DROG HABIT MEANS MORE MISERY FOR GUNNERS

WHEN Didier Drogba terrorised Arsenal for the umpteenth time last November, Arsene Wenger bitterly observed that the Chelsea strongman "doesn't do a lot".

As Rafa Benitez knows to his cost, it's unwise to add any more fire to the belly of the Ivory Coast powerhouse.

Because Drogba did more than a lot in this victory that could well signal the end of Arsenal's title chances.

He scored twice in the first half, taking his tally against the Gunners to an incredible 12 in his last 10 games, and only the bar denied him a hat-trick.

With John Terry shutting out the media storm about his personal life to help keep things tight at the back, there was more than a sense of predictability about the outcome at Stamford Bridge.

Not that an attack led by Russian lightweight Andrey Arshavin was ever going to really knock one of the world's most resolute defences out of their stride.

The little forward is an exceptional talent but understandably finds the going tough as the centre-forward up against two colossal defenders.

Criticising Arsenal would be easy after their comprehensive defeat last week against Manchester United but this was a better performance.

The Gunners had more of the play for long spells but had no sting to go with all their pretty football.

And that's a pretty familiar tale when they come up against the Chelseas and Manchester Uniteds.

It took only eight minutes for Chelsea to expose their London rivals' frailties and, inevitably, Terry was involved. The Blues skipper headed a Florent Malouda corner goalwards and Drogba tapped in at the far post. Both were criminally unmarked.

Wenger's side didn't let it knock them out of their stride and, after Petr Cech managed to deny Samir Nasri when out of position, the keeper was forced to pull off an important save to keep out an Arshavin volley.

But, on 23 minutes, it all seemed too easy for the home side. As Carlo Ancelotti had predicted in his press conference on Friday, one of the keys to beating Arsenal is to hit them on the break.

When Arshavin was dispossessed, it soon became four versus four and Frank Lampard timed his pass to perfection to find Drogba in plenty of space on the right.

The single-minded striker was only going to do one thing. Bear down on goal, cut in and wallop a left-footed shot past an unprotected Manuel Almunia.

Job done.

The visiting fans couldn't look when arch-enemy Ashley Cole appeared to be in on goal for a third but Theo Walcott raced back to distract the England full-back and keep his team in the game - just.

Arsenal had enough of the ball to suggest they could find a route to goal but it never really happened for them.

Instead, Chelsea carried a threat on their attacks with Lampard's flick lacking power and Michael Ballack firing across the face of goal.

KISS: Drogba is Arsenal's nemesis

A big moment at the other end around the hour mark saw Ashley Cole produce a saving challenge as Nasri seemed likely to score and Cech made one outstanding stop to keep out Cesc Fabregas' free-kick.

Cech also had to scoop the ball away from substitute Nicklas Bendtner from a Fabregas header but the closest we came to another goal was when Drogba hit a peach of a free-kick against the woodwork with Almunia standing and admiring the effort as it rattled his crossbar.

There was then a telling moment as Fabregas fouled Drogba and seemed to indicate to referee Mike Dean that, due to the size difference between the two stars, there was nothing else he could do to halt the African.

It was a metaphor for the whole contest and, football being a ruthless game, Dean simply showed the yellow card to the Spaniard.

Nicolas Anelka should have added a third against his former club when lashing wastefully off target when again left totally unmarked from a Lampard free-kick although Fabregas sent a header wide at the other end as time ran out.

Fabregas took another hefty knock in the process, as Branislav Ivanovic crunched into him, and his frustration was clear for all to see.

He did his utmost, as did his team-mates, but they were muscled out of things by the powerful Premier League leaders. Even with his thigh injured and heavily strapped after being clattered by Cech, Terry soldiered on with his customary resolve and determination to lead from the front.

Chelsea have regained the lead in the title race and Arsenal are now nine points adrift.

While all the talk for the past fortnight has been about Terry and his off-the-field misdemeanours, this afternoon was all about Drogba and his systematic torture of the Gunners.

• WENGER SAYS THE BETTER TEAM LOST

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