier Drogbas of this world that win you silverware – players that have that extra edge when it matters. Cesc Fabregas is a world class presence in midfield granted, but with Robin Van Persie injured there just doesn’t seem enough match-winners in his side.

The situation couldn’t be more different at the Bridge, with Terry leading Chelsea’s charge from the front. Indeed, Chelsea’s Premier League odds make them favourites to win the title.

In horse racing news, final preparations for this year’s Cheltenham Festival are underway as trainers look to ensure their charges are in top condition going into the event.

Randy and Jason join WFD to cover the lighter side of the Football World

WFD closes the week off strong with quite the line-up.  To begin with, we are happy to bring our Premium Subscribers a special treat.  Steven and Kenny come in early to record a special skype video segment with Jason and Randy Sklar.  The Sklar Brothers cover the lighter side of football including their perspectives on the John Terry scandal, the England National team, as well as random topics like the Superbowl, the Grammy’s and even Lady Gaga.

As for the live show, Steven and Kenny check in immediately with News of the World Chief Football writer, Neil Ashton, to cover exactly how Fabio Capello dealt with the England Captain.  Immediately following Neil Ashton, the boys travel to Milan.  WFD checks in with Kris Voakes to preview the weekend in Italy.  Kenny brings up the return of Totti and Steven discusses the coaching situation at Juventus.  After Kris Voakes, Kenny and Steven dial up Amy Lawrence of the Guardian to preview the major fixtures coming up this weekend in England.  Lots to cover with Arsenal taking on Chelsea and the battle for fourth gets interesting as Tottenham takes on Aston Villa.  At the end of the show, Amy, Steven and Kenny call up our favorite Aussie, Nick Mason from New York to play a little “I Know the Score”.

Amy Lawrence of The Guardian in the UK

All the way from Milan, Mr. Kris Voakes

Sam Wallace of the Independent

The week is almost thru but World Football Daily is staying strong.  The first half of the show is all yours.  Callers, Skypers, emails and tweets, get stuck in and shape the discussion with your voice.  If you are getting tired of hearing about the John Terry issue, then swing the topic to something that interests you.  In the second half of the show, we are happy to bring you Sayed Otaru who gives us a wrap up of the African Cup of Nations.  Sayed gives us his team of the tournament, and highlights the ups and downs of the competition.  Steven and Kenny wrap up the show with Sam Wallace of the Independent.  We grab his opinion on the Terry captaincy issue.  Whether he keeps the England armband or Capello takes it away, we get his perspective on the entire issue and how it affects both Chelsea and the England National side as they prepare for South Africa this summer.

Sayed wraps up the African Cup of Nations Tournament

In the live show, we continue to bring you top quality guests beginning with Henry Winter from the Daily Telegraph. Then, in the second half of the show, we bring you a special guest: Peter Bonetti. Peter Bonetti, nicknamed “the cat,” is the former Chelsea –and England—goalkeeper, and we are blessed to have him on our show. He discusses his playing career and what is like walking up the Wembley steps, and winning a World Cup. We always encourage viewer call-ins, so get your voice heard.

Matt Dickinson of the Times Online

The boys of World Football Daily come back from quite the weekend.  Staying busy to bring our subscribers the content they want to see, you can expect to see a Production Meeting from the end of last week, as well as the first segment of a three part series  with the LA Gooners.  WFD went to the Fox and Hound in Studio City to join the Arsenal Supporters club as they gathered to watch the big United v Arsenal fixture on Sunday.  Sadly enough for our Gooner crowd, The Arse feel to Sir Alex and Manchester United, but the atmosphere was epic and the drinks were flowing.  We couldn’t have asked for a better crowd to watch the match with.

As for today’s show, World Football Daily brings you all the best guests to cover the weekends fixtures properly.  We start the show off with Matt Dickinson in the first half.  Matt Dickinson writes for the Times Online in the UK and has several articles that are current and pertinent to all latest issues worth discussing.  In the second half of the show, Steven and Kenny chat up our good friend Robbie Earle who commentated the United v Arsenal fixture from Sunday.  Robbie gives us his perspective on the match he commentated, as well as giving us his views on the rest of the Premier League.  If you have an opinion on the matter, call in and get your voice heard!

Robbie Commentated on the Arsenal v United Fixture

The victory over Bolton was the Reds fourth win on the spin at Anfield as Benitez works to ensure Liverpool qualify for next seasons Champions League.

Benitez was honest with his assessment, but believes his side deserved the win and was delighted with the result, saying:  “It could have been worse in the first half, but was much better in the second half. For everyone here it was important just to win.

“In the first half there was one or two chances. The second half was totally different – we had more control, more opportunities – but in football you have to take your chances.

“The second half we were pushing, we played much better so it was a big difference from the first half.”

Next up for Liverpool are city rivals Everton who make the (very) short trip to Anfield on February 6.  In a strange was the two side’s fortunes have mirrored each other through the course of the campaign so far.  Everton fans were expecting their team to be competing for European football and fighting it out with the top eight or nine sides in the league.  However, they endured a difficult start to the season and had won just four games all season until recently, where a run of four wins in five games has seen them march up the Premier League table.

