Deadly Drogba Does The Damage

[James 5,143]

Chelsea 2-0 Arsenal
Didier Drogba scored a quick-fire brace to hand Chelsea the three points in a keenly-fought London derby.

The Ivorian poked home from close range after just seven minutes to give Chelsea the lead before capping off a fine counter-attack with a lethal finish inside the area.

A win means Chelsea return to the top of the Premier League table after Manchester United put five past a beleaguered Portsmouth side at Old Trafford. But with the returning Drogba and Mikel starting, Carlo Ancelotti’s men were quietly confident about completing a first Premier League double over Arsenal since 2006 – the last season Chelsea won the title.

The hosts put in a sensational team performance to deny Arsene Wenger’s young side time and again, with inspirational skipper John Terry a stand-out performer at the heart of the Chelsea defence.

Arsenal were resolute and showed tremendous resolve to dominate much of the game, but with Petr Cech returning to form and his defence imperious, Chelsea were not to be denied and held out for a famous victory.

With allegations of his private life still very much making both the front and back pages of the tabloids, there will be some reconciliation for John Terry, who ends a tortuous week having set up Drogba’s first goal.

And Terry celebrated at the final whistle in his trademark style; beating his first against his chest in an act of pure defiance. Mass public criticism led to Fabio Capello stripping Terry of the England captaincy, but the banner at the Matthew Harding Stand remains for all to see – John Terry, Captain, Leader, Legend.

But the Blues skipper was just one of a number of heroes across the pitch for Chelsea, who denied and contained Arsenal with a fabulous rearguard action.

Chelsea started brightly in a vociferous atmosphere generated by the Blues faithful, and took an early lead from Florent Malouda’s corner.

Some criminally poor Arsenal marking allowed John Terry to head the ball across the face of goal to the unmarked Drogba, who, after shaking off the attentions of Alex Song, poked past a stranded Manuel Almunia to give the hosts the lead with just seven minutes on the clock.

Arsenal’s response, however, was resolute and mature, and but for Petr Cech, the Gunners would have restored parity through Andrei Arshavin. Cesc Fabregas’ clever chip into the box was fired goalwards first time by the Russian, but the legs of the Czech goalkeeper foiled the Arsenal forward.

And Arshavin was made to pay for his guilt-edged miss when Drogba clinically sent the Chelsea crowd into raptures with a delightful second. Lampard robbed the ball and played it to Drogba, who went past Gael Clichy with frightening ease before finishing.

It might have been three had the Arsenal goalkeeper not denied Ashley Cole a goal against his former club, but for all of Arsenal’s possession, they were crafting only a handful of openings before ultimately being shut out by Terry and company.

But a much-improved performance in the second half by the visitors will leave much room for optimism in Arsene Wenger’s side as his team penned Chelsea inside their own half – but it was the hosts who came closest to finding the net; Lampard’s flick saved by Almunia.

Arsenal were cranking up the pressure but Chelsea’s defence was up to the mark, with Ashley Cole making a fine saving challenge to block Nasri the one time Arsenal truly carved Chelsea’s resilient defence open.

Beating Petr Cech, however, was proving difficult for the North London side. With rumours about his Chelsea future spread across the back pages of many a tabloid newspaper, the Czech was in formidable form as he silenced his doubters with a sublime performance.

Having commanded his area with relative assurance all game, the Czech excelled himself to save Fabregas’ clever low freekick, and then pawed away a dangerous cross before substitute Nicklas Bendtner could make contact.

The visiting supports lit a bright red flare in the away end, but a superb rearguard performance looks to have extinguished Arsenal’s title hopes once and for all.

Drogba then hit the crossbar with an incredible freekick that had the Arsenal goalkeeper rooted to the spot as he looked for his dream hattrick against the team he had supported as a boy, but both defences stood firm.

There was time left for the Ivorian to take his plaudits as he received a standing ovation as he made way for the returning Kalou. The industrious Anelka and Ballack were also withdrawn to choruses of appreciation, but the greatest cheer was for John Terry, who threw his shirt into the Matthew Harding Lower before celebrating with his adoring fans.

He may be disgraced, but his Chelsea continue to march on.

___________________________________________________________________

Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, Carvalho, Terry ©, A Cole; Ballack (Zhirkov), Mikel, Lampard; Anelka (J Cole), Malouda; Drogba (Kalou)

Arsenal: Almunia; Sagna (Eboue), Gallas, Vermaelen, Clichy; Fabregas ©, Song, Diaby (Rosicky); Walcott (Bendtner), Arshavin, Nasri

The TalkChelsea.net Man of the Match was Chelsea’s number 12 – John Mikel Obi

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