EYEWITNESS: Arsenal 3 Chelsea 1, Barclays Premier League
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE: ARSENAL CHELSEA
EYEWITNESS report by RICHARD OSLEY
From THE EMIRATES STADIUM
THIS was pretty magnificent, Arsenal rampant like the old days against the upstarts from across town. It left Chelsea fans clinging to this bizarre idea that a team which has spent millions and millions and millions on news players could be undone simply by letting the assistant manager, Ray Wilkins, go.
Chelsea's management were a bit more realistic. Carlo Ancelotti raised that eyebrow as high as he could and admitted 'Arsenal played better'. Simple as that. It was a fair assessment. In one evening, Arsenal forgot all those Didier Drogba derbies where good efforts and well meaning intention, craft and skill have unravelled at the hands of Chelsea's bulldozer frontman. It wasn't a last minute squeaker, it was a battering. John Terry's crumpled face as he tried to keep face with Theo Walcott said it all. Arsenal might not finish above Chelsea this season, but this was a night to savour. Frank Lampard and Michael Essien for once were left chasing shadows as a burst of goals either side of half time put the match beyond the champions.
Alex Song opened a first half stalemate up. His one-two with Jack Wilshere pushed him beyond the jittery Chelsea back line and his angled shot gave the Gunners a half-time lead. Before the hour was up, it was 3-0. First Theo Walcott's jet heels and quick-thinking set up Cesc Fabregas, and then Walcott himself raced clear and steered the ball beyond Terry's desperate lunges and keeper Petr Cech's sprawl. Ivanovice headed Chelsea a goal back soon after but there were surprisingly few nervy moments - a springy Drogba free-kick aside - where the visitors looked like launching a comeback. They were well beaten.
It felt like a surprise but a line can be traced back over the last few seasons where Arsenal have come close to beating 'big four' teams but blown big moments at crucial points. They could have won at Manchester United last season without Abou Diaby's ludicrous own goal. This season, the Gunners gave a good account of themselves at Stamford Bridge but Chelsea were more clinical when it mattered. Tonight, all the hard work paid dividends. Robin Van Persie looked hungrier than ever. Nasri was typically assured. Wilshere and Walcott grew in confidence as each minute passed. Only Gael Clichy, with a permanent worried frown, looked under stress.
It was Johan Djourou, the big Swiss centre half, however, who might remember this night best. He stepped into a role Arsenal have failed to fill in recent years: The stop-Drogba position. He dealt with the task confidently. The Gunners could do with him playing like this every week as they try to shore up a defence capable of undermining all of their powerful forward play. If Djourou could emerge as a reliable first choice central defender, this win could be even more important to Arsenal's trophy quest than first glance.
ARSENAL PLAYER RATINGS:
Lukasz FABIANSKI: 8. Far more confident in the air.
Bacary SAGNA: 8. Solid in defence and attack.
Gael CLICHY: 5. Jittery. Must be feeling the pressure of Gibbs hammering on the door.
JOHAN DJOROU: 9. Is the search for a reliable centre back over?
Laurent KOSCIELNY: 6. Poor effort on Ivanovic goal, but good overall.
Alex SONG: 9. Kept Lampard in his pocket. Key figure.
Cesc FABREGAS (Capt): 8. SKY lazy to give him man of the match.
Theo WALCOTT: 9. Full of energy.
Samir NASRI: 9. Looks so confident. Player of the season?
Jack WILSHERE: 9. Hard to drop. Bad news for Diaby and Denilson.
Robin VAN PERSIE: 9. More than a few glimpses of the Dutch master's best form.
Subs: SCCZESNY, SQUILLACI, DIABY, ROSICKY, ARSHAVIN, CHAMAKH, BENDTNER