Independent:
Chelsea 3 Arsenal 5:
Dutchman lifts Arsenal after England captain's week goes from bad to worse
Rory Smith
Another slip, another big misunderstanding, another set of desperate consequences. John Terry picked himself up from the floor, looked away from the scene of Arsenal's delirium, and mouthed a few choice words. To himself, at himself. His captaincy and his character under scrutiny, and now this. A dreadful end to a dreadful week.
True, the loss of balance which allowed Robin van Persie to score his second and Arsène Wenger's team's fourth will not prompt inquiries from the Football Association or police. Combined with the shambolic defensive chaos which surrounded the Chelsea captain's mistake though, it will force Terry to take a long, hard look at himself.
"All that matters is that it is an important defeat for the team," said the 30-year-old's staunchly supportive manager, Andre Villas-Boas, when asked how his defender had coped with the error. "It is the sort of thing that can happen to any player."
How typical that it should happen to Terry, a man who appears to have a gift for ensuring he always takes centre stage. At half-time, the narrative had looked very different. This seemed to be a story of redemption. Terry, roaring his fealty and his fire, sidefooted home Frank Lampard's corner to send the hosts into the lead. His old cohort had opened the scoring and, though Van Persie had levelled, Chelsea seemed set fair.
This is not that sort of season, though. So, in the space of six minutes, Andre Santos and Theo Walcott struck for the visitors. Another twist: Juan Mata produced a wonderful goal, struck from 25 yards. Terry just had to wrestle the limelight back.
Florent Malouda's backpass was, in truth, a little overhit. Terry, just inside his own half, turned to retrieve it. He lost his footing. Van Persie raced through and rounded Petr Cech to score. It was the Dutchman's 27th goal in as many games in the League this year, and the eighth in his last five. Arsenal's captain is not a man who needs a second invitation.
Van Persie added a fifth in injury time, his hat-trick, but it was Terry's mistake that was the turning point. "It was an unlucky situation," said Villas-Boas. There are those, of course, who would see it as karma, but Villas-Boas's interpretation is correct. This was not divine retribution. It was the sort of moment that cannot be anticipated. But it was also a moment that summed up Chelsea's kamikaze approach, an attitude matched by Arsenal for vast swathes of a game that, at times, boasted the subtlety and the intelligence of a particularly irresponsible playground. If defending is a lost art, then the Premier League is in danger of entering a dark age.
In the first 15 minutes alone, Chelsea might have scored twice – Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker intervening only at the last to deny Fernando Torres – and Arsenal three times, as the excellent Aaron Ramsey, Gervinho and Van Persie all missed chances, the latter two glaring.
Lampard, crouching to head home as Mertesacker misjudged the flight of Mata's cross, was never likely to be the only goalscorer. Daniel Sturridge should have doubled the lead before Van Persie erased it, tapping home after Ramsey slipped Gervinhoin and the Ivorian drew Cech before squaring for his captain.
Then came Terry's moment in the sun. Again Mertesacker lost the flight of a relatively straightforward ball and then there was JT to tap home. Chest-beating catharsis.
Not for long. Chelsea's style assured that. "We will stick to this philosophy," said Villas-Boas. "We are proud of the way we play." It preceded the fall: Van Persie and Ramsey went close before Santos raced into the green expanse left unguardedby Jose Bosingwa, collected Alex Song's ball and slotted under Cech.
Worse was to come. Walcott seemed to lose his footing under a challenge from Ashley Cole, but retained possession. A burst took him free, and his finish arrowed past the goalkeeper at his near post.
It was to be their day. Wojciech Szczesny should have been dismissed – "I don't know why I stayed on the pitch," he tweeted – for felling Cole, and even Mata's Exocet could not save the hosts. Terry slipped, Arsenal soared. First Van Persie beat Cech with skill and, in injury time, power. With his team-mates, the 28-year-old danced with his exultant fans, the scars of Old Trafford beginning to fade. Perhaps that will provide Terry with some solace. Perhaps not.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole; Ramires (Lukaku, 72), Mikel (Meireles, 76), Lampard; Sturridge (Malouda, 62), Torres, Mata
Arsenal (4-3-3): Szczesny; Djourou (Jenkinson, 75), Mertesacker, Koscielny, Santos; Arteta, Song, Ramsey; Walcott (Rosicky, 79), Van Persie, Gervinho (Vermaelen, 88).
Referee Andre Marriner.
Man of the match Ramsey (Arsenal).
Match rating 9/10.
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Observer:
Robin van Persie hat-trick stuns Chelsea in goal frenzy at the Bridge
Amy Lawrence at Stamford Bridge
For a man whose obsession with attacking football knows no bounds, it was a strange sight to see Arsène Wenger urging his players to put the brakes on when a red mass swarmed towards Petr Cech's goal. The Arsenal manager did his best Basil Fawlty impression as his team's instinctive way of protecting a 4-3 lead was to bomb forward in a buccaneering search for more.
"You know how it is on the bench when you are 4-3 up with two minutes to go," he said with a wry smile. "You do not necessarily encourage your team to become crazy. But that's the brand of our team, of our club. Sometimes you get rewarded, sometimes you pay for it."
Indeed. An outlandish bout, that veered theatrically between blue and red, brought enormous rewards for Arsenal, whose team demonstrated unbridled joy at the end of it all. None more so than the extraordinary Robin van Persie, the most influential figure in his club's renaissance, who celebrated a hat-trick of considerable refinement.
The price paid by Chelsea feels heavy and raw. Although André Villas-Boas would not reveal the sentiments shown by John Terry in the dressing room, the captain in the spotlight endured an afternoon that threatened to be heroic but left him brutally exposed.
The differing emotions of the two captains was highlighted in the 85th minute with a moment to provoke 41,801 jaws to drop. There was still all to play for as Florent Malouda's routine pass made its way towards Terry, but he tumbled inexplicably. Nobody was within five yards of him, the pitch was true and the day was bright and with no rhyme of reason the England captain's legs went from under him. There could be no worse sight from his position, prone on the pitch, than that of Van Persie accelerating away. The Premier League's current master of scoring dispatched the chance with aplomb, skipping around Cech to put Arsenal back in front and en route to a precious victory. Some might say Terry had bad luck, others might say it was karma.
That is two defeats in a row for Chelsea. Two derbies, as well. Arsenal, conversely, relished a triumph that demonstrated they are over their early season slump. Eight wins out of nine tells its own story, and this one was the most meaningful of them all. The handbrake was well and truly ripped off here.
It took courage as well as quality, as Chelsea began full of intent and purpose. Villas-Boas was left cursing the opportunities missed. Still, in the 14th minute they went in front. The move emanated from an excellent, searching crossfield pass that came from Terry's left foot. Juan Mata created space with customary trickery, and sent in a cross for Frank Lampard to nod past the goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.
