Arsenal’s shambolic collapse at Chelsea embarrassing yet sadly so predictable

Their collapse, retreat and ultimately farcical demise at Stamford Bridge symbolises the latest death of Arsenal’s lofty and misplaced dreams.

Teams that are serious about winning Premier Leagues simply do not subside in the way Arsene Wenger’s mentally fragile group did. This was a team devoured by a ravenous Chelsea before brunch ended on Sloane Square.

Wenger’s unwillingness to enhance his squad in January now looks borne of pure delusion.

As does his own maddening and mad belief that this squad is the best he has managed in 21 seasons running the club.

They were simply swept away in a rampaging blue maelstrom with Olivier Giroud scoring late on to give the scoreline a sheen as illusory as a false number nine.

They are 12 points behind Chelsea, but there is a gap between these teams in terms of ability, hunger, desire and pride in performance.

The collapse began early on when Diego Costa walloped the bar with a header.

Hector Bellerin was first to the ball, and should have won the clearing header at all costs, but he collapsed under intense pressure from Marcos Alonso, who headed into the rigging as Bellerin was laid out like Frank Bruno facing Mike Tyson.

A dazed Bellerin was replaced by Gabriel with his man suffering concussion from an elbow, but the weakness was evident. If he had been stronger, he would have jumped higher than Alonso and won the header whether or not there was contact afterwards. The ball watching contributed to the unfortunate blow.

Bellerin had to make the loose ball his, but it would be wrong to look for a scapegoat when Arsenal’s side was laced with men only too willing to fail. Arsenal were bullied by Chelsea. This was the main reason they went down so tamely.

The retreat continued early in the second half when Eden Hazard picked the ball up around the halfway line. Hazard was not thinking about goal at this juncture, but Laurent Koscielny could only fail to make tackle before Francis Coquelin went to ground in trying to halt his progress when he should have taken one for the team by fouling Hazard.

Arsenal were spinning backwards rather than advancing towards the ball. Hazard's legs were pumping like pistons as he showed nimble feet to leave Koscielny heading in the opposite direction before smashing beyond Petr Cech deep inside the Arsenal box.

It was a goal of outstanding quality by Hazard, but also one of breathtaking ineptitude by the visiting side, who should have nipped Hazard in the bud long before he witnessed Cech’s headgear close up.

There was still room for a touch of farce when the former Chelsea goalkeeper Cech decided to gift his old club a goal when he somehow passed straight to Cesc Fabregas, who lifted the ball gleefully into the empty net.

It is all over for Arsenal on February 4 because nothing suggests this side possess the ability or backbone to close the gap. There are glaring mental deficiencies within this Arsenal unit in such a football furnace.

They have lost 2-1 to Watford and were flogged 3-1 by Antonio Conte's side in less than a week. Six points gone as Chelsea have stretched out into the distance.

Wenger’s side usually hang about until March or April before seeing their ambitions snuffed out, but this is the day the music died for them this season.

The shouts for the manager to resign will intensify as the inquest begins into what will be another failed campaign in the Premier League, but some of the players should also be checking out this summer.

“It is not the ideal subject,” said Wenger when asked if it was all over for his team in trying to win the title. “Chelsea do not lose to the bigger teams.”

Yet they were done up 3-0 by Arsenal in September. Since then, both teams have gone their separate ways with Arsenal's ghastly retreat complete in Chelsea.

It simply isn’t acceptable enough for suffering supporters of one of the largest and richest clubs in the world who must ask themselves if the yearly bid to reach the Premier League top four and lose in the Champions League last 16 should be the ceiling of their aspirations.

Especially when Leicester and Chelsea have shown over the past year what is possible when you are properly organised and managed.

When Arsenal last won the Premier League in 2004, they were known as the ‘Invincibles’. This lot are the imposters.

They have become masters of the art of flattering to deceive.