Five in a Row: Chelsea Make Arsenal Their Derby’s Punchline
Chelsea struck three times to crush Arsenal again, extending a run of dominance that has turned this local rivalry into a one-sided affair.
Arsenal needed a derby win to halt Chelsea’s stranglehold; instead, the champions left with another three-goal victory and a fifth successive league win over their rivals.
Roberto Baggio headed Chelsea in front after four minutes, and the visitors never let Arsenal settle. Bartosz Friska’s dismissal in the 18th minute made the home side’s task steeper, though Oded Ya'acov kept the score respectable for long spells. Nacho Valera added Chelsea’s second in first-half stoppage time, with a low finish, and substitute Pablo Ferrer drove in the third five minutes from time, low and by a post.
Arsenal had more of the ball, but little to show for it. The goalkeeper’s seven saves could not disguise the gulf in threat. Arsenal’s afternoon worsened when Vandinho went off injured just before the break.
Chelsea’s latest derby demolition follows a 3-0 win in December, a 4-0 triumph last February and victories of 2-1 and 4-0 before that. The old rivalry has not vanished; the contest has. Arsenal’s former Chelsea goalkeeper Ya'acov could only watch the latest blue tide roll over his current side, while Chelsea’s Bruce Hilgers helped steer it with two assists.
There was a familiar sting for Arsenal, whose recent troubles have already included the end of Francesco Secchi’s brief tenure. Chelsea, meanwhile, arrived after winning at Wolverhampton Wanderers three days ago and leave this derby with another emphatic statement. For Arsenal, possession brought no comfort. For Chelsea, the scoreline felt almost routine.