Where a month ago this might have been the signal for an Arsenal collapse, they were not cowed. They kept going, and equalised in the 36th minute, when the excellent Aaron Ramsey threaded the ball to Gervinho, who squared for Van Persie to sidefoot past Cech. On the stroke of half-time Terry made the most of a corner to poke a shot into the bottom corner. The story was on his side at that point.
Arsenal rallied again. They emerged from the half-time break and immediately went on the attack, with Ramsey hooking a chance over the bar. In the 49th minute Alex Song picked a gaping hole in Chelsea's back line, and André Santos ran on to it and aimed his shot straight between Cech's legs.
A minute later and the pendulum swung back to the Blues, but things did not go their way. Ashley Cole advanced all alone in the inside-left position and Szczesny careered out of his area to meet him, performing a star jump in attempt to put the full-back off. The Pole collided into Cole, but the referee, Andre Marriner, deemed the infringement worthy of only a yellow card. To add to Chelsea's irritation, Szczesny tipped away Lampard's free-kick. "It's the ref's decision and it's done. That's all there is to say," was Villas-Boas's verdict.
Another sharp swing: Walcott ambled towards the thin blue line that now passed for Chelsea's defence. Four players were around the England winger, who skidded down to the turf then stumbled up, and sped away towards goal. He curled the ball ferociously past Cech at the near post.
Mata seized back the initiative with an emphatic strike from distance, and such are the stereotypes about these two teams it was odds-on a Chelsea winner. It speaks volumes for both these sides that there was never a question of anyone settling for a draw.
Van Persie rode to the rescue, as he has with such stunning regularity for Arsenal, and once he had made the most of Terry's misfortune, he supplied the coup de grâce with a thumping drive that swerved past Cech. He took home the match ball as well as the three points. That made for one happy captain.
============================
Telegraph:
Chelsea 3 Arsenal 5
By Duncan White, at Stamford Bridge
To the gleeful away end it was convincing evidence of an interventionist god. Chelsea had just scored a controversial equaliser in this chaotic, compelling game and there were only five minutes left. Then Florent Malouda rolled a pass back towards John Terry and, to his mortification, the Chelsea captain slipped. Robin van Persie loped after the loose ball, danced around Petr Cech and won the game. For those in red, and you suspect a few more beyond, it was pure schadenfreude.
It was a remarkable turnaround. Andre Villas-Boas had had no hesitation in playing Terry, despite the FA opening an investigation into the allegation of racism against him, and in the first half his decision appeared vindicated. Terry played a brilliant crossfield pass in the build-up to Chelsea’s opening goal and then headed in Frank Lampard’s corner to regain the lead in first-half stoppage time. After the break, though, it all fell to pieces. Chelsea have not conceded as many goals at Stamford Bridge in the league since Dec 16, 1989, when they lost 5-2 against Liverpool.
After the melodrama at Loftus Road last week, Chelsea's calm start to the season has been disturbed. A team that over the past five years has created a sense of invulnerability at this stadium suddenly look fragile.
Villas-Boas is trying to change the football philosophy of his team - and on this evidence it is clearly going to come at a cost. After the 3-1 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford, many critics described the Portuguese as naïve. That is a little patronising but he is certainly prepared to take risks as he tries to fast-track this team towards a stylish, high-tempo, front-foot approach. And those risks did not pay off.
The opening goal came after 14 minutes but by then it could well have been 2-2. Fernando Torres shot wide when Ashley Cole played the ball square to him, Aaron Ramsey got in behind the Chelsea defence but did not have the support, Theo Walcott killed Cole for pace and watched aghast as Gervinho hooked what should have been a simple side-foot finish wide. Johan Djourou, at right-back, was drowning in wave after wave of Chelsea attacks and his team-mates appeared to have little interest in saving him.
When Chelsea switched to the right, they got the breakthrough, Frank Lampard crouching to head in Juan Mata’s inswinging cross. Lampard was enjoying himself: with half an hour played he hit the pass of the game: first time, on the turn, in behind the Arsenal defence. Daniel Sturridge, with plenty of time, sliced his finish.
While Chelsea were cutting through Arsenal’s feeble backline with pretty much every attack, there was hardly any more resistance at the other end.
Seven minutes after conceding, Arsenal were level. Ramsey was superb all game, his touch and passing suffused with confidence. The Welshman spun on to Andre Santos’s pass and slid the ball precisely into the stride of Gervinho who, faced only with Cech, cleverly squared the ball for Van Persie to finish into the empty net.
Chelsea kept coming. Sturridge thought he had retaken the lead but was offside. Arsenal’s back four were struggling and Per Mertesacker was far too soft in letting Terry ahead of him to score from a corner just before the break. The half-time whistle might have spoilt the fun but it did provide a welcome opportunity to actually breathe.
If either manager had encouraged his players to take a more conservative approach to the second half there was no evidence of it: it was frantic.
Four minutes in Arsenal equalised again, Santos coolly finishing from Alex Song’s astute pass. No sooner were they back in it than Arsenal did their best to try to throw it away.
Cole once again found himself threatening the Arsenal goal. Wojciech Szczesny came flying from his goal and took out the Chelsea left-back. Roars of outrage greeted the resulting yellow card and even Szczesny said after the game that he could not understand how he stayed on the field. To make it worse for the home support, he then saved well from Lampard’s free-kick.
Cole then fouled Walcott near the touchline and chased his England colleague from the quick free-kick. Walcott went down - more of a slip than any contact - and so concerned was Cole with proving his innocence that he let his opponent scurry away. With the rest of the Chelsea defence watching, Walcott smashed the ball in at the near post.
Cole might also have conceded a penalty after missing a tackle on Ramsey in the box - the Welshman stayed on his feet as he tried to score - but at least he was trying to stem the flow, unlike the rather hapless Jose Bosingwa.
Chelsea just could not get to grips with the movement of Van Persie and the distribution of Ramsey. Branislav Ivanovic went over the top in his efforts, planting his elbow in the back of Van Persie’s neck in one aerial challenge, and when the Dutchman confronted him he reacted with a bit of amateur dramatics. Both were booked but Van Persie later had his revenge.
Not that it looked to be going Arsenal’s way with 10 minutes left. Mata’s shot from outside the box deflected off Song and dipped into the net past a flailing Szczesny but Romelu Lukaku had clearly blocked Santos in the build-up as the Brazilian full-back tried to tackle Raul Meireles.
Wenger was still stalking around his technical area, furious at the injustice of it all when Terry’s tumble swung the game back into his favour.
His own side continued to torment him as he pleaded for a bit of calm as they went hurtling forward at every opportunity. You could see why: Mata had had a great chance to score another equaliser.
