Watching Chelsea sweep aside Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium yesterday afternoon, it is increasingly difficult to see beyond the Blues for the Premier League title.
Unbeaten since their 17 October defeat at Villa Park, Chelsea have strung together an impressive sequence of results: Atletico Madrid, 4-0 (Champions League); Blackburn Rovers, 5-0; Bolton Wanderers, 4-0 (Carling Cup); Bolton Wanderers, 4-0; Atletico Madrid, 2-2 (Champions League); Manchester United, 1-0; Wolverhampton Wanderers, 4-0; Porto, 1-0 (Champions League); Arsenal, 3-0.
They are now 5 points ahead of Manchester United, 10 clear of Tottenham Hotspur in third, and a further point clear of the Gunners, who do have a game in hand.
Look at those results again. In only one game of the nine did they concede, and they have let in only eight goals in 14 league games so far.
Arsenal's attacking prowess (having averaged three goals a game until yesterday) was completely negated by Chelsea's stubborn defence, with John Obi Mikel and Michael Essien protecting the back four so sturdily.
Now with 36 goals in 14 games under their belt, it would unfair to level a charge of boredom against the Blues. They are scoring freely, while the back door is firmly bolted. Carlo Ancelotti has marshalled his troops superbly.
Coming this week are an away tie at Blackburn in the Carling Cup and a visit to Eastlands to see the draw specialists Manchester City (I'm sure Chelsea will end that sequence!).
January may see Chelsea's African contingent off to compete in the African Nations' Cup, but with the transfer ban suspended, this won't present a problem. Indeed, they already have the strongest squad anyway.
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