Chelsea’s beauty and the beast (That’s Alex’s screamer and deadly Drogba)
We seem to have been here so many times before but a DVD of yesterday’s match will show that Arsenal dominated for long periods, played a wonderful passing game that was easy on the eye and had Chelsea running around in circles in the first half.
But it will also show how Carlo Ancelotti’s side, whose victory at the Emirates last season was described as ‘men against boys’ brutally and ruthlessly won the match by taking a more pragmatic approach than their London neighbours.
In truth, the only real difference between the sides in an entertaining game was Drogba, the Ivorian who dreamt of playing for Arsenal when he was a young player in France but who has punished them viciously for missing out on him ever since.
Yesterday’s goal was his 13th in 11 starts against the Gunners since he arrived in England six years ago and it was also one of his best.
The way he pirouetted to send a back-heeled flick into the net from Ashley Cole’s low cross after 40 minutes was a moment of wonderful skill; a real glimpse of the ‘beautiful’ Drogba.
But the way he powered through Arsenal defenders, rampaged forward at one of the field and defended like a demon highlighted the ‘beast’ in his play – a quality Arsenal are still missing despite the signing of Marouanne Chamakh to play the Drogba role in north London.
Chamakh, in fact, wasted at least two excellent chances to give Arsenal a goal at Stamford Bridge but Chelsea were never going to be so forgiving and although Nicolas Anelka was twice denied by goalkeeper Fabianski the game was put to bed by another moment of ferocity – a free-kick of such power from Brazilian defender Alex in the 85th minute that he later limped off with a muscle injury.
The result leaves Arsenal, who began the weekend in third place, now seven points behind Chelsea who have a four-point lead at the top and there was a real sense of relief at Stamford Bridge at the end of a difficult week.
Chelsea, of course, lost their 100% record by losing at Manchester City just seven days ago and then were hit by news of the death of Carlo Ancelotti’s father in midweek.
Ancelotti made it back to London despite attending the funeral in Italy on Saturday but left assistant Ray Wilkins to do his talking afterwards.
“For us to beat Arsenal is always a delight,” he said. “It’s not always pleasant to look at it but it was effective. You can’t always do what you want to do in these matches, you have to fight and scrap – and we have that quality to do that. And when we get in the final third, we have the quality to finish teams off.
“We have a spirit in this club we are thrilled about. We are working really hard for each other.
“Arsenal play some wonderful football, they are one of the teams that scare me in the Premier League because they take the ball off us and don’t give it back. But we showed great determination and mettle to beat them.”
Wilkins’ assessment is an accurate one because although Arsenal at times were excellent, with Jack Wilshere in particular impressive in the centre of midfield, it was the power of layers such as Drogba, Essien and Malouda, together with an athletic performance from Ashley Cole, that made the difference.
Arsenal will look back on wasted chances, not least in the very first minute when defender Laurent Koscielny should, have put Wenger’s side ahead after Samir Nasri’s corner found him completely unmarked at the far post and only a yard out. All the Frenchman had to do was nod home but bizarrely he turned his back on the ball and back-headed it inexplicably over the bar. Perhaps the centre-back had lost his bearings but the miss cost Arsenal and Chelsea, as we have come to expect, were far more ruthless.
That’s a familiar story for Arsenal fans and unless their team adds a bit of the beast to their play, you suspect it’s a tale that will be played out time and again in the coming months.
Chelsea, in the meantime, seem to know the script by heart; and it’s not difficult to predict they will live happily ever after.
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