His team were not interested in moderation. In stoppage time Tomas Rosicky carried the ball forward on the counter, passing inside to Mikel Arteta who in turn fed the ball to Van Persie, the weight of the pass a clear temptation to the Dutchman’s left boot. He struck across the ball, sending it swerving viciously past a rooted Cech for his hat-trick.
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Mail:
Chelsea 3 Arsenal 5: Terry the fall-guy as sloppy Blues hit skid row
By MALCOLM FOLLEY
John Terry's slip and fall face-first into the turf as Robin van Persie stole Arsenal's fourth goal at Stamford Bridge on Saturday symbolised the misery of a traumatic week in the life of the England captain.
Only the FA have the power to decide if Terry will ever stand tall again, as they investigate an accusation - denied by Terry - that he racially abused Queens Park Rangers' Anton Ferdinand seven days ago.
But another investigation, if less demanding in its remit, will involve Terry. After their skipper - who else? - had given Chelsea a 2-1 lead moments before half-time, a pall of gloom descended over the corner of the ground accommodating Arsenal's travelling supporters.
Having been humiliated at Old Trafford by Manchester United and beaten at home by Liverpool, there was a suspicion that another afternoon in the company of one of the country's most consistent football clubs would pass without reward.
Instead, Chelsea's defence developed a fragility that would never have been countenanced by the Portuguese manager who ran this club before the appointment of Andre Villas-Boas. Jose Mourinho took umbrage at losing one goal at Stamford Bridge … in a month of Sundays.
Even if we eliminate blame for Arsenal's fifth, when Van Persie completed a memorable hat-trick deep into injury-time, Terry had long since looked bewildered as all sense of organisation crumbled around him.
Of course, there is a nobility in Villas-Boas's determination to allow Chelsea to play with freedom, to attack on instinct, yet there is also a recklessness to this policy that could stop them mounting a serious challenge for the Premier League title.
Worse, it could leave them excessively vulnerable once the Champions League reaches the knockout stages. Chelsea's Russian oligarch proprietor, Roman Abramovich, takes unkindly to such failure.
Arsenal's win was deserved even if they had some fortune during an unconvincing opening period.
Inevitably, Terry's reaction to a week of questioning, and stern-faced meetings with lawyers and advisers as he has dealt with the most serious of all the controversies that have punctuated his career, would command attention at Stamford Bridge.
Villas-Boas had wrapped a fraternal arm around Terry, a man only four years younger than him, all week. The manager even went as Terry the fall-guy as Van Persie so ruthless as Arsenal turn more heat on Blues captain far as dedicating Chelsea's Carling Cup win at Everton to his 30-yea-rold captain as the furore around Terry's language at Loftus Road refused to die down.
When Terry led Chelsea out yesterday, he held the hand of a young, white mascot, while being flanked on his other side by another youthful mascot of mixed race. In case there was any ambiguity in Chelsea's defence of their beleaguered captain, Terry's portrait, in his best statesman-like pose, was on the cover of the match programme. And in the corner of the Matthew Harding Stand a hand-crafted flag was unfurled, briefly. It read: 'JT is not a racist'.
Against this backdrop of support, no one could have guessed the way Chelsea and Terry's afternoon would deteriorate after Frank Lampard headed them in front in the 14th minute. His astute finish, from a smartly delivered cross by Juan Mata, will pass into the annals of club history as Chelsea's 6,000th League goal.
But Arsenal's fleet-footed football brought them a worthy equaliser in the 36th minute. A pass from Aaron Ramsey invited Gervinho to place a square ball for Van Persie to stroke into an empty net as Petr Cech advanced from his line.
Then came the moment for which Terry might have prayed all week. When Lampard drove a 45th-minute corner into the area, Terry brushed aside Per Mertesacker to score with a low shot inside Wojciech Szczesny's right-hand post.
In front of Arsenal's fans, Terry vanished from sight as Chelsea's players rushed to his side, as though hurtling to a scene of an accident, to shower him with affection.
He trotted back in front of Chelsea fans in the East Stand thumping a fist against the badge on his shirt. For this short, sharp interlude he was again a prince of all he surveyed. But the fates were not smiling on him.
Four minutes after the interval a clever turn from Alex Song released Andre Santos down the left. The Brazilian full-back equalised without a defender in sight.
Perhaps Arsenal's one moment of luck occurred a minute later. Szczesny careered outside his penalty area and clattered into Ashley Cole. Nervously, Arsenal's goalkeeper waited to see the colour of the card referee Andre Marriner would brandish: yellow, as it transpired. Later, Szczesny admitted: 'I don't know why I stayed on the pitch.'
Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Ramires (Lukaku 72), Mikel (Meireles 76), Lampard, Mata,Sturridge (Malouda 62), Torres. Subs Not Used: Blackman, Luiz, Romeu, Bertrand.Booked: Ivanovic,Meireles. Goals: Lampard 14,Terry 45,Mata 80.
To the gleeful away end it was convincing evidence of an interventionist god. Chelsea had just scored a controversial equaliser in this chaotic, compelling game and there were only five minutes left. Then Florent Malouda rolled a pass back towards John Terry and, to his mortification, the Chelsea captain slipped. Robin van Persie loped after the loose ball, danced around Petr Cech and won the game. For those in red, and you suspect a few more beyond, it was pure schadenfreude.
It was a remarkable turnaround. Andre Villas-Boas had had no hesitation in playing Terry, despite the FA opening an investigation into the allegation of racism against him, and in the first half his decision appeared vindicated. Terry played a brilliant crossfield pass in the build-up to Chelsea’s opening goal and then headed in Frank Lampard’s corner to regain the lead in first-half stoppage time. After the break, though, it all fell to pieces. Chelsea have not conceded as many goals at Stamford Bridge in the league since Dec 16, 1989, when they lost 5-2 against Liverpool.
After the melodrama at Loftus Road last week, Chelsea's calm start to the season has been disturbed. A team that over the past five years has created a sense of invulnerability at this stadium suddenly look fragile.
Villas-Boas is trying to change the football philosophy of his team - and on this evidence it is clearly going to come at a cost. After the 3-1 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford, many critics described the Portuguese as naïve. That is a little patronising but he is certainly prepared to take risks as he tries to fast-track this team towards a stylish, high-tempo, front-foot approach. And those risks did not pay off.
The opening goal came after 14 minutes but by then it could well have been 2-2. Fernando Torres shot wide when Ashley Cole played the ball square to him, Aaron Ramsey got in behind the Chelsea defence but did not have the support, Theo Walcott killed Cole for pace and watched aghast as Gervinho hooked what should have been a simple side-foot finish wide. Johan Djourou, at right-back, was drowning in wave after wave of Chelsea attacks and his team-mates appeared to have little interest in saving him.
When Chelsea switched to the right, they got the breakthrough, Frank Lampard crouching to head in Juan Mata’s inswinging cross. Lampard was enjoying himself: with half an hour played he hit the pass of the game: first time, on the turn, in behind the Arsenal defence. Daniel Sturridge, with plenty of time, sliced his finish.
