Arsenal played another enterprising game against one of the other big teams, but Chelsea came away with all three points, thanks to a slice of luck from a Juan Mata free kick in their English Premier League game at the Emirates.
After going down to a well-taken strike from Fernando Torres, the Gunners fought back well to make it 1-1 through a wonderful finish from Gervinho, and despite a strong second half, the home side were hit with a blow early in the second period as Chelsea then held on for the win.
In the first real big game of the English Premier League season for the Blues, the European champions did what big teams do, which is pick up results and crucial ones at that.
The game began pretty evenly, with neither team really getting their teeth into the match at the Emirates. The goal came in the 20th minute, Torres holding off Koscielny to hook the ball wonderfully into the net off a free kick.
Arsenal seemed to wake up a little after the goal, and after being forced into a substitution with Abou Diaby picking up another injury - Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain coming on for him - the Gunners looked to get back on level terms.
A little bit of an end-to-end yet sloppy passage ensued, with Torres missing a chance - the Spaniard hesitating too much in front of goal.
With three minutes remaining at the end of the first half, the equalizer came and it was well worth the wait. Oxlade-Chamberlain, in one of his many bursts from the right, played a low ball into the penalty area, which was wonderfully controlled by Gervinho, who missed a couple of sitters last week against Manchester City, on the turn, before blasting the ball into the roof of the net.
Arsenal began the second half better, keeping possession, but lacking that thrust in the final third. The goal came off a freekick in the 53rd minute, which was won by Fernando Torres. Juan Mata floated in a wonderful setpiece - one of those which needs only the faintest of touches to find the back of the net; unfortunately for Arsenal and much to the delight of Chelsea, that faintest of touches was provided by Koscielny.
Arsenal had a wonderful chance to equalize soon after, though. Kieran Gibbs, who made quite a few runs from the left, played in a cross for Lukas Podolski, whose header was well palmed away by Cech with his left hand, with Aaron Ramsey striking wide from the rebound.
The Chelsea goalkeeper then brought his other hand into play. A deflected strike from Giroud, who along with Theo Walcott came on in the second half with 25 minutes to go, saw a brilliant reaction save from Cech, the ball sneaking wide of the post; that little slice of luck which Arsenal needed was just not forthcoming. Koscielny, then had a chance at redemption, but saw his header off a cross hit the crossbar.
The good thing about this new Chelsea team, with the likes of Eden Hazard, Mata and Oscar in their line-up is the fact that when a goal up, they can pass the ball around, without really threatening the goal, and frustrate the opponents. That was on view in the final 20 minutes as the Gunners just failed to produce that moment of magic or that final ball needed to unlock the competent Chelsea defense, as Chelsea kept possession pretty well.
However, having said that, Arsenal should have found the equalizer right at the death. A barnstorming run from Oxlade-Chamberlain down the middle, saw the Arsenal youngster play a beautiful reverse pass for Giroud. The French striker, who scored his first goal for the Gunners in midweek against Coventry City, did the first part well - rounding the keeper, but the crucial second part went awry as the striker fired into the side netting with an open goal in front of him.
Chelsea will be delighted to see their unbeaten start intact, while for Arsenal it will be back to the training ground with the emphasis on defending the setpieces.
