Good afternoon everybody. Despite the topsy-turviness of the season to date, the clock ticks on relentlessly and anything less than a win for Arsenal this afternoon will almost certainly end their hopes of challenging for the title come season's end.

The Gunners already trail Chelsea by six points and are a further point behind League leaders Manchester United. With Chelsea unbeaten on their own manor all season, having dropped just two Premier League points, Arsene Wenger and his merry men will have to unsheath particularly sharp blades if they're to put their hosts to the sword today.

There's a touch of a powerful force meeting an immovable object about this fixture, with Arsenal having scored 60 goals in their 24 Premier League excursions to date, while Chelsea have kept 11 clean sheets in the same number of games, making them the League's stingiest defence.

Both sides come into the match on the back of disappointing results, with Chelsea having been held at the KC Stadium during the week, while Arsenal will be hoping to bounce back from the hiding they suffered at the hands of Manchester United this time last week.

Some match pointers to ponder while we await the line-ups

• Chelsea are on a run of 35 home matches in all competitions without a defeat since losing to Arsenal at Stamford Bridge last season.

• Arsenal have not had a player sent off since Emmanuel Eboué was dismissed after 37 minutes against Tottenham on 8 February last year.

• Didier Drogba has scored 10 goals in his last nine appearances against Arsenal in all competitions.

• Arsenal have scored 18 goals from outside the penalty area so far this season, five more than they managed in the whole of 2008-09.

• Chelsea have lost only two of their last 15 competetive meetings with Arsenal.

Team news: John Terry may have lost the England captaincy as a result of off-field shenanigans that are none of our business, but he'll lead Chelsea out this afternoon as usual.

Whatever your thoughts about his assorted misdeamonours, I can't help but have a sneaking regard for the manner in which he's conducted himself on the field in the two matches since The Story, which he must have known was brewing for some time, broke and everything started going pear-shaped for him. Concentrating on football can't be easy at such a time and, bad and all as some would have you believe he is, lesser men would surely have buckled under the pressure by now.

Anyway, that's my two cents. Elsewhere in Chelsea's line-up, John Obi Mikel returns for the first time since the African Nations Cup, with Ashley Cole in at left-back. For Asenal, fit-again Abou Diaby comes into midfield, while woefully out-of-sorts Theo Walcott gets chance to relocate his mojo. Sol Campbell is on the bench.

Arsenal: Almunia; Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Clichy, Fabregas, Song, Daiby, Walcott, Arshavin, Nasri.

Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, Terry, Carvalho, Cole, Ballack, Mikel, Lampard, Malouda, Anelka, Drogba.

Not long now: The teams emerge from the tunnel, with both sides wearing the colours with which they're most accustomed. It must be a relief for John Terry to know that the only abuse he's likely to ship today will come from the minority penned into the away end.

Finally, an email that's printable: "Would love to see Diaby play up top," writes Ian in richmond. "Wenger cannot throw out a fruit fly to lead the charge. He needs a big point man, something to actually get the attention of the back four. With less than a 17% success rate on crosses, Diaby's height might add some teeth to what has been a useless tactic thus far."

1 min: Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka do the honours and not long afterwards, referee Mike Dean penalises Michael Ballack for bundling Cesc Fabregas off the ball. Fabregas's quick free-kick goes through to Cech, who sends a long ball down towards Didier Drogba on the edge of the Arsenal penalty area. Gael Clichy is forced to intervene to resolve a potentially sticky moment for the Gunners.

2 min: Just two minutes in and the game has, unsurprisingly, yet to find any rhythm. Thus far, the two sides have exchanged nothing more meaningful than long punts, misplaced passes and a couple of throw-ins.

4 min: Fabregas picks out Samir Nasri on the left hand side of the Chelsea penalty area and the Frenchman cuts inside and tries a shot. His low drive hits Branislav Ivanovic and goes out for a corner. Mike Dean awards a goal-kick.

5 min: Gael Clichy barges into Nicolas Anelka as the Frenchman tries to control a lofted pass and concedes a free-kick on the right flank, about 35 yards out.

6 min: Drogba sends the ball across the face of the Arsenal goal and Theo Walcott heads it out for a corner.

GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Arsenal (Drogba 7) The corner is sent in - it's an outswinger. Peeling off his marker, John Terry flicks it diagonally across the face of goal and Drogba pokes it home at the far post from about two feet out.

8 min: I'm not sure of the exact statistic, but that's about the 142nd time Didier Drogba has scored against Arsenal in 10 matches. He won't get many easier ones than that - the marking was dismal. Arsene Wenger is furious and taking his anger out on the fourth official. I have no idea what his beef is, because there was nothing wrong with the goal.

10 min: "Ian in Richmond is right," writes Duncan Robinson. "Diaby will be a great target man if his performance at Old Trafford this season is anything to go by. He lost his man and powered an unstoppable header into the net. His own net."

