Stoke Vs Arsenal
Britannia Stadium
Sunday 13:30 BST
Referee: Lee Mason


The Settling Period

In a way this summer has the reminiscent of last year. Losing a World Class player; then another player; Getting lost in the long transfer sagas. However the difference this summer brings is that we are not struggling to find the replacements. We got the replacement for Van persie long before he even left. Wenger unlike last year, had a perfect plan this time. He knew what to do and who to get and this will most likely go for the replacement for Song as well. However it's one thing to buy all these players and another thing to integrate them in the system and play them up to the standard. Furthermore it's not just up to the player, Fans have to play a big part as well in terms of patience. We saw the potential in Cazorla last week, he was probably our best player and on his debut as well. However same couldn't be said about podolski or to some extent Giroud. Both are excellent players but as wenger said, it's much harder for strikers to adapt than for the Midfielders. The Settling period is crucial.

The Clash of styles

Arsenal face stoke tomorrow, in a match which we all basically despise going into. The Clash of two styles as the media infamously headlined in the papers will be obvious. Stoke's tactics doesn't involve possession, they couldn't care less about it. What they are more interested in is the territory. How to dominate the opposition with the heavy pressing on the wings, or how to throw us backwards with long balls. It is pretty obvious with the fact that stoke had the lowest amount of possession in the league with 40% while Arsenal had about 60%. It will probably be the same tomorrow. However some would say we are equipped better than we were before. For example with the height of Giroud, Podolski, Mertesacker, Diaby, Jenkinson and Vermaelen we will be "ok" defensively and maybe score from the corner on the other end as well. But It's not all fine n dandy as stoke base their corner or throw in tactics based on their own system which doesn't get affected by opposition's height. It's the way they attack the ball which is the key. We will find it hard tomorrow for sure, it might be even harder for Cazorla if stoke tries to "impose" themselves on us but these are the matches which we need to win.

Team News

The Bad News for Arsenal is that Szczesny is a serious doubt for tomorrow. Mannone or Fabianski are in contention to start with Youth keeper Martinez travelling with the squad. Koscielny is out as well so the defence would probably be the same as the one against Sunderland. Oxlade is fit though and will be on the bench.

As for Stoke Dean Whitehead will be suspended for the Game and Pennant is doubtful. Palacios omay slot in.

Expected Arsenal Lineup

------------------------------------Fabianski-----------------------------------------------

Jenkinson----------------Mertesacker------------Vermaelen-------------------Gibbs

------------------Diaby----------------------------Arteta------------------------------------

----------------------------------Cazorla----------------------------------------------------

walcott---------------------------------Giroud-------------------------------Podolski-----------


Stoke


------------------------------------Begovic----------------------------------------------


Wilson----------------Huth-------------------------Shawcross-----------------Wilkinson


----Kightly-------------Palacios----------------Whelan------------------------Ethrington


-----------------------------------Walters----------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------Crouch-----------------------------------


MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

Of four Premier League matches between the teams at the Britannia Stadium, Stoke have the edge (W2, D1, L1).
Arsenal have won all four of the Premier League matches between the teams at the Emirates Stadium.
In 95 matches between the two clubs in all competitions, Arsenal have won 50 of them.

Stoke

The Potters have not won in their last seven Premier League matches - their longest run without a win since Nov 2008-Jan 2009, when they had a club Premier League-record run of nine matches without a win.
All of Stoke's past five matches (including pre-season friendlies) have ended 1-1.
Dean Whitehead's red card was Stoke's 15th since their debut in the Premier League in 2008/09. Only Sunderland (19), Man City (16) and Bolton (16) have more over the same period.

Arsenal

Arsenal have failed to win in their last four Premier League home matches; they last went four without victory in between April and August 1995.
Last week's stalemate with Sunderland was their second consecuitve goalless draw on the opening day of the season.
Including last season, they have only won just one of their past six Premier League matches.

Final Say

I am not expecting much atm. Without Szczesny it will be really hard because all our other keepers are crap with long balls. I am hoping for a narrow win but maybe it will be a draw.

I have a feeling we're going to lose tomorrow. We find it tough with Szczesny, so imagine how hard it's going to be to keep a clean sheet with Fabiasnki or Mannone, neither of whom can catch a ball, in goal.

Mertesacker will need to have a big game, too (pun intended). Even if his strength isn't in his aerial ability, his height will be required to deal with Stoke's long balls. No doubt they'll stick Crouch on him, knowning that 100% time Crouch will win the aerial battles.

If we can stick to our game and try and outpass and outmove Stoke, we have a chance of winning, but for whatever reason we can't seem to do that at their place. Cazorla will probably get battered by their midfield, too, which won't help.

Hopefully Giroud starts because Podolski will get eaten if he plays centrally.

I don't know, I'm feeling very negative about this game, even more so now that it looks Szczesny won't be playing.

I fear that Stoke away will be too much for our nervy backup keepers.. And this will be the ultimate test for our defence.. Jenkinson and Gibbs should expect a tough game.. Hope Metskr and Vermelen will rise to the occasion..
And it looks the ideal game to start Giroud.. And Diaby Arteta and Cazorla.. Podolski on left.. Gervinho at right to be replaced by 30 mins of Ox..
A sub appearance of Walcott at the most..

I've had a good think. They can launch. We can play.

1-3 to the gooners.

to the preview. It seems everyone here is pro at writing.

As you said RG, it's a clash of styles. Hope we can impose ourselves and give them a good ol' spankin'.

Need to stuff these lot like 3-0 or something. Come on Arsenal, i expect us to go out there and play our game with no fear.