After a second-placed finish last season and a sustained title challenge last season Liverpool were tipped by many to go one better and take the title for the first time in over 20 years.  However, like Everton, Liverpool suffered a poor start and it is starting to look as if they may even miss out on Champions League football next season.

As we enter the latter half of the season both Merseyside clubs have found themselves in better form, Everton are now in with a shout at a place in next season’s Europa League, while Liverpool are competing for fourth spot.  The upcoming fixture would be important for both clubs regardless of the opponent but because it is a derby it makes it all the more vital to emerge with three points.

Following the victory and clean-sheet Benitez admitted he was pleased to secure three points but turned his attention to next week, as he knows the hard work isn’t over just yet.

He added:  “It’s another clean sheet, it’s really positive and hopefully it’ll be better for the confidence for the next game against Everton.  We have to win games and we are winning some of them.”

Both teams head into this is fine form, with neither having lost in their last six fixtures.  As always I’m expecting a hard-fought encounter at Anfield and it will be a close game.  However, Liverpool have turned Anfield into a bit of a fortress of late and I reckon they might just emerge with all three points as at the moment it is their fortunes on their travels which is letting them down.

Written by Carl Hector, a sports writer who blogs about Irish racing, Premier League football and the Cheltenham Festival 2010.

The BBC's Sean Wheelock

WFD closes the week with a huge show!  Everything is live today.  We start the show off by bringing back Massimo Lopez Pena from La Gazzetta dello Sport to cover the dismissal of Ferrera in Italy.  Immediately following Massimo, Steven and Kenny go to Sean Wheelock of the BBC to cover the USMNT’s lose to Honduras and their hopes for this summer.  The boys also cover the Charlie Davies triumphant return to fitness and the Collective Bargaining Agreement.  After Wheelock, Steven and Kenny go back to Italy to get another perspective by going to Kris Voakes in Milan.  After Voakesy, preview one of the biggest matches of the season so far in the Premier League when Arsenal clash against Manchester United.  The boys talk with Philip Brown, formerly of Red Devil Radio, and self-professed United supporter.  Finally, we go to Sayed Otaru to give us an update on the African Cup of Nations.  And of course, Steven and Kenny pick two people to play a little I Know The Score.

Kris Voakes, all the way from Milan, Italy.

Sayed Otaru joins WFD to update us on all thing African Cup of Nations

Andy Gray of Sky Sports

Happy to say that today is an absolutely epic day… yet again.  Unfortunately, you just cant find a daily show like this anywhere else in the United States which truly makes WFD a Premium Product.  We dont ask that you stop following other blogs, podcasts and websites.  On the contrary, we believe it is important to gather a well rounded view on all topics in the world of football.  It is just that WFD gives you an absolute quality show, with original guests, that help you gather several perspectives without going anywhere else.  That, my friend, is well worth $4 a month.

On the live show today, we are honored to give our listeners a fantastic interview with Andy Gray.  Andy is a world famous voice (even being heard on video games) and Steven and Kenny are happy to discuss all things English Football with the commentator.  Outspoken and full of personal experience both on and off the pitch, Andy dishes his insight on several major topics of debate as well as all of the midweek fixtures in the Prem.  As for Premium content, our paying subscribers will be happy to know that we had Andy Gray’s commentating partner, Mr. Martin Tyler who sat down with the boys earlier this morning.  Martin Tyler commentated over the Arsenal v Villa match yesterday.  But Steven and Kenny get Tyler’s perspective on everything in England, especially the fantastic two-legged tie between United and City in the Carling Cup.  If you want to catch the Martin Tyler interview, make sure to sign into www.wfdpremium.com

World Famous voice of Football, Mr. Martin Tyler

David Gold and David Sullivan have been hailed as messiahs in corners of Upton Park, but what really to think of their early offerings in terms of transfer targets? What soccer predictions can we make at this stage?

I know they can do little about what their manager Gianfranco Zola wants to add to his squad, but the signs are not all that exciting with the likely deal for Blackburn striker Benni McCarthy coming first and a move mooted for Eidur Gudjohnsen, which could now be hijacked by Spurs of all teams.

But are these players the calibre required to turn a relegation fight into comfortable mid-table safety by the middle of May? Many EPL predictions would suggest they had enough to avoid the drop anyway, but does this guarentee it?

Although the Hammers have struggled with injuries up front this season, it’s hard to imagine both McCarthy and Gudjohnsen playing in the same side as long as Carlton Cole is back to 100% fitness.

Both tend to play link-up football and neither is the out-and-out goalscorer the Hammers need to feature alongside Cole, whose own record in front of goal is none too special.

McCarthy, out of favour for much of the season and, if he leaves, exiting Ewood Park on bad terms after opting out of training, has 37 league goals since arriving in the country in the summer of 2006. Injuries have limited him to only 82 league starts as well, and he would be joining a team that has had its fair share of bad luck – Dean Ashton’s sad early retirement for example.

Similarly Gudjohnsen averages about a goal every three games and has played little football since leaving Chelsea in 2006 – he was a peripheral player at Barcelona and has yet to score a league goal for Monaco this season.

And now the Hammers may not even be able to add the Icelandic veteran with Harry Redknapp stepping in to make him an offer despite already not being able to give regular playing time to his own four strikers…poor Hammers fans will wonder what is coming next if they can’t get their man!