More heartbreak for Arsenal ace Andrey Arshavin

Devastated by his country's failure to qualify for the World Cup, Andrey Arshavin was inconsable before this contest.

On Friday Arsene Wenger had tried to play down the Russia captain's heartbreak at losing in the play-offs to Slovenia, insisting he was up for the fight.

But Arshavin himself confirmed all the stories coming out of his homeland in Saturday's Mirror Sport, admitting he had fallen out of love with the game and that it would take him some time to recover.

Yesterday will have done precious little to ease that heartbreak. Indeed Arshavin may well have had another good sniffle to himself after Carlo Ancelotti's Chelsea stunned the Gunners having applied the minimum of pressure.

And he might well be joined in the crying game by the likes of skipper Cesc Fabregas although Barcelona may well be waiting to dry the Spaniard's tears.

The problem for experienced Arshavin was that Wenger had called for the young players around him to stand up and be counter. To prove that that the boys had become men who could compete with battle-harded Chelsea in the race for the title.

Instead the junior Gunners have been left choking in Chelsea's dust as the Blues' disappear over the Premier League horizon,.

It has all started out so well for Arshavin in the driving rain. The 28-year-old Russian was all smiles as he applauded the home fans and hugged his team-mates prior to kick off.

In the early stages he was all energy and enthusiasm, repeatedly switching wings in a bid to find a way past Chelsea's granite-like defence.

In the 12th minute there was perhaps a touch too much gravy on his attempted pass to set Cesc Fabregas free. The chance was lost.

Undettered, Arshavin tried again. His second attempt to tee up Fabregas floundering as the former Zenit man failed to put enough weight on his pass.

And in the 27th minute Arshavin was found by Eduardo in a swift counter-attacking move but could find no way into the box to even test Chelsea keeper Petr Cech.

When Arshavin DID get the ball into the net referee Andre Marriner disallowed it, blowing up for foot-up on keeper Petr Cech from Eduardo.

Truth be told, Arshavin should have scored earlier in that same move from the edge of the box with Cech nowhere. But he dwelt on the ball to lose the moment.

There was just no way past that Chelsea back line. The League leaders' defence is rock solid, having shipped just eight goals this season - one at home and seven away.

And soon enough Arshavin's frustrations began to get the better of him as he melted in the face of Chelsea's red-hot form.

Indeed, on this showing Chelsea are full value for the 11 points by which they lead the Gunners and Arshavin will now have to rely on the domestic cup competitions to ease his pain.