While Chelsea were cutting through Arsenal’s feeble backline with pretty much every attack, there was hardly any more resistance at the other end.
Seven minutes after conceding, Arsenal were level. Ramsey was superb all game, his touch and passing suffused with confidence. The Welshman spun on to Andre Santos’s pass and slid the ball precisely into the stride of Gervinho who, faced only with Cech, cleverly squared the ball for Van Persie to finish into the empty net.
Chelsea kept coming. Sturridge thought he had retaken the lead but was offside. Arsenal’s back four were struggling and Per Mertesacker was far too soft in letting Terry ahead of him to score from a corner just before the break. The half-time whistle might have spoilt the fun but it did provide a welcome opportunity to actually breathe.
If either manager had encouraged his players to take a more conservative approach to the second half there was no evidence of it: it was frantic.
Four minutes in Arsenal equalised again, Santos coolly finishing from Alex Song’s astute pass. No sooner were they back in it than Arsenal did their best to try to throw it away.
Cole once again found himself threatening the Arsenal goal. Wojciech Szczesny came flying from his goal and took out the Chelsea left-back. Roars of outrage greeted the resulting yellow card and even Szczesny said after the game that he could not understand how he stayed on the field. To make it worse for the home support, he then saved well from Lampard’s free-kick.
Cole then fouled Walcott near the touchline and chased his England colleague from the quick free-kick. Walcott went down - more of a slip than any contact - and so concerned was Cole with proving his innocence that he let his opponent scurry away. With the rest of the Chelsea defence watching, Walcott smashed the ball in at the near post.
Cole might also have conceded a penalty after missing a tackle on Ramsey in the box - the Welshman stayed on his feet as he tried to score - but at least he was trying to stem the flow, unlike the rather hapless Jose Bosingwa.
Chelsea just could not get to grips with the movement of Van Persie and the distribution of Ramsey. Branislav Ivanovic went over the top in his efforts, planting his elbow in the back of Van Persie’s neck in one aerial challenge, and when the Dutchman confronted him he reacted with a bit of amateur dramatics. Both were booked but Van Persie later had his revenge.
Not that it looked to be going Arsenal’s way with 10 minutes left. Mata’s shot from outside the box deflected off Song and dipped into the net past a flailing Szczesny but Romelu Lukaku had clearly blocked Santos in the build-up as the Brazilian full-back tried to tackle Raul Meireles.
Wenger was still stalking around his technical area, furious at the injustice of it all when Terry’s tumble swung the game back into his favour.
His own side continued to torment him as he pleaded for a bit of calm as they went hurtling forward at every opportunity. You could see why: Mata had had a great chance to score another equaliser.
His team were not interested in moderation. In stoppage time Tomas Rosicky carried the ball forward on the counter, passing inside to Mikel Arteta who in turn fed the ball to Van Persie, the weight of the pass a clear temptation to the Dutchman’s left boot. He struck across the ball, sending it swerving viciously past a rooted Cech for his hat-trick.
======================================
Mail:
Chelsea 3 Arsenal 5: Terry the fall-guy as sloppy Blues hit skid row
By MALCOLM FOLLEY
John Terry's slip and fall face-first into the turf as Robin van Persie stole Arsenal's fourth goal at Stamford Bridge on Saturday symbolised the misery of a traumatic week in the life of the England captain.
Only the FA have the power to decide if Terry will ever stand tall again, as they investigate an accusation - denied by Terry - that he racially abused Queens Park Rangers' Anton Ferdinand seven days ago.
But another investigation, if less demanding in its remit, will involve Terry. After their skipper - who else? - had given Chelsea a 2-1 lead moments before half-time, a pall of gloom descended over the corner of the ground accommodating Arsenal's travelling supporters.
Having been humiliated at Old Trafford by Manchester United and beaten at home by Liverpool, there was a suspicion that another afternoon in the company of one of the country's most consistent football clubs would pass without reward.
Instead, Chelsea's defence developed a fragility that would never have been countenanced by the Portuguese manager who ran this club before the appointment of Andre Villas-Boas. Jose Mourinho took umbrage at losing one goal at Stamford Bridge … in a month of Sundays.
Even if we eliminate blame for Arsenal's fifth, when Van Persie completed a memorable hat-trick deep into injury-time, Terry had long since looked bewildered as all sense of organisation crumbled around him.
Of course, there is a nobility in Villas-Boas's determination to allow Chelsea to play with freedom, to attack on instinct, yet there is also a recklessness to this policy that could stop them mounting a serious challenge for the Premier League title.
Worse, it could leave them excessively vulnerable once the Champions League reaches the knockout stages. Chelsea's Russian oligarch proprietor, Roman Abramovich, takes unkindly to such failure.
Arsenal's win was deserved even if they had some fortune during an unconvincing opening period.
Inevitably, Terry's reaction to a week of questioning, and stern-faced meetings with lawyers and advisers as he has dealt with the most serious of all the controversies that have punctuated his career, would command attention at Stamford Bridge.
Villas-Boas had wrapped a fraternal arm around Terry, a man only four years younger than him, all week. The manager even went as Terry the fall-guy as Van Persie so ruthless as Arsenal turn more heat on Blues captain far as dedicating Chelsea's Carling Cup win at Everton to his 30-yea-rold captain as the furore around Terry's language at Loftus Road refused to die down.
When Terry led Chelsea out yesterday, he held the hand of a young, white mascot, while being flanked on his other side by another youthful mascot of mixed race. In case there was any ambiguity in Chelsea's defence of their beleaguered captain, Terry's portrait, in his best statesman-like pose, was on the cover of the match programme. And in the corner of the Matthew Harding Stand a hand-crafted flag was unfurled, briefly. It read: 'JT is not a racist'.
Against this backdrop of support, no one could have guessed the way Chelsea and Terry's afternoon would deteriorate after Frank Lampard headed them in front in the 14th minute. His astute finish, from a smartly delivered cross by Juan Mata, will pass into the annals of club history as Chelsea's 6,000th League goal.
But Arsenal's fleet-footed football brought them a worthy equaliser in the 36th minute. A pass from Aaron Ramsey invited Gervinho to place a square ball for Van Persie to stroke into an empty net as Petr Cech advanced from his line.
Then came the moment for which Terry might have prayed all week. When Lampard drove a 45th-minute corner into the area, Terry brushed aside Per Mertesacker to score with a low shot inside Wojciech Szczesny's right-hand post.
In front of Arsenal's fans, Terry vanished from sight as Chelsea's players rushed to his side, as though hurtling to a scene of an accident, to shower him with affection.
He trotted back in front of Chelsea fans in the East Stand thumping a fist against the badge on his shirt. For this short, sharp interlude he was again a prince of all he surveyed. But the fates were not smiling on him.