11 min: Frank Lampard tries to steer a long ball from midfield down the left wing for Ashley Cole to gallop on to, but succeeds only in Gerrarding the ball out of play.

13 min: Arsenal win a corner. The ball's swung in to the near post, where Petr Cech claims comfortably despite being man-marked by Andrey Arshavin, who's about 36 inches shorter than him.

14 min: "Much has been made of Arsenal's ineffectiveness in front of goal - but why is more not made of Arshavin's selfishness as a contributing factor?" asks Roman Johnson. "You just watch how many times Arshavin will go for the spectacular solo effort instead of passing." Well, Samir Nasri certainly made plenty of Arshavin's selfishness last week at the Emirates. He was raging with the Russian.

15 min: In the centre-circle, Mikel splits the Arsenal defence with a through-ball for Drogba to chase. The Ivorian latches on to it and is through on goal with just Cech to beat ... only to be flagged for offside. The decision was correct, but there was only a matter of inches in it.

16 min: A beautifully flighted ball from Fabregas drops kindly for Arshavin in the Chelsea penalty area and he volleys it straight at Cech from eight yards when he should have scored.

18 min: Arsenal win a corner after good work from Nasri and Arshavin on the left flank.

19 min: The ball's sent in to the mixer and Petr Cech flaps it out for a throw-in on the other side. The ball is chucked short to Sagna and he sends in a cross. Cech gathers and tries to send Drogba on his way again with another quick throw-out.

20 min: Sky's Action Areas stats reveal that the Chelsea penalty area has been the scene of 33% of the game's action thus far - over twice as much as the Arsenal penalty area.

GOAL! Chelsea 2-0 Arsenal (Drogba 22 min) A brilliant counter-attacking goal, almost identical to that concocted by Rooney and Nani last week. Arshavin gave the ball away on the edge of the Chelsea penalty area, Lampard broke and galloped up the field as Arsenal defenders back-pedalled furiously. He passed the ball out to Drogba on the right flank, and he cut inside, took it past Vermaelen and smashed a left-footed drive past Almunia.

25 min: Cesc Fabregas goes down holding his face after an accidental collision with Terry, whose beleagured PR flaks would probably appreciate me pointing out that their client quickly checks to see if his opposite number is OK.

27 min: Another neat tippy-tappy pass-and-move Arsenal attack down the left flank comes undone thanks to an errant pass on the edge of the Chelsea penalty area. They're launching their most productive attacks down Ivanovic and Anelka's wing, but creating little in the way of goalscoring opportunities. Chelsea, on the other hand, have had two and scored two.

30 min: Song tries to attack down the left channel for Arsenal, but is dispossessed by a robust challenge from Terry. He prods the ball towards Lampard, who hoofs clear.

31 min: Ashley Cole gallops in from the left wing to latch on to a through ball sent sailing through the centre from Lampard in what was obviously a rehearsed move. The delivery is perfectly weighted, but Theo Walcott is alert to the danger, tracks his man and does enough to put Cole off his stride and get the ball out for a corner. Nothing comes from it.

33 min: Fabregas tries to cut inside Ivanovic down in the Chelsea right-back position, but the defender puts the ball out for a corner, from which Chelsea try to mount yet another lightning fast counter-attack. Alex Song does enough to avert the danger on this occasion.

35 min: Arsenal win a throw-in, down near the corner flag in Ashley Cole's corner of the defence. The ball's thrown to Arshavain, who's allowed to turn and send a cross looping towards the far post, where Petr Cech claims the ball.

36 min: Gael Clichy tries a shot from distance. It fizzes high and wide.

37 min: "Before the match I predicted a Drogba hat-trick and a Wenger red card," writes Damien Neva. "It could still happen."

39 min: The two defences exchange long balls, before Dider Drogba picks up the ball on the left wing. He plays it back to Ivanovic, who wins a throw-in halfway inside the Arsenal half. Or, to put it slightly more succintly: Chelsea throw-in.

41 min: A Cesc Fabregas shot from distance goes so far wide that the Chelsea fans congregated behind Petr Cech's goal "Hurrrah!" exultantly.

43 min: Chelsea win a free-kick not far from the edge of the centre-circle inside the Arsenal half. Lampard sends it towards the left-hand side of the six-yard box, where Terry and Carvalho have assembled. The ball is headed clear for an Arsenal throw-in.

44 min: There'll be two minutes of added time.

45+2 min: There's an accidental clash of heads between Malouda and Vermalaen. The latter goes down, the former stays on his feet but needs treatment for a cut. Both look like they'll be OK.

Half-time: The teams go in for the break with Chelsea two goals to the good. Arsenal haven't played particularly badly, but the customary accusation, that they're all style and no substance, is probably a fair one to level at them on the back of that 45 minutes.

