ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: Arsenal 0 Chelsea 3:FOR ARSENAL the future has been postponed once again. This defeat was all too familiar. It was reminiscent, for instance, of the 3-1 beating here by Manchester United in the second leg of last season's Champions League semi-final. There was a pointed resemblance, as well, to the 4-1 drubbing when Chelsea themselves last came to the Emirates in May.

There are some particularly regrettable casualties in all the carnage. It was, for instance, sad yesterday evening to hear Arsene Wenger trying to deny the inferiority of his men. He surely recognises the pattern. Didier Drogba, with his pair of goals, has now scored 10 times in 11 appearances, including the Charity Shield, against Arsenal. The striker has never lost to these opponents.

If there is any comfort for Arsenal, it lies in the fact that they are far from being the only major side who cannot cope with a hardened and accomplished Chelsea. The full range of that side’s capacities was flaunted here. For the home support it must have bordered on the unendurable that the catcalls for their former left-back Ashley Cole had to be stifled as he set up the first two goals.

There was a revival of sorts for Wenger’s side following the interval. The manager removed Alex Song since there was no longer any sense in having a holding midfielder on the pitch when keeping Chelsea at bay was an irrelevance.

Arsenal, with Theo Walcott introduced, had to chase the game. They seemed to do so with some elan but the Chelsea defence reacted with its habitual efficiency. When Andrey Arshavin did have the ball in the net, a foul was awarded against Eduardo da Silva by the referee, Andre Marriner, because the Croatia international had raised his foot when challenging the goalkeeper Petr Cech.

There should be no recriminations from Arsenal over the official. He had indulged them when he declined to give a penalty in the 17th minute despite Bacary Sagna’s tug on Nicolas Anelka as he moved on to a Frank Lampard pass. The unusual aspect was the disinclination of the striker to keel over inside the area when he had grounds to do so against his former club.

Hope and potential look like handicaps for Arsenal when confronted by a side of Chelsea’s expertise. After this defeat Arsenal are 11 points behind Carlo Ancelotti’s Premier League leaders and their game in hand is scant consolation. This was a second consecutive domestic defeat, following that at Sunderland. That was bad enough but the know-how of the visitors was all the more depressing for home fans who had to endure the key role of Cole at the first two goals.

There was a final demonstration of Chelsea’s authority in the 86th minute, when Drogba scored his second goal with a crashing free-kick from 25 yards.

Chelsea had few moments of anxiety and, when pressure was applied as Arsenal sought a comeback, they looked wholly prepared for that stress. Ancelotti has a squad that, in some departments, seems grizzled. For the time being, though, it is not at risk of disintegration. The defence, if not actually enjoying its work in blocking Walcott and the others, was thoroughly prepared for that exercise.

There is so much talk of Chelsea’s discipline and professionalism that too little time is left to speak of their talent. With 36 goals in the League, they are now joint top scorers with Arsenal. Their thwarting of the opposition’s attackers is, of course, decidedly superior to Wenger’s side.

Arsenal were opened up slickly for the first goal here. John Terry, who spends much of his life stifling the opposition’s creativity, played a lovely left-footed pass to release Cole in the 42nd minute. Drogba then guided home the cross off the inside of the post.

Four minutes later another expert cross from the left-back was turned into his own net by Thomas Vermaelen.

The centre-half will have felt unfortunate but it was the mood of general inadequacy that will truly pain Arsenal. The margin of defeat could have been greater, although it would have been unlucky if Manuel Almunia had not responded to turn a ricochet behind when Drogba’s drive broke off the chest of Frank Lampard in the 64th minute.

If some of these Chelsea players are in the latter stages of their careers, then fans should treasure them all the more. Anelka, who may reportedly be offered a new contract worth €130,000 a week, looks a clever and incisive partner for Drogba.

The Frenchman is apparently irked by the reputation he once had, with Arsenal, as a goal-snatcher who simply played on the shoulder of the last defender.

It was no insult to classify him as a predator but Anelka has always wanted more recognition of his full repertoire. He is an accomplice of imagination and cunning for Drogba nowadays. Chelsea have far to go yet before they check the domination of Manchester United, who have taken the last three league titles. Even so Ancelotti has made his club believe the best is yet to come.

Guardian Service