The penalty handed down yesterday by the organisation’s Dispute Resolution Chamber isn’t completely unprecedented – Roma were banned from signing players during the January 2006 transfer window as a result of their pursuit of Auxerre’s Philippe Mexes – but there is no doubt the Blues are the most high profile victims to fall foul of Fifa’s attempt to stamp out club’s questionable practices in poaching young talent.

As I digested the news yesterday afternoon, my overriding emotion was not, as you might think, anger. In all honesty I agree with Fifa’s decision. Something should be done to stop big clubs taking young talent from abroad with seemingly little disregard for the rules.

However, my support will waver if this isn’t followed up with further action to combat a problem that is endemic in football – and not just with youth players.

Chelsea may be more guilty than most clubs when it comes to breaking the rules, but to pretend that they are the only club which has tapped up players is despairingly naive.

Arsenal have faced questions regarding their pursuits of Cesc Fabregas and Mathieu Flamini and also their links to the Ivorian side Beveren. Tottenham recently faced criticism for the manner in which they signed Peter Crouch and John Bostock.

Allegations surrounding the transfers of Owen Hargreaves, Dimitar Berbatov and Federico Macheda to Manchester United have been made in the last three years. The Premier League champions could very well be the next to feel the wrath in Fifa’s crackdown.

The Red Devils are in hot water over their conduct in securing Paul Pogba from Le Harve. According to a number of newspapers this morning, the French side intend to take their case to Fifa, seeking a similar punishment to the one handed down to Carlo Ancelotti’s side.

Fifa should also be mindful of extending their remit to punishing clubs from other countries as well.

That is unless they want to give further credence to the idea of there being some sort of anti-English conspiracy after Arsenal’s Eduardo was banned for two matches in a bid to combat another endemic problem in modern football – diving.

I certainly won’t be holding my breath. Meanwhile, Carlo Ancelotti will be hoping Chelsea’s latest indiscretion won’t damage his chances winning either the Premier League or the Holy Grail – the Champions League.

Chelsea’s group stage berth is secured, and whoever is in charge next season will begin again the work of landing the club’s first European Cup.

The opening half an hour of this game gave no indication of what was to follow. Arsenal were the better side and had a number of chances to take the lead. Theo Walcott was tormentor-in-chief of the Blues’ defence, relishing his battle with ex-Arsenal left back Ashley Cole.

The Englishman played a one two with Robin Van Persie but could only manage to shoot high over the bar. He then forced Petr Cech into a save with a shot from a tight angle.

Abou Diaby and Alex Song also had efforts on goal as Chelsea began to feel the pressure. Arsenal seemed a completely different side to the one beaten so comprehensively by Manchester United in midweek.

But Chelsea drew first blood with a goal that was totally against the run of play.

Cesc Fabregas brought down Didier Drogba and the Ivorian swung in the resulting free kick. It was met by Alex, whose header hit the underside of the bar and bounced in.

The Gunners’ afternoon could have got much worse minutes later when Fabregas – already booked for his foul on Drogba – slid in on Florent Malouda. Referee Phil Dowd gave the Spaniard a lecture instead of his marching orders.

It was a former Gunner who then gave the Blues a two-goal cushion heading into half time. Nicolas Anelka received the ball in his own half and was allowed to run towards Arsenal’s goal unopposed. When he reached around 25 yards out he let rip with a powerful drive that curled away from the despairing dive of Lukasz Fabianski and into the corner of net.

Anelka could have all but wrapped up the three points in first half stoppage time but the Frenchman shot at Fabianski’s legs after good link up play between Malouda and Michael Essien.

Three minutes into the second half it was game over. Cole sprinted down the left wing and hit a cross into the box that Kolo Toure diverted into his own net.

Arsenal went in search of the consolation they deserved – and hoped – would be the start of something resembling a comeback.

Van Persie drew a save from Cech and Walcott missed another excellent chance, shooting wide with the outside of his boot.

Wenger’s side finally got the goal they had been threatening to score all afternoon and it was substitute Niklas Bendtner who provided it. The Dane got up high enough to nod in Bacary Sagna’s cross.

