No doubt that there is the collective sounding of various death knells around the papers this morning but to call time on the title challenge may yet prove to be premature. It is without a doubt now an exceptionally tall mountain that has to be climbed, reliant on two teams to drop points both of whom are on a ‘roll’.

Should you be one who has a towel thrown firmly into the centre of the ring, I do not blame you nor seek to chastise. It is hard to realistically believe that the title can be won following this defeat and taking into consideration the current run of form. The hope that can be clung onto is that manner in which leads at the top have been dropped seemingly without rhyme or reason by the occupants of pole position throughout the preceding six months. Nevertheless, it is tenuous.

The match was a compare and contrast style and surprised me to some extent in that both sides went for the win. Not evident was the chess match of previous encounters between teams in the position that Chelsea and Arsenal found themselves. To claim that United’s win influenced affairs would be wrong; Arsene and Grant had decided during the week that this was going to be an assault on three points.

Neither team dominated proceedings in the first half. Chelsea utilised their direct style to perhaps conjure up more accuracy on their attempts on goal with Almunia saving comfortably from Drogba and Ballack amongst others. At the other end, Toure and Gallas caused Cudicini’s shorts to change colour from a corner before Kalou did the same with an air kick at the other end just before the interval.

The second half though saw Arsenal start the quickest out of the blocks, Flamini’s effort from the right side of the area well saved by Cudicini. The breakthrough happened in on the hour mark when Fabregas’ corner was met at the edge of the six yard box by Bacary Sagna to break his duck by guiding the ball into the near post area; unstoppable for a goalkeeper with an unguarded upright.

A precious lead gained and it seemed to be well protected for ten minutes until Sagna twisted awkwardly on the turf whilst clearing the ball at a similar time as Toure seemed to aggravate a groin strain suffered in the first half. The ensuing moments allowed Chelsea to bring on substitutes and Diaby to replace Sagna. The balance on the defence was lost momentarily as the pack was reshuffled and Chelsea took advantage.

In yesterday’s Observer, Keith Hackett penned a clear and concise explanation of the offside rule. He used the acronym PIG (Play, Interfere, and Gain) to succinctly put right the misguided views of pundits. Unfortunately for him, his officials made a PIG’s ear of the first Chelsea goal. Replays clearly showed Didier Drogba in an offside position when the ball was punted forwards from the Chelsea half. The first player to touch the ball? Drogba. If that is not seeking to gain an advantage, I am not sure what is. Even then, the flag should have been raised because Drogba interfered by challenging for the ball. Hackett himself rules that breaching one of the three guidelines is offside. Drogba breached two.

However, a League season is not made up of one game; the last five have cost the team dearly, a loss of points that would still have left them top after today’s matches had they taken maximums for each game. That is the spilt milk over which tears should be shed.

The winner came with less than ten minutes to go. Belletti’s free-kick was flicked on by Anelka and Toure lost Drogba. His shot was scuffed into the turf and beyond the arm of Almunia. Too little time for a comeback, especially for a team that seemed shell-shocked. The margin of victory would have been more were it not for the Spaniard’s firm touch onto Drogba’s late effort to turn the ball around the post.

In midfield, Flamini, Fabregas, Hleb and Eboue were all tigerish in the tackle and worked well to spring from defence. There were occasions when the gap between RvP / Adebayor and the rest were too big but the problem that faces the team is having a goal shy front line. You can cover for that over one or two games but this fallow period needed the midfield to chip in with more. For all of Hleb’s hard work in the build ups, he has slipped into the groove again of seeking to provide rather than taking responsibility for shooting, a sign that confidence has dropped.

Van Persie showed good positional sense yesterday and that is encouraging; the timing for shots will return but time is a commodity that is becoming scarce. Adebayor simply looks tired but continues to drive himself into the ground contributing to the all-round game. The tail end of this Premier League season is in danger of coasting in much the same way as last term.

Chief protagonist in the media this morning is Steve Howard in this morning’s Sun, who believes this to be the moment when

..incensed callers to radio phone-ins and a proliferating army of bloggers will be calling for Wenger’s head

Well, here they will not be. To be still in contention, albeit tenuously, with seven games to go is a sign of the progress made this season considering how distant from the top the past two seasons have been. The performance yesterday was good enough considering recent form but defensively, Toure is suffering an almighty hangover from the African Cup of Nations. He and Gallas have not regained the solidity they displayed beforehand and whilst they contained Drogba in the first half, it was a bit hit and miss. Bizarrely, Howard blames Eboue for the defeat, his nervousness being the reason goals were conceded in the centre.

The next two league games will decide whether the faint sound of nails being hammered into the coffin of the title challenge will be replaced by the sound of the hammer’s claw wrenching them free. With the resumption of Champions League activity in ten days time, minds might be drawn elsewhere. Arsenal can take advantage of that but need to get their own heads cleared. The few days away on international duty might be the break that they need.

Who knows, maybe this is an elaborate game of rope-a-dope with Arsene ‘Ali’ Wenger luring in Grant and Ferguson before delivering the sucker punch. I somehow doubt it but it has been a strange old season.

‘til Tomorrow.