Despite their set-piece woes, Chelsea captain John Terry has declared he is in career-best form.

The Chelsea defence has come under a lot of scrutiny over the last few weeks following defeats at Wigan and Aston Villa, but Terry is playing as well as ever and the 28-year-old knows that with a World Cup coming at the end of season, football's biggest prizes, both domestic and international, could lie in wait.

He told the London Evening Standard: "I feel I'm in really good form and the best of my career. It's early days and I've started well for England and Chelsea and I'm motivated knowing what's at stake this season."

The England captain admits he has stepped up his training regime on and off the pitch to help take his game on to another level and to boost his chances of fulfilling his lofty ambitions.

"I want to make sure I'm 100 per cent fit and playing at a high level. I'm doing my shift in the gym, working hard after training on the pitch.

"I normally give it my all anyway, but it's off the pitch and the way I'm looking after my body with what I'm eating. It's really important for me. It's something I've always done but even more so now."