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Ray Parlour had recovered to wear the captain's armband and Wiltord partnered Henry upfront. With Vieira, Keown and Ljungberg missing our bench looked a tad lopsided with Stack, Cygan, Kanu, Aliadiere and Bergkamp showing anything but defensive tendencies. By the time kick off arrived the Manure result at Leeds meant that this was technically no longer a top of the table clash.
We opened well and although not particularly bossing the match in the early stages we looked the most likely. And so it proved when with less than five minutes gone we won a free kick for handball against Johnson well outside their box and fairly central. Henry and Edu stood over the ball, Edu took it and fired low at goal, the ball hit Parlour's leg en route and deflected neatly into the corner of the net 1-0 Arsenal. 'There's only one team in London', 'Will you ever win the League'.
The match was pretty clean as local derbies go and only the occasional late tackle, like Geremi's on Ray showed any signs that it might turn into anything more vicious. Their equaliser came out of the blue when Crespo wide left and quite a long way out cut inside and unleashed a peach that bent as much as Rob's at Anfield to find the corner. A brilliant goal, 1-1 and somewhat against the run of play. Jens spent a long time complaining about something but it wasn't clear to me quite what. 'Have you ever seen Chelsea win the League, have you feck'.
Makelele was booked for taking out Parlour before a great cross by Henry was headed clear. Arsenal pressed for a spell which saw Cole put in two great crosses. Mutu chopped Gilberto but Durkin, today's ref, was not interested. Wiltord and Pires did well, but the resulting cross was saved by Cudicini. In the main we looked solid at the back with Kolo and Sol looked the part once more, but both teams were playing it fairly deep and in numbers. Kolo did brilliantly at one stage against Crespo, his new contract seems to agree with him. We were pressurising well.
Durkin gave a goal kick which the Clock End were adamant should have been a corner. Campbell and Lauren were both required to stop attacks before Lehmann was called upon to save from Lampard, the first time I'd noticed fat Frankie was on the pitch. Crespo and Wiltord had their own competition to see who could get caught offside the most times before the break and I reckon Crespo edged it. A Johnson shot from range, wide right, was easy for Lehmann. A fantastic turn and pass by Henry found Lauren on a run who did well but stumbled just before shooting with his left and shot over. We were back on top.
Cole won a free kick as we pressed and the ball finally came to Edu who's shot on the turn was saved. Pires bottled a tackle on the edge of our box but made up for it later with some good defensive work. Makelele shot from range as Arsenal continued to close down well. Parlour, who for some strange reason had a yellow against his name on the big screen, started as if he hadn't trained for ages but warmed to the match. Mutu who I found quite disappointing screwed up big time as Chelsea had a strong little spell before the break. A Duff dive went unpunished, remember Durkin and Van Bronckhorst at Anfield a couple of years back? Makelele knocked Pires over at one end while Crespo fired over at the other.
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Arsenal kicked towards the North Bank after the break and the yellow card against Ray's name disappeared, if only they all would. Good tackle on Lampard by Edu to concede a corner from which the ball came back in with a great cross from the opposite wing which Crespo missed, a half decent chance. A great Lauren cross saw Henry rise to a header between two defenders, his effort was only just wide, had it been on target he would have scored. Close. A good spell for Arsenal as Pires fired well wide on the turn. Johnson put in a crap cross at the other end. Another Arsenal drive ended when Pires' fabulous cross was saved. Pires then had a low shot saved followed shortly by another shot that was again saved. We were on top, Henry and Wiltord were both working hard but not always in tandem.
Sol did well to head clear. Duff shoved Edu over. Durkin gave Chelsea a very iffy corner and the Clock End protested vociferously. Henry's header down was not read by Sylvain. Kanu and Bergkamp on for Parlour and Wiltord as Dennis took over the captain's armband. Gronkjaer came on for Mutu. A header across goal by Crespo was easy for Lehmann. Dennis was playing wide right and Kanu was tremendous up front with Henry. Cole on for Duff. 'Are you West Ham in disguise?'
Kanu was even winning tackles, as was Dennis. We looked good and a brilliant ball by Kanu found Edu on a run who crossed for Henry who turned just a tad too slowly but still won the corner, a great chance. Kanu met the corner with his head and rattled the woodwork. Close but no cigar. Joe Cole took out Pires. Dennis was quick with the free kick, almost on half way and Pires went down the right but hit a low seemingly wasted cross. Cudicini screwed it up though and let the ball run through his legs after getting a hand on it. The waiting Henry seemed surprised to see the ball bounce off his shin and decided to chase it before he cottoned on that it was already goal bound. 2-1 Arsenal and our pressure warranted the luck. 'One team in London' I do so like singing that one!
Stanic had been about to come on for Geremi but Hasselbaink was sent on instead in response to our lead. A shame Keown wasn't around. Gronkjaer tripped Pires and from the free kick wide on our left Dennis arrived late to drill one low, just past the near post from outside the box. Gronkjaer's cross was easy for Jens. Kolo went on a solo down our right. Hasselbaink chased a ball he had no hope of catching and planted his studs into Lehmann's chest. It was a malicious, reckless and intentional foul by a nasty little shit and an obvious red card. So of course Durkin let him off with a yellow. What a joke!
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1955 is almost the dawn of history to most fans and seems like a million years ago to me, but that's how long it's been since Chelsea won the League. One solitary freaky one-off season thanks mainly to a great ex-Arsenal man as their manager. Since then nothing much except a load of lip from their pretentious, egotistical, load-mouthed poseur fans. Their most consistent League seasons have been in the past few years but not once in that time have they finished above Arsenal in the League. They claim to be London's biggest Club, and indeed they are but only in the sense that their fans spout the biggest load of bullshit mouthed by any fans anywhere in the country.
There is now and always will be ONLY ONE TEAM IN LONDON.