Four minutes after the interval a clever turn from Alex Song released Andre Santos down the left. The Brazilian full-back equalised without a defender in sight.
Perhaps Arsenal's one moment of luck occurred a minute later. Szczesny careered outside his penalty area and clattered into Ashley Cole. Nervously, Arsenal's goalkeeper waited to see the colour of the card referee Andre Marriner would brandish: yellow, as it transpired. Later, Szczesny admitted: 'I don't know why I stayed on the pitch.'
Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Ramires (Lukaku 72), Mikel (Meireles 76), Lampard, Mata,Sturridge (Malouda 62), Torres. Subs Not Used: Blackman, Luiz, Romeu, Bertrand.Booked: Ivanovic,Meireles. Goals: Lampard 14,Terry 45,Mata 80.
Arsenal: Szczesny, Djourou (Jenkinson 75), Mertesacker, Koscielny, Santos, Ramsey, Song, Arteta, Walcott (Rosicky 79), Van Persie, Gervinho (Vermaelen 88).Subs Not Used: Fabianski, Park, Arshavin, Frimpong. Booked: Szczesny, Van Persie, Song.Goals: Van Persie 36,Andre Santos 49,Walcott 55, Van Persie 85,90.
Ref: Andre Marriner (W Midlands).
=======================================
Mirror:
Chelsea 3-5 Arsenal
By Paul Smith
Only Arsene Wenger could have claimed Arsenal were still capable of winning the title after a diabolical start to the campaign and a few narrow wins.
As one observant Arsenal fan pointed out on a radio phone-in prior to their stunning win at Chelsea: “He’s been saying that for the past six years!”
Well yesterday we witnessed Arsenal at their imperious best as they moved into the upper reaches of the Premier League and brought Chelsea crashing down to Earth in their own backyard.
The inspiration for this astonishing victory was skipper Robin van Persie, who scored a hat-trick to take his tally to nine goals in his last five Premier League appearances, and an astonishing 28 goals in 27 league appearances in the calendar year.
No wonder Wenger was singing the Dutchman’s praises in the post-match press conference.
“He is on fire, and takes advantage through his class and the fact we create so many chances. His intelligence around the box, and his accuracy in front of goal is unbelievable.
“He’s a difficult player to pick up and his performance against Chelsea was nothing short of breathtaking.”
Not surprisingly Wenger’s praise didn’t just extend to the lethal finishing of the prolific Dutchman.
“I can only praise my team,” he said. “We needed a win and we kept going to achieve it despite falling behind twice.
“Throughout the game we looked very dangerous going forward.
“And when you consider prior to this game Chelsea looked very secure defensively, maybe it was our quality going forward that secured this result.
“I accept we have had a difficult start to the campaign and some bad results – but we have regrouped... and as everyone knows winning games gives you more confidence.” In complete contrast Andre Villas-Boas rued his own team’s luck, but insisted he would not compromise his attacking style of play.
“They were two decisive moments when we couldn’t find the net with the chances we created,” he said.
“First, in the opening period, and then at 4-3 when we failed to take further chances and were punished by Arsenal on the break.
“But we will not compromise on our offensive style of play. The attacking philosophy is a personal value and a club value and I won’t sell it cheaply.
“It’s something that makes us proud. It’s our way of playing and that won’t change.”
In a blistering start it was Chelsea who threatened to rip their London neighbours apart.
Daniel Sturridge and Fernando Torres should have taken advantage of dreadful Arsenal defending, but let the visitors off the hook with some woeful finishing.
The Gunners also missed early openings. Gervinho and Van Persie failed to convert inviting crosses from Theo Walcott. Gervinho’s may yet prove a nomination for miss of the season.
The home side went ahead on 14 minutes when Juan Mata crossed from the right and Frank Lampard stooped low to head home.
Sturridge should have increased Chelsea’s lead but was guilty of an unbelievable miss when he went clean through on goal.
Arsenal drew level nine minutes from the break. Aaron Ramsey played Gervinho through and the latter squared the ball for Van Persie to tap in his first of the day.
The fragility of the visitors’ defence was again exposed when John Terry brushed aside Per Mertesacker as the pair challenged for Lampard’s corner to scramble Chelsea ahead again just before the break.
The second half was thrilling and packed with defensive clangers. Andre Santos latched on to Alex Song’s through ball and swept the ball home to level at 2-2 on 49 minutes.
Chelsea’s defence was looking increasingly vulnerable and in the 55th minute they fell behind as Walcott ran straight at the defence, riding challenges, before slamming a shot past Cech.
Mata put Chelsea back on terms on 80 minutes with a swerving 25-yard shot, although Wenger believed substitute Romelu Lukaku fouled Santos in the build-up.
Yet this was merely a cue for Van Persie to display his scintillating best form. He capitalised on Terry’s slip to race through, dribble around Petr Cech and make it 3-4 with five minutes to go.
And deep in stoppage time, with Chelsea pouring forward in search of an equaliser, Van Persie rounded off a breakaway with a strike that threatened to break Cech’s net.
VERDICT: It ended with eight goals on the scoresheet - there could have been many more. Whatever spin the rival managers want to put on this encounter, they both know they have some major defensive issues to sort out.
***
THE BIG ISSUE: With Chelsea quietly creeping up behind both Manchester clubs, are they title contenders?
The Blues’ second defeat inside six days – and against London rivals again – suggests that they are likely to come up short, and it’s widely accepted that manager Andre Villas-Boas is in a period of transition at Stamford Bridge.
Nonetheless, he will not be impressed by the defensive frailties that allowed Arsenal’s potent strike force to tear his side to pieces.
Going forward, Chelsea have plenty of options but at the back they look fragile. While you can’t completely rule them out as title challengers, unless they show signs of radical improvement and venture into the transfer market in January, finishing third in the Premier League looks more of a realistic target than any ambitions of troubling the two Manchester clubs who are in the driving seat.
=================================
People:
=======================================
Mirror:
Chelsea 3-5 Arsenal
By Paul Smith
Only Arsene Wenger could have claimed Arsenal were still capable of winning the title after a diabolical start to the campaign and a few narrow wins.
As one observant Arsenal fan pointed out on a radio phone-in prior to their stunning win at Chelsea: “He’s been saying that for the past six years!”
Well yesterday we witnessed Arsenal at their imperious best as they moved into the upper reaches of the Premier League and brought Chelsea crashing down to Earth in their own backyard.
The inspiration for this astonishing victory was skipper Robin van Persie, who scored a hat-trick to take his tally to nine goals in his last five Premier League appearances, and an astonishing 28 goals in 27 league appearances in the calendar year.
No wonder Wenger was singing the Dutchman’s praises in the post-match press conference.
“He is on fire, and takes advantage through his class and the fact we create so many chances. His intelligence around the box, and his accuracy in front of goal is unbelievable.
