Lucky, lucky Chelsea, they only lost by one goal,
and they managed to keep all 11 men on the pitch,
such was the biase towards them from their favoured
referee.

Here are the thoughts of Gooner 48 who was there:
 
As for the game at Ashburton, I thought it was real
rip-snorter of a match. And credit to Chelsea they
did their fair share of attacking for once now that
Maureen Yo has left. That said we looked a different
player with our returnees who added the class to
the grit and determination.

We scored thanks to some crap keeping by Cech who
misjudged Cesc's corner, great though it was,
and Gallas headed home pretty well unmarked.

The timing a few before the break was a killer.
There was some fairly brutal play from both sets
of players and we certainly never looked like
rolling over when the tough it out phase of the
match (pretty well the entire 90 minutes).

Thought we bossed most of the game but they still
had their chances. Best thing Eboue has done all
season was to take Terry out the game - which is
why Bill was probably unmarked at the corner.

Cashley was absolutely panned.

'There's only one greedy bar-steward' amongst
other chants. Alan Wiley the ref was asked
'how much they paying you' - I thought at times
he was absolutely appalling, yet at other times
he did the right thing - Adebyaor had a disallowed
goal for what looked to me like nothing more than
winning the ball. Mikel as usual should have had
about three yellows. And just how he found five
added minutes was beyond me. Cesc might have been
sent off when he did Cole just before the final
whistle but it was kicking off in no end of areas
on the pitch - Cole limped off to a joint stadium
chant of 'Cashley, Cashley what's the score'.

No returning player has ever been so vilified
during a match since Stapleton and I think
the anti-Cole chants topped it. Long before that
the stadium was rocking and despite it being
a very long last 20 minutes I could only ever
see one winner once we went ahead.

We could have had three more, as could they,
but Van Persie's right foot shot over the bar
was maybe the worst miss of all. Do we care
though? Not at all - three points was everything
today, its not a two horse race yet - but the
signs are there that we will go all the way
this season.
 
Gooner 48 - One life, one game, one team
and one-nil to the Arsenal.