Chelsea draw hands United title

FA Premiership: Arsenal 1 Chelsea 1:Who would have thought that Chelsea could turn themselves into gallant losers? If a third consecutive Premiership title was to be denied the Stamford Bridge side, they failed with a show of strength and talent.

That let them come back for a draw despite being down to 10 men for the second half after the dismissal of the hapless Khalid Boulahrouz. Their desire to pull off the win that would have postponed the end of the contest with Manchester United was remarkable.

Some of the Arsenal fans may have felt chagrin as they left, even if the outcome did immerse their opponents in wretchedness. The motivation for their side was not overpowering. Did the players truly care about an effort to switch places with Liverpool by stepping up to third in the table? They could not quite achieve that and their ambition was paltry compared with Chelsea's once Michael Essien had equalised in the 70th minute.

In the ensuing period Jens Lehmann had to turn himself into Arsenal's best player. With four minutes to go he dived to his right and tipped a dipping shot from Frank Lampard round the post. In stoppage-time the German stretched upwards to flick over a Salomon Kalou effort.

Arsenal might have won shortly after that but Emmanuel Eboue's drive cracked the top of the bar. Arsene Wenger's team are bedevilled by a chronic leniency and for all the smooth passing of a line-up that outnumbered Chelsea there was no killer instinct. Their goal, in the 43rd minute, had to come from a banal penalty conceded by Boulahrouz.

Lehmann's kick downfield was not met by either John Terry or Emmanuel Adebayor and the ball bounced. The Dutch defender Boulahrouz seemed unaware that Julio Baptista was nearby and the attacker got through. He kept the Chelsea player at bay with an outstretched right arm which the referee, Alan Wiley, must have interpreted as a legitimate tussle for possession. The defender's foul from behind on Baptista did not need any great analytical powers; a red card was unavoidable and Gilberto Silva sent Petr Cech the wrong way from the penalty spot.

This had been only Boulahrouz's third Premiership appearance in 2007. When Terry or Ricardo Carvalho is not at his disposal, Jose Mourinho normally prefers to pick the midfielder Essien for the centre of his defence.

That stance is commonly attributed to an indifference to Boulahrouz because he was signed by the chief scout, Frank Arnesen. Perhaps, though, we make too much of the intrigues at the court of the emperor Roman Abramovich. On the basis of the evidence from the Emirates, Boulahrouz is not picked because he does not merit selection.

Whatever happens next at Chelsea the decision-making will have to improve and it is likely that Mourinho, with his track record, has superior judgment to anyone else on the payroll. In view of the accusations of buying success, it is a curious fact that Chelsea can be most satisfied with their own, admittedly expensive, version of a youth policy. Lassana Diarra, Mikel John Obi and Kalou, all aged 21 or under, can contribute much. At 24, too, Essien is emerging as a leader to rank with Terry.

Mourinho's attitude towards this meeting with Arsenal did make spectators look at his side in a different light. With an eye to the FA Cup final, those carrying injuries or simply worn out were excused. So there was no Ashley Cole, Ricardo Carvalho, Michael Ballack, Arjen Robben, Andriy Shevchenko or Didier Drogba in the squad. If anything, that increased the pressure on Wenger to deliver his first victory over Mourinho.

The well known flaws prevented that. Adebayor epitomises the laxness of the forwards who oblige the Arsenal team to endure defeats and draws in games they have dominated. The Togo striker was through in the 37th minute and stubbed the ball straight to Cech. Such lapses are all the more noteworthy because the defence cannot be trusted to keep a clean sheet. William Gallas does not seem to be the same player who was so admired at Chelsea. Having craved a move to Arsenal, he is not making the most of it and may be sold if a realistic bid is received.

After a half-cleared corner, Shaun Wright-Phillips crossed from the right and Essien was in front of Gallas to angle a header beyond Lehmann. Without Drogba, though, Chelsea are seldom sharp in the goalmouth and the introduction of a new forward or two is essential this summer if they are to have hopes of reclaiming the title that has been torn from them.

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