Jose bitter but it's a sweet vintage

Poll, one of our most experienced referees, asked Henry, standing over the ball, if he wanted to take the free-kick quickly. Henry said "Yes" and did, steering the ball into the empty half of the net while Petr Cech was still lining up his wall.

"If you can forget the way Arsenal scored their second goal, the result was correct," said Mourinho. "But it's difficult for me to forget so I don't think the result was fair.

"I am more than unhappy, but unhappy is a nice word. I cannot say the words in my heart and soul."

Mourinho claimed that a top referee - it was, by coincidence, Poll - visited the Chelsea training ground in the close season to clarify some of the rules.

"One of the things he explained to us was free-kicks - walls, distance, whistle, everything was clear," said the Chelsea manager.

But not clear enough, it now seems. Poll explained later that the whistle doesn't have to be blown to signify a free-kick can be taken.

"I asked Henry, 'Do you want a wall or do you want to take it quickly?' " said Poll. "He was very polite and said, 'Can I take it please?'"

Henry scored in similar circumstances against Aston Villa last season and Ian Harte once did the same to net for Leeds against Arsenal.

Arsene Wenger, while acknowledging Henry's speed of thought, admitted that he wasn't in favour of the rule that allows it to happen. "What Thierry did was an intelligent exploitation of the rule, but I don't agree with it because it's so difficult to defend against," said the Arsenal manager.

I'm not surprised. Wenger may have been named coach of the year across all sports by the BBC later in the day, but Arsenal's record of defending at set pieces is woeful this season.

Just after the restart Chelsea equalised for the second time and again the marking was poor.

Frank Lampard's freekick found William Gallas at the back post. Unchallengedhe headed the ball back across goal and Eidur Gudjohnsen swept in, pushing his way past Kolo Toure, to head the equaliser.

Six minutes later, Lampard missed the best scoring opportunity of the match when he met a Duff corner. I can only assume that Lampard was so surprised by the time and space he had that he headed the ball over the bar.

At least goalkeeper Manuel Almunia, still favoured ahead of Jens Lehmann, had the chance to win over the crowd and build up his confidence with a couple of high-class saves.

Although vastly more experienced, Lampard and Claude Makelele didn't get it all their own way in midfield. In the absence of Patrick Vieira, Edu and Gilberto Silva, Arsenal youngsters Cesc Fabregas and Mathieu Flamini performed heroically.

Flamini is a study in perpetual motion while Fabregas has an eye for the telling through ball. One pass, in the 77th minute, helped Robert Pires open up Chelsea's flank. Although his centre found Henry, the Frenchman's shot flew over the bar.

For Arsenal, still five points behind the leaders, this was an opportunity lost. For Chelsea it was the proof that they are ready to assume the mantle of greatness.

To twice come from behind against the champions at Highbury says something about their character. I don't think Claudio Ranieri's Chelsea would have recovered as convincingly.

"I thought my players were fantastic after Arsenal's second goal," said Mourinho. "They kept cool, remained in control and gave proof of their strong mental state."

With his side having taken just 10 points from 24 in their past eight games, Wenger must now realise that the defence of the title depends not just on a dramatic improvement in Arsenal's form - but a collapse in Chelsea's.

And that is looking unlikely.