Football: Arsenal 0-3 Chelsea

In the words of C. Montgomery Burns of The Simpsons, “Please Sir, I can’t bear another thrashing.”

Today Arsenal lost at home to Chelsea by a three goal margin for the second time in successive seasons. I was hopeful that Arsene’s young guns would avoid another pummeling from the boys from the bridge but it wasn’t to be. Unfortunately Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea highlighted the rather large gap in class that currently separates the two teams – and it hurts to say that.

Arsenal were defensively naïve but the glaring deficiency in their team was a distinct lack of steel. This has so often been the downfall of Wenger’s recent teams but more troubling is the fact that Arsenal as a squad seem to get smaller year by year. In 2004 the side had players like Campbell, Vieira, Henry and Gilberto – all of whom had the physical presence to cope with the premiership. Now in their place are players with great talent but not enough brawn to battle on the same pitch as a robust and uncompromising side like Chelsea.

Luck is required to win the league in this country, make no mistake about it. Arsenal being deprived of their three physically imposing players in Van Persie, Bendtner and Abou Diaby made Chelsea’s job a whole lot easier. But for Arsenal’s main mode of attack to comprise of crosses into the box without these players seemed a rather strange strategic decision. Subsequently the better side ran out deserving winners today and truly do look like the champions elect even at this early stage of the season.

I feel for Arsene Wenger. He deserves success because he is a visionary in a world that doesn’t quite understand him. He develops players when others don’t and has a yearning to make football the art it can be, on a budget that would be laughed out of town by any other top manager. I also feel for Cesc Fabregas. He is Arsene’s most striking example of a player blossoming under his stewardship. He is well spoken and gives everything he has as captain of Arsenal. I hate to see him and his manager continually let down on days when it really matters. Today, unfortunately, was one of those days.