Half-time analysis: "Whether Gunners supporters want to hear it or not, it's time to rebuild," harrumphs Matthew Good. "We simply can't go from week to week with such unpredictability. Even if it means a season or two mid-table, so be it. We are a shadow of our former selves in far too many respects. As a lifelong (and third generation) supporter, I get nervous now whenever the ball is near or in our area. There was a time when our full-backs created a sense of calm and I want that back. It starts at finding the right keeper, and we haven't had one of those since Seaman left." Or since shortly before Seaman left.

More emails: I can't figure out what Arshavin is for," says Niall Mullen. "Perhaps he's there to make us feel better about our own haircuts? Any other uses apart from being a professional Sergei Rebrov impersonator?"

"Just wondering what Philippe Senderos would be thinking on seeing the match: 'Thank God, I am not there' or 'I am better any day as Drogba has never scored more than 1 when I played against him'," writes Balaji.

Sky pundit Jamie Redknapp's considered opinion on Arsenal's attempts to defend against the second goal: "They got done last week exactly the same way wot they 'ave today."

Second half: Arsenal get the second half started. "Only half-time and there's much can happen, but the scoreline confirms that Arsenal are likely to flatter to deceive yet again," writes Gary Naylor. "I can't see them winning anything with a manager who is in denial about the physical nature of the English game and the need to sign players in key positions. What Arsene knows, he knows without the doubt that serves more humble men well."

46 min: Arsenal pick up where they left off - attacking down Chelsea's left-flank with a move that fizzles into nothing when an Andrei Arshavin pass down the channel rolls harmlessly wide with Samir Nasri in hot and futile pursuit.

47 min: Chelsea corner. Lampard swings it in from the right, but fails to beat the first man: Vermaelen, who heads clear. The Arsenal centre-half is sporting the beginning of a shiner under his left eye after that collision with Malouda at the end of the first half.

48 min: A poor Bakary Sagna cross is misckicked by Ashley Cole, who shakes his head in disgust at giving away a corner. The ball's sent in to the penalty area, where Cech claims confidently.

49 min: Free-kick for Chelsea, to the left of the centre-circle, just inside their own half. Lampard sends a long diagonal ball towards the right flank, where Ivanovic controls with his chest and passes inside to Drogba. He goes down under a challenge holding his shin.

52 min: I'm not sure who tackled Drogba, but they've done a number on him. He hobbles over to the sideline, gingerly pulling down his sock to inspect the damage and get a lengthy blast from the magic aerosol.

53 min: Arsenal win a corner, from which Abou Diaby shoots wide.

54 min: It's now hammering down with rain at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea break up another promising looking Arsenal attack when a crafty through-ball from Arshavin to Fabregas is intercepted.

55 min: Drogba powers down the right for Chelsea and sends in a cross. The ball drops for Carvalho, whose diagonal left to right volley takes a deflection off a defender, hits Anelka and rolls into Almunia's arms. If Anelka had been a bit more alert he'd surely have scored.

56 min: The camera pans to Matt Damon, who's at Stamford Bridge sitting alongside that hairy bloke who directed him in the excellent Bourne trilogy.

58 min: "Arshavin can be a magical player," writes Jeff Romonko. "The problem is that the magic has been dead since early January. He missed a complete sitter from Fabregas in the first half. But what other options do Arsenal have? Do they give cups for third place now? Arsene told me they did!"

59 min: Aware that Arsenal's defenders are keeping one eye on an Ashley Cole decoy run down the left flank, Michael Ballack takes advantage of their indecision to try a shot. His low drive goes well wide.

60 min: Samir Nasri ruins a great chance to pull opne back for the Arsenal. The ball dropped kindly for him in the penalty area after he'd combined well with Arshavin to carve open the Chelsea defence and, with only Cech to beat, he got caught in two minds over how best to dispatch the ball and ended up doing nothing, allowing the keeper to save at his feet.

62 min: Chelsea attack down the right flank, courtesy of Drogba, with Lampard and Anelka in support. A curling cross intended for Anelka at the far post is accidentally intercepted by Lampard, who then loses possession to Vermaelen.

63 min: Arsenal substitution: Nicklas Bendtner on, Theo Walcott on. Elsewhere on the field, John Terry is getting treated for a leg injury. He's been in distress - physical distress - for some minutes now.

65 min: Terry leaves the pitch and comes back on again wearing thick white strapping around his left thigh. He hurt himself in a collision with Petr Cech, his own team-mate. The irony.

68 min: Ricardo Carvalho concedes a free-kick on the edge of the Chelsea penalty area with a late challenge on Bendtner. It's a couple of feet left of centre.

