Arsenal won more than a game here; they won a psychological battle, convincing themselves they can overcome bigger, stronger sides Henry Winter

Comment & analysis round-up

Quote of the day: Kaka asked me about Manchester as a city and I said that it wasnt beautiful because it was raining and cold. I told him Milan was much better. Robinho.

Runner-up: I didnt expect this. I was surprised by this performance. Id seen some very good training sessions this week, so I did not expect this. We have to wake up. Until now weve been sleeping. But maybe I have to be the first to wake up. Im worried, obviously, because thats six [league] games weve not been able to win. I didnt see the team playing the way we want and we had difficulty playing our football. Its obvious we dont have the confidence to play our style at the moment. But when you are sleeping, its important you wake up quickly. Its difficult to answer [whether Chelsea can still win the title]. Weve lost a lot of points and our position, but I have confidence. Carlo Ancelotti.

Todays overview: You know whats coming even before youve opened the papers this Tuesday. Arsenal 3, Chelsea 1 has left the fifth estate eating out of Arsene Wengers hand (well, sort of) while the Blues are roundly pounded after yet another defeat.

As a corollary topic, Dominic Fifield wonders whether Ancelotti will be forced to walk the plank after this latest defeat, while John Ley, Mark Fleming and Neil McLeman turn the spotlight on Fulham reporting that the west Londoners could soon be looking for a new boss too.

In other Premier League news Kevin McCarra investigates how Man United are top, Daniel Taylor & Ian Ladyman both report on Super Marios latest outburst, and James Goyder makes teh early case for Scott Parker to be crowned player of the season.

Lastly West Ham are the hot topic in the transfers, with Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal ! all link ed with holding midfielders.

Vindicated Wenger: Kevin McCarra got the ball rolling with cautious optimism for the Wenger Boys. The result did not confirm that the days ahead belong to Arsenal, but they have a stake in the future. If Chelseas display was spasmodic and clumsy, it was, at least in part, because they had no answer to the rhythm of opponents who might now be ready to enter a new phase. After five years without a trophy there should be an ache to succeed. Arsenal still did not look commanding in defence despite alterations. That was to be of no account as, from the latter stages of the first half, they hit a tempo that made Chelsea ache. While the losers wonder about the years ahead, Arsenal have reached a moment when they must no longer depict themselves as a work in progress.

Noticeably stopping short of predicting that Arsenal will win something this year, Henry Winter took the easy way out saying the Gunners have proven theyre on the right track. Arsenal won more than a game here; they won a psychological battle, convincing themselves they can overcome bigger, stronger sides. No longer the beautiful butterflies Only time will tell whether this astonishing game marks a seismic shift in these rivals fortunes Physically, mentally and technically, Arsenal were up for the challenge. And to think that some people had questioned Arsene Wengers right to rule. Keep The Faith, as one banner read.

Charlie Wyatt was next to salute the Gunners. Wenger will have watched over this destruction of one of his chief tormentors with unbelievable satisfaction. Arsenal proved they are not merely a pretty team with a soft centre but a clever, maturing team. Cesc Fabregas, whose season has been interrupted with hamstring injuries, finally delivered a proper, world-class performance. Theo Walcott delivered one of his finest games in an Arsenal shirt whi! le Jack Wilshere and Alex Song refused to be bullied at the base of the home teams midfield. This is the title race no one really wants to win and while theyre not exactly invincible, Arsenal proved they are serious contenders.

Easily excitable, Jamie Redknapp injects the hyperbole. Arsenal have never been in better shape. Last night they proved they have the armoury to win the title. On the pitch, their big players Robin van Persie and Cesc Fabregas looked back in the groove and they had a powerful bench, including Chamakh, Diaby, Arshavin and Rosicky, with Vermaelen to return. By comparison, Chelsea had to send on Kakuta. These are worrying times for the reigning champions, but Arsenal are on the march.

Crap Chelsea: Diving straight into the dissection of the Blues, Richard Williams pulled no punches headlining his piece This is no longer a dip. All the signs are that Chelsea are in decline. A return of six points from a possible 24 in their last eight Premier League games, and no wins in the last six matches, suggest that something has gone badly wrong for the champions in recent weeks. The effort was certainly there, verging on the frenetic in the final half-hour, but it was not accompanied by a demonstration of the kind of focused power that they learnt to deploy under Jose Mourinhos tutelage. Rather than relying on a series of carefully drilled responses, they were reduced to making it up as they went along, and never achieved sustained coherence. Roman Abramovich will not have been impressed and the result will do little for Carlo Ancelottis standing.

Sam Wallace was next to use Chelsea as a punching-bag. Ancelotti says that his team are sleeping but it is starting to feel more like a whole winter hibernation. If the manager can be grateful for one thing it is that his sides game against Manchester Unit! ed nine days ago was postponed because of the weather. On this evidence they would have lost that one, too.

David Hytner questions Chelseas lack of squad resources, particularly up-front. The pre-match news that Nicolas Anelka had withdrawn because of knee trouble shone a harsh light on the attacking options available to Ancelotti. In came Salomon Kalou but what of the substitutes bench? Ancelotti was unable to name a single striker, with the attacking midfielder Gal Kakuta the only offensive player on it. Fabio Borini is out of favour because of a contract dispute and is injured, while Daniel Sturridge picked up a knock in training. Chelseas bench had four academy players and a grand total of two goals, both of them scored by Jos Bosingwa. Ancelotti says he will not buy a striker next month but can his team sustain a title defence and a tilt at the Champions League without a little extra help?