“He’s a difficult player to pick up and his performance against Chelsea was nothing short of breathtaking.”
Not surprisingly Wenger’s praise didn’t just extend to the lethal finishing of the prolific Dutchman.
“I can only praise my team,” he said. “We needed a win and we kept going to achieve it despite falling behind twice.
“Throughout the game we looked very dangerous going forward.
“And when you consider prior to this game Chelsea looked very secure defensively, maybe it was our quality going forward that secured this result.
“I accept we have had a difficult start to the campaign and some bad results – but we have regrouped... and as everyone knows winning games gives you more confidence.” In complete contrast Andre Villas-Boas rued his own team’s luck, but insisted he would not compromise his attacking style of play.
“They were two decisive moments when we couldn’t find the net with the chances we created,” he said.
“First, in the opening period, and then at 4-3 when we failed to take further chances and were punished by Arsenal on the break.
“But we will not compromise on our offensive style of play. The attacking philosophy is a personal value and a club value and I won’t sell it cheaply.
“It’s something that makes us proud. It’s our way of playing and that won’t change.”
In a blistering start it was Chelsea who threatened to rip their London neighbours apart.
Daniel Sturridge and Fernando Torres should have taken advantage of dreadful Arsenal defending, but let the visitors off the hook with some woeful finishing.
The Gunners also missed early openings. Gervinho and Van Persie failed to convert inviting crosses from Theo Walcott. Gervinho’s may yet prove a nomination for miss of the season.
The home side went ahead on 14 minutes when Juan Mata crossed from the right and Frank Lampard stooped low to head home.
Sturridge should have increased Chelsea’s lead but was guilty of an unbelievable miss when he went clean through on goal.
Arsenal drew level nine minutes from the break. Aaron Ramsey played Gervinho through and the latter squared the ball for Van Persie to tap in his first of the day.
The fragility of the visitors’ defence was again exposed when John Terry brushed aside Per Mertesacker as the pair challenged for Lampard’s corner to scramble Chelsea ahead again just before the break.
The second half was thrilling and packed with defensive clangers. Andre Santos latched on to Alex Song’s through ball and swept the ball home to level at 2-2 on 49 minutes.
Chelsea’s defence was looking increasingly vulnerable and in the 55th minute they fell behind as Walcott ran straight at the defence, riding challenges, before slamming a shot past Cech.
Mata put Chelsea back on terms on 80 minutes with a swerving 25-yard shot, although Wenger believed substitute Romelu Lukaku fouled Santos in the build-up.
Yet this was merely a cue for Van Persie to display his scintillating best form. He capitalised on Terry’s slip to race through, dribble around Petr Cech and make it 3-4 with five minutes to go.
And deep in stoppage time, with Chelsea pouring forward in search of an equaliser, Van Persie rounded off a breakaway with a strike that threatened to break Cech’s net.
VERDICT: It ended with eight goals on the scoresheet - there could have been many more. Whatever spin the rival managers want to put on this encounter, they both know they have some major defensive issues to sort out.
***
THE BIG ISSUE: With Chelsea quietly creeping up behind both Manchester clubs, are they title contenders?
The Blues’ second defeat inside six days – and against London rivals again – suggests that they are likely to come up short, and it’s widely accepted that manager Andre Villas-Boas is in a period of transition at Stamford Bridge.
Nonetheless, he will not be impressed by the defensive frailties that allowed Arsenal’s potent strike force to tear his side to pieces.
Going forward, Chelsea have plenty of options but at the back they look fragile. While you can’t completely rule them out as title challengers, unless they show signs of radical improvement and venture into the transfer market in January, finishing third in the Premier League looks more of a realistic target than any ambitions of troubling the two Manchester clubs who are in the driving seat.
=================================
People:
Chelsea 3-5 Arsenal: RvP treble inspires Gunners in derby thriller
by Dave Kidd
THERE was no mistaking what he said this time.
After John Terry had fallen flat on his backside and gifted Robin van Persie the decisive goal in an astonishing derby, you did not need to be a lip-reader to deduce the England captain had mouthed the words “for f***’s sake”.
There will be no FA inquiry into that particular outburst. Although a furious Andre Villas-Boas will surely hold an inquest into the defensive apocalypse which left Arsenal frolicking around the Bridge as if they – and not the Chelsea Pitch Owners – owned the place.
And for a second or two, Terry was subjected to a sound worse than the abuse of Arsenal fans or the questions of the FA and the media. Just a deathly silence.
It may have been borne out of sheer disbelief. Or pity. It may have been the feeling of 44,000 rubberneckers witnessing the car crash of one man’s career.
JT’s future as England captain is in the balance as the FA probe allegations that he racially abused Anton Ferdinand during last Sunday’s defeat at QPR.
It had been widely expected Terry would do what he always does in these circumstances – stick out his chest, win every header, bawl at every team-mate and walk off triumphant.
And when he scored to give Chelsea a 2-1 half-time lead, it looked like being a familiar story of JT defiance.
Yet Arsenal, widely written off as relegation fighters just a month or so ago, produced a rampant second-half display which confirmed Arsene Wenger’s boys have their swagger back.
Van Persie netted a hat-trick, taking his tally to a staggering 28 goals in 27 Premier League fixtures in 2011.
And remarkably, the four meetings so far between England’s quartet of Champions League sides have yielded 29 goals.
Vibrant
When asked afterwards, Gunners boss Wenger could not come up with a clear explanation for this avalanche – but he did suggest defensive ineptitude might have played its part.
And while this was a breathless spectacle, it should not be the job of multi-millionaire defenders to serve up light entertainment for the masses.
Not least Terry himself, who began in typically commanding form yet ended up static against a vibrant team which attacked with velocity and virtuosity.
Should Terry lose the England captaincy again – and perhaps even see the end of his international career – he will begin to look vulnerable even at the club he has led so bullishly to three titles. Blues boss Villas-Boas is not afraid to rattle the cages of his senior pros.
This was Arsenal’s fifth straight win and an eighth victory in nine. Some crisis.
Right from the word ‘go’, it was clear we were going to be treated to some lock-up-your-daughters football – and some trouserless defending.
Chelsea seized the lead on 14 minutes, in a move started by their embattled captain. Terry’s crossfield ball picked out Juan Mata, who swung in a centre which Frank Lampard stooped to head in with Per Mertesacker nowhere. While Van Persie will accept most of the plaudits, Aaron Ramsey was every bit as influential and the young Welshman’s cutting through-ball created Arsenal’s equaliser, with Gervinho squaring to the Gunners skipper for a simple finish.
JT enjoyed his moment of glory just before the interval. Lamps delivered a corner and Terry got in front of Mertesacker to shin the ball home.
Arsenal bounced back after the break and Alex Song’s pass released left-back Andre Santos to drill under Petr Cech.