69 min: How did that stay out? Fabregas tries to curl it into the bottom right-hand corner, but even with William Gallas sprinting across his line of vision, he still manages to get down low to his right and make the save. If Gallas had got any sort of touch on that ball, and he wasn't far away from getting one, he'd have scored.

70 min: John Terry sends a long pass down to Nic Anelka in the Arsenal left-back position. He wins a throw-in, which Ivanovic takes. Arsenal clear.

73 min: Florent Malouda is penalised for offside after picking up the ball from Drogba in a promising position on the edge of the Arsenal penalty area. He got it stuck under his feet while trying to make room for a shot, so I don't think he'd have scored.

74 min: Arsenal double substitution: Tomas Rosicky and Emmanuel Eboue on, Abou Diaby and Bakary Sagna off. Chelsea win a corner from which nothing comes.

75 min: "After getting an Oscar nomination for playing Francois Pienaar," writes Tim Bailey. "It looks like Matt Damon has come to Stamford Bridge to research his next role - his doppelganger Michael Ballack."

77 min: Rosicky goes on a mazey run down the left flank before sending in a cross that'as cleared only as far as Nasri on the opposite wing. The ball is Arsenaled about around the edge of the Chelsea penalty area, until Vermaelen eventually sends in a cross that goes straight into the hands of the waiting Cech.

79 min: Bendtner goes close, only to be foiled by Cech, who rushes off his line to tip away a dropping back-post header from Fabregas that was about to be prodded past him by the lanky Dane.

81 min: Chelsea substitutuion: Yuri Zhirkov on, Michael Ballack off.

82 min: Song gets booked for a challenge from behind on Frank Lampard. Free-kick for Chelsea, slightly right of centre about 30 yards from the Arsenal goal.

83 min: That's a heroic effort from Drogba, who toe-pokes the ball high enough to sail over the wall, but low enough to rattle the cross-bar. A couple of inches lower and that would have been his hat-trick. It bounces back into play and Arsenal hack clear. Respite is only momentary, though - Chelsea win a free-kick in the right channel, between penalty area and touchline.

85 min: Lampard takes the free-kick and it's a move from the training ground. He squares it low and hard, to Anelka who'd stepped away from the orgy of pushing and shoving in the penalty area to give himself a couple of yards of space on the edge of the throng. He shoots high and wide.

86 min: Chelsea substitution: Nic Anelka off, Joe Cole on.

88 min: "Is anyone MBMing the American football later?" asks Niall Harden. "I've watched the Super Bowl every year in a state of total bewilderment. Clearly what's needed is the likes of Rob Smyth and Gary Naylor to put me right." I can confirm that Paolo Bandini is in Miami and will be doing the honours, once he's got over the crushing disappointment of Arsenal's latest humiliation.

89 min: "Same old problems for Arsenal," writes James Higginson. "They do seem very easy to out-muscle these days. They need a little of that nastiness back. Perhaps Wenger doesn't realise as he always claimed not to see any of that. The likes of Bergkamp could play sublime football but weren't afraid to get stuck in. They had better sort things out quickly as a Liverpool win midweek would really put the pressure on."

90 min: Fabregas goes close, sending a header flashing wide of the left upright and getting clattered by Ivanovic in the process. Chelsea substitution: Drogba off, Salomon Kalou on. In the stands, Jason Bourne gives the big Ivorian a standing ovation.

90+5 min: I lose a big chunk of text to gremlins, the short version of which reads: Arsenal don't get a free-kick they should have got on the edge of the Chelsea penalty area. Not that it makes any difference.

90+6 min: "It's time to draw a line under Wenger's great experiment at Arsenal," writes Michael Simpson. "Either he should go or he should admit that it has failed and find a new plan. Let's face it, it was predictable that Drogba was going to score and always unlikely that Arsenal would win. What's more, if Arsenal can't beat Chelsea or Manchester United in the Premier League, they aren't likely to win the Champions League because past experience shows they are almost cetain to meet one these teams in the latter stages. Wenger didn't give enough credence to this when he blew the FA Cup by fielding a weak team away from home. Failing to get another striker at least on loan in January was another major oversight. The team will come away from this game and last weeks with no belief that they can beat their main rivals and in that position they won't win anything."

90+6 min: Mike Dean proceedings to a close with three shrill blasts on his whistle. Chelsea have won this pretty easily - Arsenal had more than their fair share of possession but did little with it in a match that will have left more and more of their supporters disenchanted with Arsene Wenger's way of doing things.

Post-match niceties: John Terry removes his shirt, wipes his face in it and throws - or possibly sells - it to somebody behind one of the goals. A sopping wet, filthy, sweat-soaked, dribble-stained polyester garment - what a lovely gift that is for some lucky punter. Chelsea are top of the Premier League again and will take some shifting. Liverpool are next up for Arsenal and the Merseysiders will fancy their chances of bridging the gap between themselves and the Gooners to just two points.