We left the game thanking our lucky stars that Chelsea had been so awful in the first half. Dennis Wise had to be included of course, following last weeks transfer-request fiasco, but you couldn't help wondering if Ranieri had included him as the right wingback in a back 5 just to show him up. Once upon a time he could have filled the role but on Saturday he just didn't have the legs for it. The fact that it was often the disinterested looking Le Boeuf who came across to help out didn't exactly ease Wise's difficulties.

Pires exposed their shortcomings on that side after a few minutes, when he took the ball deep then cut back, going past Wise and another defender like they weren't there, and strolled into the box from the left before hitting a sweet shot inside the far post.

Arsenal dominated the rest of the half, but as so often happens failed to turn that dominance into goals.

Chelsea came out transformed for the second half. Le Boeuf off and Ferrer on and into the right back slot in a back four, leaving Wise free to move into midfield. It sorted out both defence and midfield, so it came as no surprise when they equalised with half an hour to go. Seaman came for a corner but didn't get there, and although Silvinho cleared the header off the line Terry jumped to head it back in.

We did rally at the end, but those frantic 10 minutes just made you wonder why they hadn't turned it on half an hour earlier.

Sunderland go above Arsenal into second thanks to a good away win at West Ham. There seems little point now in hanging onto the hope of catching Man Utd (13 points clear). The championship might be as good as over but there's still going to be quite a battle for second.

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