This gave the Emirates crowd a lift and Bendtner almost repeated his goal scoring feat five minutes later, this time however Cech was equal to the task and saved.

A bout of penalty box pinball had Chelsea hearts in mouths as the game moved towards stoppage time. Mikael Silvestre managed to get a clean connection on the ball but was thwarted by the quick reactions of Cech.

Substitute Emmanuel Adebayor took a theatric tumble in the box but Phil Dowd correctly waved for play to continue, but should have booked the Togolese striker for a quite blatant dive.

To run salt in the wounds Guus Hiddink’s side added a fourth before the final whistle. Frank Lampard sent Malouda clear, but the winger shot straight at the onrushing Fabianski. The ball came out to Anelka, whose follow up hit the post. Malouda was on hand to knock the ball in.

The disappointment of Barcelona has been eased somewhat by this emphatic win – Chelsea’s first at the Emirates – while Arsene Wenger has been served with another reminder of the gulf that exists between his side and the rest of the ‘Big Four’.

The Ivorian grabbed the winner in this cup tie, knocking the ball past the shaky Lukasz Fabianski and then into the net, with just under 10 minutes left on the clock to set up a clash with either Manchester United or Everton in the final at Wembley on 30th May.

Much of the talk in the build up to this semi final surrounded the state of Blues’ keeper Petr Cech after his uncertain display against Liverpool midweek, but it was Fabianski who caused the most concern throughout the 90 minutes, and he was at fault for both of Chelsea’s goals. His fragility was exposed minutes after kick off.

There was uncertainty in the Arsenal defence when a long ball was punted downfield and Drogba managed to nip in and beat Fabianski to the ball with a header, but Kieran Gibbs got back well and cleared off the line.

After that early moment of panic, Arsenal began to compose themselves and went ahead with 18 minutes on the clock.

There was a heavy sense of de ja vu surrouding the goal. Emmanuel Adebayor’s played in Gibbs, whose lofted ball into the box found Theo Walcott – the scorer of the opening goal in the 2007 Carling Cup Final meeting between these two sides – and the young England international made no mistake, firing home via a deflection off former Gunner Ashley Cole.

Florent Malouda – who has experienced something of a resurgence of form under temporary manager Guus Hiddink, leveled matters soon afterwards. The Frenchman controlled Frank Lampard’s pass and sent a shot towards goal that beat Fabianski at his near post.

The Blues sniffed blood. A remarkable turnaround was almost completed less than three minutes later but Nicolas Anelka saw his shot come back off the post with Fabianski well beaten.

Chances for Arsene Wenger’s men were rarer in the second half as Chelsea began to win the midfield battle and exert a stranglehold over proceedings.

But the energetic Walcott had Chelsea hearts in mouths twice in quick succession when he sent a pair of crosses across the six yard box. Luckily for those in Blue there was no red shirt on the end of it on both occasions.

Lampard, who was full on running all afternoon, had an excellent chance to give his side the lead but from Drogba’s pass he could only volley wide.

Chelsea then had a credible appeal for a penalty turned down by referee Martin Atkinson. Mikael Silvestre and Drogba tussled for the ball in the Arsenal box and the ball appeared to strike the Arsenal defender’s hand. But despite the protestations of Guus Hiddink and Ray Wilkins on touchline, nothing was given.

As the game edged ever closer towards extra time, both mangers opted to shuffle their packs. Andrey Arshavin was sent on by Arsene Wenger and Nicolas Anelka made way for Salomon Kalou in Chelsea’s corresponding substitution.

But neither had a role to play in the goal that decided the game. Inevitably it was Drogba who settled things. He latched on to another Lampard pass, knocked the ball past the onrushing Fabianski and then kept his composure to prod the ball home.

He has now scored eight goals in nine games against Arsenal, and Wenger must be ruing the sight of such a familiar tormentor.

This win keeps the Blues’ slim hopes of a treble alive, and also the possibility that they could face Manchester United in two cup finals come May.