in North London, as Chelsea taught Arsenal a tough lesson in the difference between champions-elect and mere pretenders.
Talk of men versus boys tends to be glib but in this case, it's also true. While Chelsea's stars were muscular and lean, glistening in the downpour as they strutted in imperious dominance, Arsenal's players looked like kids left out to play in the rain. I half expected Arsene Wenger to come on at the end to ruffle Carlos Vela's hair with a dry towel.

Never was the gulf between the two sides physically more apparent than late in the second half when in the matter of minutes first Armand Traore bounced off Didier Drogba, then Branislav Ivanovic almost tickled Theo Walcott out of possession, before John Obi Mikel held the ball in the corner as Tomas Rosicky hacked at him in frustration to no avail. Men versus boys.

Wenger insists Arsenal are still in the title race but it's difficult to envisage a scenario whereby Chelsea drop 11 more points than his side between now and May. If the Premier League title was awarded on artistic merit the rest of the division would be playing for a Champions League spot, but as it stands Arsenal, like Liverpool, have been cast as also-rans before December.

There is much to admire about a young side that beguiles when on form; a side built in the model of its manager in studiously treating the ball as a tool to be respected. And yet, for all of Wenger's words to the contrary, it is a side that looked out of its depth at times on Sunday.

Chelsea were all power and purpose, almost pathological in their desire to find the quickest route to goal. Whether it be a raking Frank Lampard pass or Nicolas Anelka charging straight through the middle, the away side were on a mission. There was something transfixing about their ruthlessness of thought and movement, an engagement with each other that was almost scientific, as they eschewed niceties to go straight for the jugular. Arsenal in comparison were like the 40-year-old Virgin - it takes 26 moves to get to first base.

There is something altogether more palatable about Chelsea these days. The absence of that little bald bloke who incessantly went on about penetrating Asian markets and world dominance by 2012 certainly helps, while Carlo Ancelotti's jovial but steely presence on the touchline, combined with a dry wit, is a welcome alternative to the revolving door of Roman Abramovich's whim.

It is testimony to the Italian's genial style that the three players flourishing most under his tutelage are Drobga, Anelka and Ashley Cole. That he has a hat-trick of smiles from gold, silver and bronze medallists in last season's Premier League-sponsored mard-arse Olympics is a remarkable feat of man-management.

Anelka has been a revelation, with his languid style buying his side time and again on Sunday his build-up play was immaculate. Repeatedly he retained possession courtesy of neat and guileful feet, a focal point to Chelsea's attack that Arsenal so badly missed in the absence of Robin van Persie. That Anelka is in the form of his life will not be lost on Wenger, the man who plucked his compatriot from Paris St Germain as a rough diamond at 17 for £500,000 before polishing him and selling him two years later to Real Madrid at £22.3million. Herein lies Wenger's genius and Achilles heel.

Arsenal find diamonds, Chelsea buy them. When Chelsea needed a striker to pep up their title bid in 2008 they spent £15million to lure Anelka from Bolton. Arsenal are desperate for a figurehead to lead their own attack but a similar signing in the New Year does not look to be on the agenda. Wenger is a chairman's dream in that he treats a football club's money as his own. Except, it's not his own, but rather that of the masses of fans that left their seats unoccupied ten minutes from time to rue another nail embedded in the title coffin. Is it a case that his principles keep his ambitions in check?

Without Van Persie, who may not play again this season, Arsenal are simply too nice. The Dutchman possess the self-assuredness that separates the great from the good, while he has a nastiness in his locker that can ruffle the likes of John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho. Chelsea have it in spades. It's not always pleasant to watch, but it's always effective. Terry, Drogba, Essien, Mikel, Cole, Ballack, Carvalho and Lampard are all unafraid to dish out rollickings, to harangue a referee, to be ruthless in the act of gamesmanship, to encompass a winning mentality that perhaps only Cesc Fabregas truly embraces at Arsenal.

The likes of Vela and Eduardo are fine finishers and lovely players to watch but they won't win you a title. Drogba wins titles, Arsenal steal plaudits as empty as their trophy cabinet. To watch Arsenal every week must be a joy, the Stewart Houston Years isn't the best selling DVD in the club shop, but it is a question of whether silverware is more important than style. Will the likes of Fabregas and Van Persie, players long-since established as world class talents in their own right, be prepared to groom/babysit the next generation forever?

Walcott appears to have mastered the dark art of flattering to deceive. It's as though he's taken previous praise for running at people literally. He wants to try running around them. At this stage of his development he should have kicked on more but Wenger appears to have failed to convince him the quickest yard is in the head. With Aaron Lennon finally having learnt to put in a decent delivery and added a goalscorers' touch to his armoury, Zagreb seems further away than ever. Walcott, as a symbol, represents all that is simultaneously good and frustrating about Arsenal. With confidence and in full pomp he is a joy to behold but on a regular basis, in the games that matter, he is a boy amongst men.

There are few more edifying sights in football than Arsenal in full flow and in terms of aesthetic appeal, perhaps only Barcelona surpass them. But, and there is always a but, are they forever destined to be a side in progress? My fellow Arsenal fans and Loyalist let us quit lying to ourselves, playing excellent football is enthrilling but the object of playing football is to out score your opponent and win the games that lead to the trophy, Every Game ends with a winner and a loser

All because of a foreign league

what a pity!!!