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SOMETIMES it doesn’t matter how you do it. It just matters that you do it.
Rafa Benitez needed the final whistle to be met with cheers, not jeers. Fernando Torres needed to leave the field to applause, not boos.
More importantly, Chelsea had to end the home-sickness that threatened to send their entire season into free-fall. And as the snow came down on Stamford Bridge, Benitez’ Blues held on in the teeth of Arsenal’s flurry to change the complexion of the rest of the season for both these clubs.
In the end, Frank Lampard stroked home from the spot and divided two sides who each bossed 45 minutes.
The second half was controlled as much by the Gunners as the first had been by the home side, the transformation hard to comprehend.
But it is Chelsea, finally breaking their SW6 duck in 2013, who got what they required, three vital points and momentum.
Benitez, who had won just two of his previous seven home matches, could easily have seen his side endure the same fate as last week’s 2-2 draw with Southampton, when they blew a two-goal half-time lead.
Asked if he was relieved, he said: “Happy because we were creating a lot of chances at home but not winning.
“But today we had a lot of chances in the first half, were on top of them, controlling the game.
“Even in the second half we had situations on the counter-attack where we could have scored another.”
So a good day for Chelsea but Arsenal are paying the price for a wretched start and are now 11 adrift of the Blues. Now they know fourth is the absolute summit of their Premier League ambitions.
In truth, too, they can have no complaints, starting too late at Stamford Bridge to come away with anything other than regrets.
Where Arsene Wenger asked his side to expose a “fragile” Chelsea, it was his own side’s vulnerabilities, weaknesses, failings, that were opened up to scrutiny.
Of course, it might have been different had Olivier Giroud done what he should have done five minutes in, when Theo Walcott’s perfect pass sent the Frenchman in on goal, Gary Cahill powerless to prevent the strike.
But within a minute of Giroud dragging wide, Chelsea were in front, when Mata thrashed his 14th of the season into the net.
Ten minutes later it was 2-0. Mata picked out Ramires and when Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny brought down the Brazilian, Martin Atkinson pointed to the spot. Lampard’s penalty, took him to 195 goals and within seven of Bobby Tambling’s club record.
As Arsenal flew out of the traps after the break, Per Mertesacker and Walcott could have scored before the latter did claim his 15th of the season, a terrific, composed and clinical finish when Santi Cazorla slid through.
Arsenal pushed on, Thomas Vermaelen shot wide, four late corners came to nothing, Chelsea, Gary Cahill to the fore, held on.
Benitez confirmed Ashley Cole had reached an agreement with the club over a new contract, but sidestepped any talk about Lampard’s future.
The Spaniard said Lampard is “doing a great job ... he is playing well” but stressed “it is not my decision” to extend his stay at the club.
Rafa Benitez needed the final whistle to be met with cheers, not jeers. Fernando Torres needed to leave the field to applause, not boos.
More importantly, Chelsea had to end the home-sickness that threatened to send their entire season into free-fall. And as the snow came down on Stamford Bridge, Benitez’ Blues held on in the teeth of Arsenal’s flurry to change the complexion of the rest of the season for both these clubs.
In the end, Frank Lampard stroked home from the spot and divided two sides who each bossed 45 minutes.
The second half was controlled as much by the Gunners as the first had been by the home side, the transformation hard to comprehend.
But it is Chelsea, finally breaking their SW6 duck in 2013, who got what they required, three vital points and momentum.
Benitez, who had won just two of his previous seven home matches, could easily have seen his side endure the same fate as last week’s 2-2 draw with Southampton, when they blew a two-goal half-time lead.
Asked if he was relieved, he said: “Happy because we were creating a lot of chances at home but not winning.
“But today we had a lot of chances in the first half, were on top of them, controlling the game.
“Even in the second half we had situations on the counter-attack where we could have scored another.”
So a good day for Chelsea but Arsenal are paying the price for a wretched start and are now 11 adrift of the Blues. Now they know fourth is the absolute summit of their Premier League ambitions.
In truth, too, they can have no complaints, starting too late at Stamford Bridge to come away with anything other than regrets.
Where Arsene Wenger asked his side to expose a “fragile” Chelsea, it was his own side’s vulnerabilities, weaknesses, failings, that were opened up to scrutiny.
Of course, it might have been different had Olivier Giroud done what he should have done five minutes in, when Theo Walcott’s perfect pass sent the Frenchman in on goal, Gary Cahill powerless to prevent the strike.
But within a minute of Giroud dragging wide, Chelsea were in front, when Mata thrashed his 14th of the season into the net.
Ten minutes later it was 2-0. Mata picked out Ramires and when Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny brought down the Brazilian, Martin Atkinson pointed to the spot. Lampard’s penalty, took him to 195 goals and within seven of Bobby Tambling’s club record.
As Arsenal flew out of the traps after the break, Per Mertesacker and Walcott could have scored before the latter did claim his 15th of the season, a terrific, composed and clinical finish when Santi Cazorla slid through.
Arsenal pushed on, Thomas Vermaelen shot wide, four late corners came to nothing, Chelsea, Gary Cahill to the fore, held on.
Benitez confirmed Ashley Cole had reached an agreement with the club over a new contract, but sidestepped any talk about Lampard’s future.
The Spaniard said Lampard is “doing a great job ... he is playing well” but stressed “it is not my decision” to extend his stay at the club.
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