For Jason Burt, Chelsea showed their age at the Emirates. When they review the wreckage of this performance, with a squad dependent on too many players aged over 30, too many players struggling to match their reputations and salaries the Chelsea board will ask one simple question: can this team remain competitive this season? What Chelsea lack is painfully obvious that key age group of experienced, dynamic players aged in their mid-20s. There is Essien, there is Branislav Ivanovic, Petr Cech but, after that, the over-reliance of the thirtysomethings has been cruelly exposed by teams scenting blood and weakness.

Ciao Carlo: And so the lips begin to flap over whether Carlo Ancelotti is now set for the axe.

Dominic Fifield examines why the Italian could easily be handed his P45. Abramovich chose to terminate Luiz Felipe Scolaris tenure at Stamford Bridge when it appeared Chelsea might surrender their position in the top four they were fo! urth and seven points from the summit at the time and, with it, entry into the lucrative Champions League. Yet this was already the Londoners worst league run since 1999. Although Ancelotti believes he still benefits from the oligarchs backing, the prospect of slipping to sixth should Bolton beat them tomorrow puts the managers predicament in grim context.

Its Bleak For Sparky: John Ley surveys the world of pain Mark Hughes is in at Fulham. Mark Hughes faces a battle to save his job following Fulhams failure to win in eight games. It is understood the former Wales manager will be given three games to produce a victory after the club dropped into the relegation zone on Boxing Day and fans began calling for his head When Hughes arrived in the summer he signed only a two-year contract so a pay-off would not be huge were Fulham to end his tenure. There would be the problem, though, of finding a replacement.

Mark Fleming also assessed Mark Hughes standing at the Cottage. The Fulham manager Mark Hughes has been given no assurances from owner Mohamed al-Fayed about the security of his job If Fulham do not win one of those [next] three games, then Fayed may have to reconsider the position of Hughes.

Neil McLeman goes a step further, listing Hughes possible replacements at Fulham. Fulhams original summer target Martin Jol is now available again after leaving Ajax along while Sam Allardyce is also on the market after leaving Blackburn. Dave Jones at Cardiff or former Fulham player John Collins, who managed in Belgium last year, are other alternatives while Ray Lewington could again step in as caretaker.

Devils On Top: Almost flummoxed to explain it, Kevin McCarra runs his eye over how Manchester United are top of the table. The goals have begun to flow but United do not head the table because of exploits that have left the public gasping. A poignant transition is still in progress [United] remain short of their former level of peak performance a! nd Roone y was not mistaken in his belief that the club might have to load up with money and head to the transfer market. The pressure is relieved by the fact that others have wavered.

Balotelli Wants Out: First it was Tevez, now its Balotelli.

Breaking a story which could likely run and run, Daniel Taylor announces that Mario Balotelli wants out of Eastlands ASAP. Roberto Mancini is facing a new challenge to keep one of his key Manchester City players happy after it emerged Mario Balotelli is homesick for Italy and has regrets about moving to England The 25m striker is openly admitting to associates in Italy that he intensely dislikes life in England and cannot see the situation improving He did not attend the players Christmas party and, to put that into context, many of his team-mates did not expect him to be there in the first place.

The same story appears in the Daily Mail except that they pathetically slap the word EXCLUSIVE over their non-exclusive Ian Ladyman article. Mario Balotellis increasing struggles at Manchester City are being underpinned by chronic homesickness and a dislike of life in EnglandSources close to him revealed yesterday that the former Inter Milan star is finding it painfully hard to settle in to a new country and is struggling to form any close friendships in England.

Beaming Scotty: In a slightly left-field article, James Goyder calls for Scotty Parker to be the player of the season. Where would West Ham United be without Scott Parker? The tenacious midfielder is the teams top goalscorer and has been their talisman for several seasons. There cannot be a single player in the Premier League who has singlehandedly saved a side from ignominy to the extent that Parker has the Hammers. Avram Grants team have been bad but without their inspirational captain they would have bee! n much, much worse.

The Transfers: Suggesting that a deal is imminent, the Daily Mail announce Manchester City were last night in talks with Edin Dzekos agent over the fine details of a 30million transfer from German club Wolfsburg. The rag also spout that Aston Villa want Joey Barton, Stoke are the latest club tracking Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jonathan Woodgate may go on loan to Boro (although the Mirror say Cardiff want Woody too), while Manchester United are rumoured to be after Lassana Diarra for a 10m.

In an almost ridiculously open-ended article in the Express, West Ham are linked with Shane Long, Jonathan Woodgate, Jamie OHara and Luke Young. The Mirror also report on the Irons claiming Frederic Piquionne may leave Upton Park for Aston Villa while Wayne Bridge and Dieumerci Mbokani are potential Hammers signings. And just in case West Ham needed to be linked with another player, a separate Mirror article links Hoffenheims 6million-rated Senegal striker Demba Ba with the Eastenders.

Elsewhere, Liverpool and Fulham are circling Crystal Palace starlet Wilfred Zaha, Roque Santa Cruz is heading for Lazio in try-before-you-buy deal, Dwayne De Rosario could move to Celtic, while Arsenal and Liverpool could sign Ezekiel Garay according to The Sun.

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