Arsenal 3 Chelsea 1:RESULTS TRANSFORM attitudes, and Arsenal had waited a while for this sort of alchemy. They presented themselves with a 3-0 lead here after opening the scoring on the verge of the interval. A first victory over Chelsea since November 2008 was all but inevitable even then, since Carlo Ancelotti has a Chelsea team in decline.
Their response with a goal was a last spark of pride in a squad that looked almost burnt out. Even so, their opponents still needed to think long and hard about a test they passed well enough to suggest Chelsea may still compete hard for the title.
The match seemed to weigh more heavily on the mind of Arsene Wenger. Instead of sticking to habit, he had made decisions that saw, for instance, Johan Djourou and Theo Walcott in the starting line-up in preference to Sebastien Squillaci and Andrey Arshavin respectively. Such preferences by the manager did not have an immediate impact. The game was agreeable when the play from Arsenal was smooth, but was lacking a contrasting sharpness in the penalty area.
There had, however, been a rising tempo and confidence that was rewarded in the 44th minute. Alex Song began the move on the edge of area. His pass brushed against Cesc Fabregas before Jack Wilshere returned play to Song, who shot low past Petr Cech from an angle on the left.
Fabregas’s hamstring problem had receded and he started his first game for the club since November 23rd.
Chelsea, too, had Frank Lampard on the pitch at kick-off for the first time since August 28th. Still, it is a moot point whether the 32-year-old should really be expected to galvanise those around him.
The midfielder played some good passes in the first half, yet did not cause panic.
The impression that Chelsea give of a club winding down gradually appeared to be endorsed by the fact they arrived at the Emirates without a win in the Premier League since beating Fulham on November 10th.
Arsenal’s breakthrough had started to look feasible because a certain exuberance was coming into their play. Cech, indeed, had been alert enough to put a Samir Nasri chip over the bar just before Song scored. Chelsea needed a far more assertive manner to alter the character of the contest. The introduction of Ramires for Mikel John Obi at half-time showed Ancelotti intent on reclaiming the midfield.
By then, Arsenal had the composure of a side that could afford to be calm, particularly since there was an erratic tone to Chelsea. With 51 minutes gone, Michael Essien’s effort to tackle Robin Van Persie merely guided the ball to Theo Walcott, and he drew Cech before setting up Fabregas to shoot into the unattended net.
Chelsea’s competence deteriorated further at the next Arsenal goal, two minutes later. Florent Malouda was dispossessed by Walcott, and when Fabregas returned the ball to him the finish was elementary. By that stage, all that remained of the once formidable Chelsea was persistence. That resolve did at least count at a Didier Drogba free-kick, with Branislav Ivanovic leaping above Laurent Koscielny to head a goal in the 57th minute.
At the very least it interrupted the notion of a spree by Wenger’s side. The home crowd even had a spell when they cheered each pass in a move. With 69 minutes gone Chelsea substitute Gael Kakuta carelessly flicked a pass into the path of Nasri but his tentative flick did no more than tap the ball against Cech.
Arsenal had reached the stage where there was nothing more to do but exercise caution.
ARSENAL: Fabianski, Sagna, Koscielny, Djourou, Clichy, Song, Fabregas (Rosicky 88), Wilshere, Walcott (Diaby 73), van Persie (Chamakh 76), Nasri. Subs not used: Szczesny, Squillaci, Arshavin, Bendtner. Booked: van Persie, Fabregas.
CHELSEA: Cech, Ferreira (Bosingwa 61), Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Essien, Mikel (Ramires 46), Lampard, Kalou, Drogba, Malouda (Kakuta 56). Subs not used: Turnbull, Van Aanholt, Bruma, McEachran. Booked: Cole, Kalou, Lampard.
Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne Wear).
