Didier Drogba forces Arsenal to yield to Chelsea's greater efficiency

Florent Malouda
Chelsea's Florent Malouda tangles with Arsenal's Bacary Sagna, left, and Alex Song at Stamford Bridge. Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters

If the breath is leaving Arsenal's bid for the title so early, the cause of death will be registered as suffocation by stereotype. It is hard to avoid the focus on losers who put so much into the match for no return whatever. Nonetheless it would be implausible to suggest that they had been unfortunate. A sequence of five consecutive defeats by Chelsea in all competitions is no statistical freak.

Few observers at Stamford Bridge would have been surprised that the victors made thorough use of limited opportunities. It is natural that there should be expertise in so seasoned a line-up. The squad, broadly speaking, is an ageing one but, so far as other contenders are concerned, it is taking far too long for them to drift into feebleness.

Despite a further success for Chelsea, not all stereotypes about Arsenal continue to be valid. They were not really innocuous. The openings did exist and the inability to exploit them was, in one particular case, uncanny. Wenger's men began the afternoon with great verve, as if rebuking everyone who scorns them as feeble aesthetes. Despite that, it does remain true that they are not clinical enough on occasions such as this to get the maximum benefit from their excellence.

In the first minute a Marouane Chamakh header was deflected behind and from the corner Laurent Koscielny contrived to nod the ball over the bar when the target was a mere couple of yards in front of him. While Chelsea had no influence on that, they are seldom shaken by endeavour from their opponents. The obvious prototype for the win might have been the Champions League contest at this ground last Tuesday.

Marseille have little of Arsenal's finesse yet often went on the attack, before being picked off in a 2-0 defeat. At the second goal yesterday's visitors also saw how Chelsea's patience can abruptly turn into vehemence. There was no fault on Arsenal's part once Koscielny had brought down Nicolas Anelka to earn a yellow card five minutes from the close.

The ensuing 25-yarder from the centre-half Alex had both power and movement as it roared past the left arm of the goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski. That clincher ensured a handsome prize. The Premier League leaders now stand seven points ahead of Arsenal and four ahead of second-placed Manchester City. The old claim that they are merely functional should also fall into disuse.

Chelsea might have bided their time against Arsenal but they still have 23 goals from seven league matches. The rampage has been in progress for well over a year now. It was triggered by the appointment of Carlo Ancelotti and the manager, returning from Italy following the death of his father, could see again the degree to which he has recast the style and reputation of Chelsea.

Arsenal, all the same, had a foretaste of that incisiveness well before the advent of Ancelotti. For then the lethal trait is embodied in the imposing Drogba. He now has 13 goals in 11 starts against Wenger's men, so long as a Community Shield game is included in the reckoning.

For all the visitors' endeavour and technique, Ancelotti's line-up had the air of patient men biding their time. Even when pinned back, Chelsea carried a threat. Drogba would acknowledge some excellent work in the fashioning of his chance in the 39th minute. Ramires has been rather subdued since the summer move to England but his presence was felt fully in the goal.

After he had made a tackle he found the ball played back to him and the Brazilian showed an unexpected finesse with the pass that released Ashley Cole on the left. The low cross from the former Arsenal full-back was backheeled home by Drogba via the inside of the near post.

That build-up was impressive andvindictive, as it contrasted with Arsenal's lack of efficiency when the fashioningof the final pass and shot was at issue. Ultimately they were reduced to the sort of forlorn appeal for a penalty that was liable to be dismissed by the referee, Mike Dean.

Arsenal's suffering might have been more intense still. Anelka, another of their former players, would also be profligate after the interval. With an hour gone a lapse by Sébastien Squillaci let him run through, only for the shot to be struck off target. By and large, though, Chelsea knew precisely where they were going and efficiency secured the win.

There are other issues, of course. Arsenal's verve would have more impact if Cesc Fábregas and Robin van Persie were fit. The speed of the absent Theo Walcott might also have been of help. Further, it will be a relief to Wenger when the injured centre-back Thomas Vermaelen is fit once more. At the same time, though, it has to be recognised that the signings of Squillaci and Koscielny were intended to give Arsenal a depth of resources in a critical part of the line-up.

So far, that upgrade is not apparent. Chelsea, on the other hand, rest on the tried and tested. An overhaul will be demanded eventually but they have gone on prospering regardless of the unavailability of someone such as the injured Frank Lampard. Those awaiting an implosion at Stamford Bridge will have to be patient.

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