What we learnt from the weekend


Arsenal are learning (again) the hard way that 7 out of 11 still doesn't make a good football team and can be brutally exposed. Twice in 7 days, Wenger's team's weaknesses have been brutally exposed. Today, they were better in parts - and in many areas of the game they held their own, bossed possession and often threatened Chelsea's goal. But they still don't have a striker, a goal-keeper, a left back and a muscular and consistent midfielder.

Chelsea weren't that much better. They didn't really mark Fabregas as tightly as Man United did and so Fabregas found plenty of space and time to create many openings that Arsnenal proceded to squander. But the difference between Chelsea and Arsenal was simply - Didier Drogba. He converted the only two shots Chelsea had on goal and killed the contest for Arsenal in the fist third of the game.

My friend Nachi had it spot on, when he exclaimed half way through the second half that Arsnel play like an advertisement that's made to win awards, rather than sell the product. It's very pretty but ineffective. Arsenal still show an alarming reluctance to shoot when in good positions and all through the afternoon, were guilty of that one pass too many that killed all their build up play.

Frighteningly for Arsnenal fans, the team lost to the counterattacking game against Manchester United and before this game Carlo Ancelotti specifically mentioned that this was Arsenal's weakness. And yet, the Gunners could do nothing about this as Chelsea knocked them cold on the counter punch twice in the first thirty minutes.

All players suffer the occasional lack of form. Carragher, Ferdinand and Vidic have all been through this in this season itself. Sometimes it's just a 5% short of match fitness, and other times it's confidence. But as a manager, you would usually handle it by giving the player in question a rest, time off, perhaps a holiday or just a few games in the reserve team to rebuild strength and confidence. Wenger doesn't have that luxury and so the out of form and short of confidence players must lumber up week after week, looking to play themselves into form, none more than Clichy and Almunia.

Clichy went walkabout in the first goal as Drogba appeared at the far post unchecked to tap in John Terry's header, from the corner. And for the second goal, Clichy committed himself allowing Drogba to cut inside him and shoot past Almunia with his left foot.

Arsenal are not out of the title race, it just looks that way. But it's a long way back for them. Drogba, who has now scored 12 goals in 12 games against Arsenal must look forward to this fixture with more relish than most of the other 21 players on the pitch. The last time round, Wenger suggested that Drogba did not do much on the pitch. Wonder what he will say this time!