Theo Walcott is still not match sharp, he was running into Chelsea players and giving the ball away. Sometimes it feels like he is trying to run outside his marker every time he gets the ball, experience will bring variety to his play

In a flash the game was over with, all the nerves that had been building up have been replaced with emotional exhaustion. I cannot remember a game where I have felt so dejected, so low and so resigned to not being good enough on the day.

Arsene Wenger’s pre match war cry was designed to make his players stand up and be counted, to give them the self belief to showcase their talents. His comments certainly made an impact on myself. I believed that it was our time, we were strong enough to cut through Chelsea just as we had against everyone who stepped onto the Emirates turf.

Wenger’s latest creation has had previous problems taking on the big boys when it really matters and showing their best form, unfortunately this was no different to many encounters in recent years.

Arsene selected the team that many had predicted. Traore kept the balance at left back, Nasri continued on the right and Eduardo replaced Vela in attack.

Predictably we had a very big chunk of possession from the first whistle, Chelsea setting up their stall in front of Petr Cech’s goal and Arsenal’s midfield playing the ball around the Chelsea players until we found ourselves in the Chelsea final third. Without the link play of Robin Van Persie we struggled to get in behind Terry and Carvalho.

Eduardo da Silva is clearly lacking from match sharpness, he struggled to make any impact at Sunderland and once again could not quite get the rub of the green against Chelsea. I was hoping that Wenger would continue with the quick and mobile Carlos Vela as I worried that Eduardo wouldn’t be able to escape the attentions of the Chelsea back line.

Eduardo had the ball in good positions but his touch let him down or he was not quick enough physically or mentally to get the ball. The first chance actually went to Chelsea when Anelka ran in on Almunia’s goal but was snuffed out by Bacary Sagna in what I thought was by illegal measures.

That Anelka half chance was a problem for me, it made me feel rather uncomfortable. We have been passing and probing for the first twenty minutes, Chelsea have hardly strung three passes together yet their goalkeeper was a relative passenger and the first real attack they muster they almost score.

Our first attempt on goal was on the 23rd minute, the bright Samir Nasri got a snapshot away but Cech was always behind it. Nasri seemed to have a free licence to roam, he popped up in many different positions around the attack and was the only Arsenal player who was attempting to go past the Chelsea side. Arshavin on the left was not as effective, giving the ball away too cheaply at times.

Chelsea congested the space outside of Cech’s penalty area so Arsenal were using the wide areas to cross balls into the box, but with a strike force of Eduardo, Arshavin and Nasri we were having pretty much zero joy from the crosses, many not delivered with enough accuracy. Which made the opening goal that more frustrating.

Ashley Cole’s cross five minutes before half time was perfect and Drogba in the right place side footed high past the helpless Almunia.

Last season in the semi final against Manchester United in the second leg of the Champions League we started very brightly and crumbled in minutes, the same happened yet again. Four minutes later Ashley Cole was slipped back down the left from Anelka and his cross was instinctively flicked in from Tomas Vermaelen from close range.

Just as I felt after Ronaldo’s free kick, I felt numb and defeated and it is a strange feeling when your team have so much of the game left to play.

Theo came on at half time which was a move that I could understand, we needed to get behind Chelsea and not just play outside their penalty area but I expected Alex Song to remain on the pitch, we needed his power and strength but Wenger chose the fresher Denilson who perhaps had more energy than a player who has played plenty of minutes in recent weeks.

Just after the break Eduardo was put through by Cesc and a goal at that point could have swung the game back in our favour but Eduardo’s touch was not good enough and he just ran into trouble. Eduardo has some massive shoes to fill right now and perhaps his injuries this season have prevented him from getting to the level we need him at, but one thing is for sure, he is nowhere near his best right now.

Then came the controversy. Five minutes after half time Arshavin smashed the ball into Cech’s goal from close range but the referee had blown for a foul from Eduardo on Cech. It was hard to know exactly what the problem was at the time but it appears that the referee had decided that goal keepers are not allowed to be challenged. Cech had the ball nicked from his hands from Eduardo and Arshavin was on hand to put the ball in the net. It could have been 2-2 after the first five minutes of the second half but it was not to be.

Vela replaced Eduardo before the hour mark and instantly looked brighter and gave our attack more mobility. Rosicky replaced Nasri not long after. I thought Nasri was our best player on the night, he worked to win the ball and looked to make things happen.

Theo Walcott is still not match sharp, he was running into Chelsea players and giving the ball away. Sometimes it feels like he is trying to run outside his marker every time he gets the ball, experience will bring variety to his play but without games under his belt he is looking somewhat predictable and wasteful.

As the clocked ticked down and the belief of the team faded away. Drogba’s free kick was fantastic, powerful and inch perfect. It was the icing on the cake and a rub in the face of the Arsenal players who must feel absolutely deflated right now. Each player gave their all but on the day it wasn’t anywhere good enough to beat a very well organised, well drilled and totally professional team.

Arsenal are the most talented team in this league but they have a long way to go before they have the professionalism of Chelsea. Chelsea looked like they could have gone another 90 minutes of soaking up our attacking football but when we are put under any defensive pressure we look like a side that is waiting to concede goals. I was hoping that we would be a little more tactical in our approach and keep the game as tight as possible but instead we pushed forward and forced the issue which played into their hands.

I watched Wenger’s previous Gunners grind out a battling 1-0 victory at Old Trafford to win the league not long ago and that team knew how to stop a team from playing as well as having the attacking flair to tear teams apart. I feel that until this team learn to protect our goalkeeper then we will find ourselves in this position in future. Luckily our team have space to learn and develop, we played against a Chelsea squad who were in their peak, experienced professionals who know what it takes to win at difficult grounds. Song, Denilson, Nasri, Cesc and Vermaelen are all learning how to do this.

I refuse to rule out the league in November. Chelsea, as good as they look will lose games. They have many difficult places to go to before the season is over but it means now that we have to go on a long winning streak and solve our defensive failings. An extremely difficult job to do from the boss.

It wasn’t our day, but we will live to fight another day. On 29th November 2009 we were not ready, the breaks did not go our way but this squad is too talented for our fortunes not to change at some point.