Gunners keeper Wojciech Szczesny should have had a red card when he tripped Ashley Cole but escaped with a yellow from ref Andre Marriner.
Poke
The Gunners took advantage of their let-off and were ahead on 55 minutes – Theo Walcott embarking on a solo run, which saw him slip over, regain his footing and still have time to beat Cech at his near post with a thumping shot.
Mata netted with a 20-yard scorcher to make it 3-3. But five minutes from time came the moment all fans of schadenfreude had come to see.
Florent Malouda delivered a routine backwards pass towards Terry, just inside his own half – only for the skipper to slip in cartoon style and allow Van Persie to round Cech and poke home.
When Arsenal broke again, Van Persie netted his hat-trick goal with the force of a sledgehammer.
And it felt for all the world as if John Terry’s world was crashing down around his ears.
=======================================
Sun:
Chelsea 3 Arsenal 5
ROBIN VAN PERSIE smashed a stunning hat-trick as Arsenal triumphed in a thriller at Stamford Bridge.
The Gunners striker cancelled out Frank Lampard's opener before John Terry gave Chelsea the half-time lead.
But Arsenal flew out of the blocks after the break with Andre Santos levelling and Theo Walcott firing them ahead.
Juan Mata pegged them back with a brilliant long-range effort before Van Persie struck twice in the last five minutes to secure the victory.
It handed the visitors their first Premier League away win since April and left Chelsea trailing behind leaders Manchester City.
That piled on the misery for the Blues, who have been under siege in the past week.
They have suffered a humiliating defeat at QPR, three red cards, the Terry racism storm, two FA fines and a fan revolt over their stadium plans.
Fan reaction to Terry - who denies racially abusing Anton Ferdinand - was predictably vocal in support of the skipper.
There were cheers from the Chelsea faithful and posters with messages like 'JT is not racist' and 'Captain, Leader, Legend'.
But both sets of supporters were soon transfixed by a feast of attacking football.
After Ashley Cole twice got in behind the visitors' defence, Chelsea really should have scored.
Three of their players beat the Gunners' offside trap but Daniel Sturridge somehow sent his cross straight at Wojciech Szczesny.
The home side also looked vulnerable and Gervinho somehow scuffed a tap-in wide after Walcott surged past Cole.
The Arsenal winger also picked out captain Van Persie, who volleyed over.
It was the Arsenal defence which buckled first after 14 minutes.
Mata teased Van Persie and fired in a right-wing cross which the unmarked Lampard stooped to head home.
Van Persie again went close before the goalmouth action finally relented until the 29th minute.
Then Lampard's flighted ball put Sturridge clean through but the forward got his left-footed finish all wrong.
Arsenal made him pay seven minutes later when they equalised with a trademark goal.
Ramsey picked out Gervinho's brilliant run and the Ivory Coast striker drew Petr Cech and squared for Van Persie to slot into an empty net.
Sturridge thought he had put Chelsea back in front four minutes before the break but was rightly ruled offside poking home Ramires' cross.
However, they were gifted the lead on the stroke of half-time through Terry, who got in front of Per Mertesacker to cushion Lampard's corner in.
Incredibly, the tables turned within 10 minutes of the restart as Arsenal scored twice to take the lead.
Van Persie and Ramsey both missed chances to level inside a minute but Santos did three minutes later.
His superb first touch on to Gervinho's ball gave him time to send a strike through Cech's legs and into the net.
Chelsea immediately went on the attack and Szczesny appeared lucky not to be sent off when he came rushing out of goal and tripped Cole.
Referee Andre Marriner showed only a yellow card and Szczesny rubbed salt into the wound by tipping Lampard's resulting free-kick wide.
Arsenal then scored again with Walcott bundling his way through the home defence and lashing the ball past Cech at the near post.
Both sides made a raft of changes as the end-to-end action continued.
Ramsey missed another good chance for the visitors who were looking the more dangerous.
Terry was forced to act as peacemaker after a clash between Van Persie and Branislav Ivanovic, both of whom were booked.
And there was a grandstand finish thanks to a wonderful strike from Mata, who let fly from 25 yards to beat the despairing Szczesny.
But like the first half, the second ended up being decided by Terry, who slipped chasing subs Florent Malouda's backpass.
That left Van Persie to race clear, round Cech and make it 4-3.
Mata twice saw efforts blocked as Chelsea tried to level before Van Persie hit them on the break again by blasting left-footed past Cech.
Chelsea: Cech,Bosingwa,Ivanovic,Terry,Cole,Ramires (Lukaku 72), Mikel (Meireles 76),Lampard,Mata,Sturridge (Malouda 62),Torres. Subs Not Used: Blackman,Luiz,Romeu,Bertrand.
Booked: Ivanovic,Meireles.
Goals: Lampard 14,Terry 45,Mata 80.
Arsenal: Szczesny,Djourou (Jenkinson 75),Mertesacker,Koscielny, Andre Santos,Ramsey,Song,Arteta,Walcott (Rosicky 79),van Persie, Gervinho (Vermaelen 88). Subs Not Used:Fabianski,Park,Arshavin,Frimpong.
Booked: Szczesny,van Persie,Song.
Goals: van Persie 36,Andre Santos 49,Walcott 55, van Persie 85,90.
Att: 41,801
Ref: Andre Marriner (W Midlands).
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Star:
CHELSEA 3 ARSENAL 5: JOHN TERRY AGONY
By Tony Stenson
JOHN TERRY’S nightmare week continued yesterday.
His horror slip with the scores at 3-3 allowed Dutch hot-shot Robin van Persie to score his second before adding a third in one minute of added time.
But Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas refused to accept Terry was suffering from a week of pressure after being accused of a racist outburst against QPR’s Anton Ferdinand last week.
Villas-Boas said: “John has not been affected by events. We lost because we did not take advantage of our first 15 minutes of domination.
“But I will not change the way I believe, or what this club believes. I believe in attack and we were punished because Van Persie did his job. We will return stronger.”
Now what price Van Persie’s shirt on eBay today? Arsenal’s inspirational Dutchman grabbed an unforgettable hat-trick to inflict further pain on Chelsea.
As the final whistle went, Arsenal players dance and jigged as if they had won the league, Champions League and any trophy up for grabs.
Van Persie was at the forefront of the celebrations and immediately took off his sweat-stained and collectors’ piece shirt and handed it over to a delirious, bandana- wearing fan.
His final 92nd-minute goal put an end to a match that could have finished 10-each as defences crumbled to attackers hungry for glory.
It means he has now scored NINE goals in FIVE previous league matches to hep inflict the heaviest home defeat Chelsea have suffered since being hit by Liverpool by a similar score in 1989.
It is also a year and 33 games since Chelsea last lost consecutive league games.
Arsenal twice came from behind to show football does have a happy face when two juggernauts throw caution to the wind.
