Arsenal Vs Stoke
Sunday 11th Jan: 13:30pm BST
Emirates Stadium


The Magician.

I am not really bothered about the match as much as I am about the return of Mesut Ozil. I say this quite a lot, but if we don't beat Stoke, then we really need to have a long analysis on where Arsenal is headed. But it shouldn't come down to that as we normally trash Stoke at home. And I expect the same. Specially with the returning players. But back to Ozil. He has been under the spotlight ever since he made the move to Arsenal. Often for the wrong reasons. However there is no denying how special he is. He is one of the most creative players in the world and he is what you call, a genius on the pitch. Every little thing he does has a meaning to it. It goes unnoticed, but it's special in its own way. I think he will come back even stronger. We have the right players in the team now and he can revert back to the central player he is. I can't see Arsene still starting him at left with Sanchez and Walcott back along with Ramsey in midfield. But let's see what happens in the near future. We have to give him time to adjust as we are doing with Walcott.

Along with Ozil, Ramsey is back as well and that's probably nearly as good. Ramsey was coming back to form and got injured at an unfortunate time. We need him in midfield badly because our performance has been shocking lately. I also want to see how Coquelin-Ramsey does on the pitch. And when Arteta is back, we can finally have our first choice midfield trio with Arteta-Ramsey-Ozil. *touch wood, glass, steel, acid etc.

Team News

The Arsenal team news is that Ramsey (hamstring) is back in training, Ozil (knee) is back in training and Flamini (groin) is back in training. We’ve got three players back. Welbeck (thigh) is still not available for Sunday because he is a bit short. Maybe next week he will be available. Giroud is back from suspension.

Expected Arsenal Team

----------------------------Szczesny---------------------------
Debuchy---------Mertesacker-------Koscielny---------Gibbs
----------------Coquelin----------Ramsey--------------------
Cazorla--------------------Ozil-----------------------Sanchez
------------------------Giroud----------------------------------

Expected Stoke Team

--------------------------Begovic-------------------------------
Cameron-------Shawcross------Muniesa----------------Pieters
-Arnautovic---------Nzonzi----Whelan------------Diouf--------
------------------Crouch--------Walters------------------------

Match Facts(FourFourTwo)

• Arsenal have lost just one of their last 27 Barclays Premier League games at the Emirates (W18 D8 L1).
  
• Peter Crouch has scored eight Premier League goals against Arsenal; his joint-highest tally against any opponent (along with Blackburn).
  
• 33 points after 20 games is Arsenal's lowest points tally in the league since 1994-95 when they finished 12th.
  
• Arsenal have fielded 12 different starting back four combinations in the Premier League this season.
  
• Mark Hughes has never won a Premier League game away at Arsenal as an opposition coach, losing all seven visits (with five different clubs).
  
• The Gunners have won their last 12 home games in a row against Stoke City.
  
• Arsenal have gone six games without a clean sheet in the Premier League.
  
• Only West Ham (14) have scored more headed goals than Arsenal (7), but only Burnley (11) have conceded more headed goals than the Gunners (9).
  
• No team has conceded more goals from set-pieces in the Barclays Premier League this season than Stoke (11, includes penalties).
  
• The Potters scored three goals from just four shots on target when they beat the Gunners 3-2 in early December.
  

Final Words

Giroud hattrick pls

*bleep* me that team looks good.
Should be trashing Stoke tbh.

I had an overall positive feeling about the game, before the disgust of 33 points from 20 games washed over me.

Good work RG.

I love the line up, but we have a 'WENGER', expect many out of positions.

We should win this game but Stuck Shity are going to give us trouble.

Nice work RG

hope we give Mesut/Aaron some minutes before City clash next week

need our best player for that as Aguero was back today

this should be one of those solid wins with 2 Goal Margin that we control large part of the match

get hyped

So glad bojan isn't there to rape us again. Arsenal 3-1

MaraVilla wrote:So glad bojan isn't there:lol: to rape us again. Arsenal 3-1

Arsenal team to play Stoke: Ospina, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Rosicky, Cazorla, Alexis, Giroud

#Arsenal subs: Szczesny, Bellerin, Flamini, Ramsey, Ozil, Campbell, Walcott #AFCvSCFC

SCFC XI v @Arsenal : Begovic; Cameron, Wollscheid, Shawcross, Pieters; Nzonzi, Whelan; Arnautovic, Bojan, Walters; Crouch

That's a good team. Also, Szcz dropped

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B7Eh25OCQAEODPg.jpg

Guess the fallout was true

Ospina for President

COYG



Where are Kieran/Calum though?

ffs dat bench

Chambers didn't make it to the bench - no CBs there.

let's goooooo

Ref has been terrible but a very good performance by arsenal.

We are playing with flair

We should give Walcott and Özil some minutes.

Monreal has a couple of staples in his eye.

Debuchy has had a scan in the dressing room - extent of damage to his shoulder will be known in post-match.

Doesn't matter what happens. Wenger will NOT make any substitutions till the last 10'.

With a 3-0 lead, is it wrong to rest some of the lads and give minutes to those returning from injury?

HOLY FACK JUST WHEN I SAID THAT

ÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖÖZIL!

OZIL <33333333333