Substitutions pay off for Grant against Arsenal but he admits they won't succeed every time

Sections of the home crowd chanted "you don't know what you're doing" and had called the name of former coach Jose Mourinho - when Grant made a double change with 20 minutes to go.

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Claude Makelele and Michael Ballack were replaced by Nicolas Anelka and Juliano Belletti as Chelsea regrouped to play 4-4-2.

The minor protests were soon forgotten as the substitutes played their part to help Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba gun down Arsenal with two goals in eight minutes.

Grant, who gave captain John Terry instructions on how to reshape the team, said: "When you make a substitution I do not think any manager believes it will succeed every time.

"We wanted to be able to play in two systems, and I think this was the time to change.

"We had chances but did not score, so we wanted to put more pressure on the defence. I did not hear the crowd. I am concentrating on what I need to do and am very confident in what I am going to do - because I know the team and how they are."

Grant was full of praise for Drogba, even though the 17-goal striker is still not as sharp as he could be.

"He was not in the shape he was before he went to Africa, but that is understandable," said Grant.

"Against Tottenham he was better - and today he was very, very good."

Chelsea leapfrogged Arsenal and are five points behind Manchester United - who have yet to visit Stamford Bridge - and are not too disquieted yet by what is thought to be a minor injury for Frank Lampard.

Chelsea's victory took their amazing unbeaten league run at home to 78 games, while Arsenal have won just once in eight games. Arsenal went ahead through Bacary Sagna on the hour mark, but Drogba's two goals condemned them to defeat - and coach Arsene Wenger admitted it was a major blow.

"It was a game we should have won, but we paid for some lapses in concentration," said Wenger. "It is difficult to swallow - because we played quite well and were in control of the game.

"What was left to Chelsea was to play long balls, and we did not deal well enough with it.

"The spirit was right, and the mentality was fantastic; overall, the team played very well, but at the moment I feel we have some defensive problems which we need to sort out.

"It is a big setback for us. When you add the four games we drew and today's loss, now we just have to come back and win games before we dream of the title."