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The flares came from Arsenal prior to the match, causing a 15 minute delay, but the fire emanated from an authoritarian Chelsea after this subdued London derby, leaving a trail of destruction behind them at the Premier League summit. The closest Arsenal got to Chelsea was when Arsene Wenger engrossed in a shoving bout with his nemesis Jose Mourinho, renewing an illustrious rivalry.
The duo departed without a handshake but Chelsea could soon be embracing the Premier League trophy in May. It would be naive to tout Chelsea as Premier League champions only seven matches into the league season but they look formidable.
Cesc Fabregas, undaunted by the prospect of facing his former club, shone, his majestic pass setting up Diego Costa for Chelsea’s second. The Iberian-Brazilian striker was clinical, seizing onto Fabregas’s pass and elegantly lobbing Wojciech Szczesny. Eden Hazard sparkled, scoring one from the penalty spot and terrorizing Arsenal’s suspect defence. Nemanja Matic was commanding, as were Chelsea.
What will perturb their Premier League rivals is that they are more than a one man team, boasting excellence of gargantuan proportions.
Chelsea very authoritarian
In an illustrious battle between two venerated managers, their formations drew close comparisons. Although suggesting Costa's fitness was a concern, the Iberian-Brazilian spearheaded Chelsea's attack in a 4-2-3-1 system as Mourinho's way of thinking matched equally by Wenger. Complimented by a glided attacking trident of Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez and Santi Cazorla, Danny Welbeck, buoyed by his hat-rick against Galatasaray in the Champions League, was deployed as Arsenal's solitary centre-forward.
Almost immediately, Costa was engaging Arsenal's defence, pressing eagerly before being dispossessed by an attentive Calum Chambers. Yet Arsenal surged forward, attempting to impose their style on the game. Wilshere played a neat one-two with Welbeck before Sanchez fired wide of Courtois' goal.
Ozil and Cazorla were acquiescing to Wenger's demands of increased defensive contribution, both tracking back and harrying Schürrle. Then Welbeck and Cazorla forced Oscar into relinquishing possession. Although Wenger had insisted Arsenal would not alter their expansive brand of football, they looked substantially more accomplished defensively, perhaps learning from their naivety last season.
Alexis was pressing eagerly, almost too determined, his knee crashing into Thibaut Courtois and leaving the Belgian momentarily dazed as the 23 year-old was ultimately replaced by Petr Cech.
Hazard’s contributions were outstanding
Arsenal were resorting to illegal means to thwart Chelsea's attacking powers, Gibbs cynically tripping a mesmeric Eden Hazard. In a tight game, tensions flared, Wenger and Mourinho getting involved in a touchline bust-up. Wenger, angered by Cahill's robust challenge on Sanchez, marched over to Mourinho and offered his unequivocal view, resulting in Mourinho attempting to accost the Frenchman.
Stamford Bridge was up for this, ironically serenading referee Martin Atkinson after he cautioned Chambers. The England international was closely monitoring Hazard, dispossessing the Belgian as he threatened to race away.
Yet a player of his mercurial excellence would not be denied twice. Racing past Cazorla and Chambers, he was then daftly poleaxed by Koscielny. Ambling up to the spot, Hazard was composed, sending Szczesny sprawling to the right with the ball nestling in the bottom left corner.
Wenger exuded exasperation on the touchline, throwing his arms up in derision when Chelsea were awarded a throw-in. Matic was influential, dictating the flow, tempo and intensity of this London derby, nullifying Arsenal attacks and orchestrating Chelsea's hazardous forward surges. Chambers continued to live dangerously, penalised for obstructing a menacing Schürrle.
Arsenal emerged for the second half with a vengeance, Cazorla failing narrowly to find Welbeck with a neat threaded pass. Yet they looked suspect in defence, Costa almost breaching Arsenal's resistance were it not for Szczesny's hurried intervention. Hazard continued to run and sparkle, accelerating beyond the disinclined Chambers, wary of commiting an offence worthy of a second yellow card, and delivering an enticing cross deflected onto his own post by Koscielny.
A goal of supreme quality
Matic was commanding, surging beyond Wilshere, finding Schürrle before the promising move collapsed. Arsenal grew in confidence. Welbeck cushioned the ball into the onrushing Wilshere’s path and Fabregas, determined, flew into the block, the ball striking his arm. Arsenal's appeals were vehement but refused to garner Atkinson’s attention.
Mourinho, alerted, introduced Mikel, the Nigerian replacing the effervescent Schürrle with 20 minutes remaining. Chambers smashed over the crossbar a speculative effort, reflecting Arsenal's subdued performance. Chelsea went for the jugular. Costa, side-stepping Mertesacker and bewildering Flamini, nudged the ball into Hazard, who fired over from close range.
Yet they would not be denied again. Seizing Fabregas's majestic pass, Costa sped in behind Mertesacker and Koscielny and lobbed nonchalantly over an impotent Szczesny. A goal of excellence and elegance, it should have come embossed with the word "Perfection".