Good work RG
its just myth
we werent going to keep clean sheet szcz or whoever else
just outscore them
End of story

Good Preview RG as always.
If i hate a team after manure it will be stoke. Still cannot forgive them for ramsey's broken leg, nor there stupid fan's behavior after that.
I read in the arseblog today that stoke has been forced to increase there pitch size in line with Uefa standards. This maybe helpful for us to a certain degree.
Its the battle of the midfield I am worried about. If stoke out muscles us there then we maybe looking at a loss or a draw.
At this moment i think a draw is a likely result.

I'm not optimistic about this one. Hope we win though, hate Stoke with my all.

Our defence looks bad on paper, Diaby starting again

If we score early and pass the ball around we might even win.

Good job RG!

We will have trouble with set pieces and i can see them scoring one or two against us. I can also see us scoring goals too.

abirking wrote:Good Preview RG as always.
If i hate a team after manure it will be stoke. Still cannot forgive them for ramsey's broken leg, nor there stupid fan's behavior after that.
I read in the arseblog today that stoke has been forced to increase there pitch size in line with Uefa standards. This maybe helpful for us to a certain degree.
Its the battle of the midfield I am worried about. If stoke out muscles us there then we maybe looking at a loss or a draw.
At this moment i think a draw is a likely result.

all pitches in EPL this season are the same size

Good work as always RG.

Huddlestone is not at Stoke though, lol, deal was called off. Palacios will come in, which isn't good.

I really hate this fixture, more than most. I'm terrified of Stoke's tactics, in truth.

Will be content with a point, all 3 would be fantastic.

yea i found out lol

Please lets start the process of getting them relegated from tomorrow.

Mirror: Stoke City fans will stage their biggest ever 'Arsene Wenger impersonations' on Sunday - http://bit.ly/Oj3l8L

hate them so much

Arsenal fan on twitter:

"Bannered up for Stoke away"

Pulis: People call Stoke a dirty team... what about Arsenal?

Tony Pulis feels that his Stoke City side are unfairly labelled as a dirty side, and believes that the critics should instead take a look at Arsenal as an example of poor discipline.

Pulis pointed out that his squad boasted a better disciplinary record than the Gunners last season, with two red cards and 60 yellows compared to four red cards and 64 yellows for Arsene Wenger's charges.

The two managers have often clashed in the past, notably when Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey suffered a broken leg after a collision with Ryan Shawcross, but Pulis says the accusations of his side being rough are not right.

"People talk about us about us being a dirty team, yet we haven't had as many red cards or I haven't had as many red cards as a manager as Arsene Wenger has had as a manager," he told reporters.

"People always talk about me and Stoke City. Nobody ever talks about the situation with Wenger. There was a situation not so long ago when a lot of red cards were being dished out to Arsenal.

"Everybody seems to have forgotten about that. All we want is fairness and a balance. It is frustrating when you get labelled for this or that and people don't look at the other side of the coin."

Wenger spoke out in defence of Pulis' claims ahead of the two clubs' clash on Sunday, noting that Arsenal finished seventh in the Fair Play table, which takes into account attitude towards officials, while Stoke came last.

"I think we did quite well in the Fair Play table,” Wenger said.

“I don't know how they did, but we did quite well. It's not only about red cards, it's about the number of fouls.”

_______________________________________________________

NO LOVE LOST.

Exclent job RG.

God I hate Stoke City so much, I think I hate them more than Spuds.

I hope no Injures and a point will do, but I think we can win it in the end. Grioud must start we need him to score goals and Gervinho needs another great game and hope he can score a goal.

Jenk and Mert on the right is a nightmare and home Mert can get some help from Jenkinson.

Jenks and Theo need to develop a better communication tbh - Theo seems to do better when he has Sagna behind him.. Jenks is a good (albeit raw) player, but the understanding has never developed since 8-2..

I am not worried about these guys when it is technical games.. I am worried on days like this when they are going to be just bullied and kicked and out-muscled..

We really could do with a good, well deserved 3-0 win or something just to get over this fear of playing Stoke at their own ground; that we can go their, play our stuff and get a really good result.

On the bright side, the weather is supposed to be a lot better than it was yesterday, so with any luck we won't be playing in torrential downpour and blustery winds. That would be a nightmare.

GoonerJay29 wrote:We really could do with a good, well deserved 3-0 win or something just to get over this fear of playing Stoke at their own ground; that we can go their, play our stuff and get a really good result.

On the bright side, the weather is supposed to be a lot better than it was yesterday, so with any luck we won't be playing in torrential downpour and blustery winds. That would be a nightmare.

Stoke Away in that weather

F*** u Tony P**sy.. You are a disgrace to the PL..
Such a retard.. He is trying to portray us as an undisciplined team when the whole world knows how they play..
And such ** fans.. Hate them all..
As Sina said.. The only way is to outscore them..

Wilson37 wrote:F*** u Tony P**sy.. You are a disgrace to the PL..
Such a retard.. He is trying to portray us as an undisciplined team when the whole world knows how they play..
And such ** fans.. Hate them all..
As Sina said.. The only way is to outscore them..

There there Wilson. They have a different style and draw a lot of stick from teams playing in a different way. I can totally understand the hatred they have for us, given how polar our styles and philosophies are. Its a very mutual feeling. That doesn't take away any of the passion they have for their club and their results.

And much as I hate them, I am only worried about how we play and how we perform - what happens to Tony Pulis or to Stoke is the least of my concerns.

The fitting response to those comments is the class way in which AW has brought out that cards are only half the story, and the fair play table tells a more complete picture.

Shooting off expletives can be reserved till after the game, when we are more pissed off than ever. Till then, just relax and hope for a more fitting response to them, on the field - not off it.