Those "psychological effects" of which Arsène Wenger had spoken when considering the significance of this collision between the Premier League's top two may now be afflicting his Arsenal squad rather than bolstering them. Chelsea crossed the capital to claim this tie and a place in the League Cup quarter-finals with relative ease. They were more streetwise, more powerful and certainly cannier in key areas, their victory achieved with a goal in either half and plenty to spare. It all seemed far too comfortable.
Perhaps that was inevitable given the weight of resources at José Mourinho's disposal, but Wenger must hope a second successive home reverse, following last week's loss to Borussia Dortmund, does not erode conviction in a team who have scintillated since the second week of this campaign, with Liverpool's visit looming large on Saturday. The Frenchman has yet to overcome a Mourinho side, the Portuguese having now extended his mastery over Wenger's Arsenal to nine games. The league meetings between these teams may prove to be tighter but for now, with one route to a rare trophy now blocked, Wenger will be experiencing a familiar frustration.
This derby had been lent greater significance by the two teams' lofty status in the league table, even if both managers had, as anticipated, radically shuffled their packs. While Arsenal's selection offered the mix of youth and experience suggested by Wenger in the build-up, the visitors fielded only one player, Gary Cahill, who had started Sunday's victory over Manchester City.
Theirs had apparently been a protest selection, outraged as Mourinho was at having to play just 48 hours after that thunderous City occasion to fulfil TV demands, though the Portuguese would always have been tempted to deliver a lineup of personnel with much still to prove to the new manager. He has tapped into their hunger before.
Just as at Swindon in the previous round, the likes of Juan Mata and David Luiz were offered game-time and while Chelsea's lineup may not have been first-choice, it still oozed class, was underpinned by weighty experience and had been assembled for mind-boggling transfer fees. Only in central midfield, where Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey buzzed busily around Michael Essien and Mikel John Obi, while Santi Cazorla threatened ahead, did Arsenal look like a team with the upper hand. The ruthlessness on show was initially all Chelsea's. By the interval they led and looked comfortable, leaving the home side already pondering how to wrest back some kind of initiative in the contest.
The opening goal bore remarkable similarities to Fernando Torres' winner at the weekend, though while scored by a compatriot, its source was unlikely. Chelsea had defended a corner stoutly with Mata calmly sending Samuel Eto'o upfield and the Cameroonian, in turn, slipping a pass to Essien. While Arsenal heaved to recover, the veteran midfielder's pass looped up from Ramsey's challenge towards the home penalty area, bouncing and kicking up from the turf en route. The retreating Wilshere spotted Carl Jenkinson's intention to nod back towards the goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski and bellowed out a warning, pleading with his team-mate to let him collect. As withMatija Nastasic on Sunday, the call went unheeded.
The rest was inevitable. Jenkinson's connection lacked conviction and César Azpilicueta darted through on the blindside to poke his shot beyond the advancing Pole and in off the far post. Only once before in a seven-year professional career had the right-back scored, for Marseille against Auxerre in his final match for the club. His expression was still tinged with disbelief as he departed the pitch at half-time.
The Spaniard had admittedly also gifted the home side their most presentable opportunity of the half. His weak clearance was collected by Nacho Monreal, whose drilled shot fizzed through Cahill's legs and marginally wide of Mark Schwarzer's far post. But Arsenal had been flimsy, Nicklas Bendtner wheezing his way through a first start in this arena since March 2011, and the early promise offered by Ryo Miyaichi on the flank and Cazorla through the middle had largely been stamped out. Kevin de Bruyne and Mata tracked back eagerly, a track-suited Mourinho applauding their efforts on the touchline.
This was all industriously efficient, even if there was more urgency as the game progressed. Ramsey's shot flicked off Mikel in a cluttered penalty box to dribble marginally wide with Schwarzer beaten, but neat approach play invariably gave way to over-elaboration around the penalty box with Bendtner, in particular, struggling to find his team-mates' wavelength. The chorus for Olivier Giroud's introduction grew as the contest progressed, even if Wenger turned first to Mesut Özil to inspire. By the time Giroud did replace Bendtner, the Frenchman testing Schwarzer from close range with his first involvement, the home side trailed by two and were in desperate straits.
Their second concession was gloriously taken, Eto'o hooking a throw-in back into the box, Willian nodding on and Mata taking a touch before slamming his finish beyond Fabianski. The ball veered viciously beyond the Pole, the goal a rich reward for the club's player of the year in each of the last two seasons. Mata's star has slipped, risen and dipped again this season. This was a reminder that he remains a player of sumptuous talent, vision and finesse.
via Football: Chelsea | theguardian.com http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/29/arsenal-chelsea-capital-one-cup
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