No race rows, three silly bookings and endless helpings of fun to neutrals. Both teams hit the ground running and never stopped.
But it was also a day when defences went AWOL and both teams could have hit a score that would have made England’s cricketers in India envious.
Chelsea began as if they wanted to card a mountain of goals, with Frank Lampard scoring the 6,000th in their 104-year history.
Terry, inevitably booed by Arsenal fans after his first touch of the ball, hit a wonderful 14th-minute 45-yard crossfield pass to Juan Mata, who turned Andre Santos to cross and there was Lampard to bow low and head in.
Arsenal’s travel sickness seemed to haunt them again until Van Persie equalised in the 36th minute, tapping home after Mikel Arteta, Aaron Ramsey and, finally, Gervinho created a marvellous opening.
But Chelsea had done their homework, hitting Arsenal’s Achilles heel, their weakness down the flanks, hard.
Their opening spell was mesmerising and it would have been no surprise if they had been three goals up before Arsenal drew breath.
Despite Ramsey, they were also out-fought in midfield, where they couldn’t even use Yossi Benayoun, who was not available under the terms of his loan to Arsenal.
Daniel Sturridge should have added a Chelsea second in the 29th minute when he raced on to another of Lampard’s defence-splitting passes but struck with the outside of his left foot, when the law of logic saw it was a right-footed blast.
Terry, who else, had no such misfortune.
He did the simple thing, side-footing home Lampard’s 45th-minute corner when Arsenal’s defence was again asleep.
Then it was Arsenal’s turn.
Alex Song danced and pranced through Chelsea’s midfield then found Santos to strike home another equaliser in the 49th minute.
Walcott, always a menace, decided he was fed up supplying others with passes to fail and took it upon himself to score.
He went on a 56th-minute run, was blocked, stumbled but still got to feet first and squared his before squirming a shot under Petr Cech.
Chelsea were not finished and Mata fired a 25-yard shot home in the 80th minute.
Then came the breath-taking finale as Van Persie smacked home in the 84th minute after Terry slipped trying to get to Florent Malouda’s pass and then added an unstoppable fifth in added time.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger said: “This was a great team performance and Robin would agree with that. He scored because others helped.”
Arsenal were lucky not to have goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny sent off for his last-ditch tackle on Ashley Cole.
The Pole was booked for his collision two yards from goal, and posted on Twitter: “I don’t know why I stayed on the pitch (under the rules), but what a game!”
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Express :
CHELSEA 3 ARSENAL 5: BLUES RUN DOWN BY A VAN
By Jim Holden
ANOTHER day, another stunning match in the Premier League – this spellbinding contest won by a hat-trick from Arsenal captain Robin Van Persie, but aided and abetted by a horrendous mistake by Chelsea skipper John Terry.
For Arsenal it was confirmation they have fought back from the nightmare of autumn, a magnificent victory their players celebrated wildly in front of their supporters.
The Gunners played with style throughout, but complimented that with resilience and ambition. It was a triumphant cocktail, and they deserved the sunshine celebration.
For Terry it was a desperate end to a week in which he has been the subject of both police and FA investigations into allegations of racial abuse towards an opponent.
The Chelsea captain had scored in the first half to put his team 2-1 ahead at the interval, and for a few heady moments while drinking a half-time cup of tea he could have savoured the prospect of being a hero on the field again.
Instead, he was the hapless architect of Chelsea’s downfall. The score was 3-3 in the 85th minute when Florent Malouda played a routine pass towards his skipper just behind the halfway line.
There was little danger, little threat. But Terry slipped on the Stamford Bridge turf, and the ball ran free. Van Persie, alert and alive, pounced like a hawk. The Dutchman flew forward, rounded goalkeeper Petr Cech, and slotted home the goal.
He struck again in stoppage time when Arsenal conjured a swift counter-attack as Chelsea sought redemption. From the corner of the penalty area Van Persie struck a thunderbolt drive that burst through Cech’s hands into the net.
It delivered another amazing score-line in this season so full of them. There have been five meetings so far between the four English clubs in the Champions League. They have provided 34 goals, an average of 6.8 per game.
This encounter was compelling – a tribute to the attacking intent and class of both sides. If you have an adventurous attacking philosophy, as both managers Andre Villas-Boas and Arsene Wenger do, then defences will be stretched and vulnerable.
Never mind the cascade of goals – we also had football of high technical quality, with classy passing of clever angles, and intelligent running off the ball. It was a joy to watch.
Chelsea made the brighter start, squandering three early chances as they sliced behind the Arsenal defence but on each occasion failing to deliver the final pass to Fernando Torres.
Manager Villas-Boas rued those misses afterwards, believing they were the decisive moments of the game.
Perhaps so, but Gervinho and Van Persie also fluffed inviting early opportunities for the Gunners.
Eight goals were eventually scored, but it would have been 18 had the teams’ finishing been more clinical. It sounds crazy, but it’s true.
Chelsea went 1-0 up in the 14th minute when a superb cross-field pass from Terry gave Juan Mata time to centre from the right and Frank Lampard to head home.
The response from Arsenal was impressive. They controlled possession and a series of probing attacks delivered a 36th minute equaliser.
A wondrous pass from Aaron Ramsey put Gervinho free in the box and his sideways pass foxed Cech, allowing Van Persie to tap home into an empty net. On the stroke of half-time Chelsea were back in the lead – a simple goal; Lampard’s corner stabbed in from close range by Terry.
This lead didn’t last too long either. Arsenal roared forward after the interval and left-back Andre Santos scored with a low shot.
Moments later Chelsea full-back Ashley Cole was brought down by Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny just outside the box. Some referees might have shown a red card; this time it was only yellow.
Arsenal were 3-2 up in the 56th minute, when Theo Walcott, a lively presence all game, ran through a tackle and scored with a fierce drive that beat Cech at the near post.
Chelsea equalised for 3-3 in the 80th minute. Substitute Romelu Lukaku seemed to foul Santos, but play was waved on and Mata unleashed an unstoppable swerving long-range shot that flew into goal.
Then Van Persie struck. His late double, and a personal hat-trick, brought untold joy to the Gunners and humiliating agony to John Terry.
MAN of the MATCH: AARON RAMSEY – Skilful and dominant performance in midfield, full of excellent passing
CHELSEA: Cech; Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole; Ramires (Lukaku 72), Mikel (Mereiles 76), Lampard; Sturridge (Malouda 62), Torres, Mata.
CHELSEA: Cech; Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole; Ramires (Lukaku 72), Mikel (Mereiles 76), Lampard; Sturridge (Malouda 62), Torres, Mata.
ARSENAL: Szczesny; Djourou (Jenkinson 75), Mertesacker, Koscielny, Santos; Walcott (Rosicky 79), Arteta, Ramsey, Song; Gervinho (Vermaelen 88), Van Persie.
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