The Soccer Blog: Arsenal

Saturday, 18 December 2010

Arsenal - Stoke Preview

Arsenal – Stoke Preview - - The Offside - Arsenal Football Club Blog

« Champions League Draw: Guess Who? | Home | Arsenal – Stoke Postponed »Arsenal – Stoke PreviewBy: Martin | December 17th, 2010

Stoke City

Position: 12th, 6-3-8 (21 points, -1 goal differential)

Away Form: 2-1-5 (-3 goal differential)

Recent Form: WWDDL

Last Meeting: Arsenal 3 – Stoke City 1 (February 27, 2010)

Back in league action tomorrow against Stoke City, in a game that is important for this team on several levels.

First and foremost, it is important because it’s a home game against bottom half opposition, and we know that it is our record in those games that has kept us from being top of the table so far this season. To win the title, you have to win those home games, and it’s something we have not done thus far this year. And while their record away is not great, a -3 goal differential isn’t terrible, and they’ve played a lot of teams really tight away (they’ve been better at home than, for example, Liverpool). They will certainly be looking to give us a tough game, and we have struggled to break them down before — remember, they knocked us out of the FA Cup last season, and beat us at the Brittania the year before that.

It’s also obviously important for emotional and psychological reasons. The last time we met was the Aaron Ramsey game, which knocked him out of action for 9 months. I remember watching that game in a bar full of Gunners, and once everyone realized what had happened, the place really got eerily silent. One dude may have been crying, but was definitely hysterical, talking about how the FA should be ashamed of themselves for letting teams like Stoke do things like this. Everyone else just kind of watched, it was kind of a fog. I don’t believe in things like deja vu, but that may be the closest I’ve ever come — the parallels to the Birmingham/Eduardo game two years prior were scary. And just like the Birmingham game, it looked like we were going to drop points and help kill off our title chances. But we didn’t — goals from Cesc and Vermaelen, very late, pulled out the win for us. And it just felt like we had gotten over some hurdle, that this year was going to be different, that this team had taken the next step. At that moment, when the players huddled together after the match, I believed this team would win the league, and I believed Fabregas was going to push us on. Alas, it was not to be — Cesc broke his leg not too long after, we suffered a raft of other injuries, and the team was a shambles in April and May.

So there is certainly an element of antipathy between the teams. Wenger has (correctly) pointed to Stoke as an example of a team that uses anti-football and physical, bullying tactics that put players from the other team in danger. Ironically, considering how tough and manly they fancy themselves, Stoke has gone crying to the media and the FA about Arsenal’s “intimidation” tactics. Their manager, Tony Pulis, really is a weasel-faced, cap-wearing little twat of a man. They are an easy team to dislike, and so much of the build-up has been about the Ramsey/Shawcross incident.

Wenger has urged fans to treat Ryan Shawcross with “respect.” Fat chance of that happening. Fans are going to boo him lustily each and every time he touches the ball, which he deserves. They have apparently arranged for an extra security detail to make sure fans don’t come onto the pitch to attack him. I don’t really think that’s necessary, but better safe than sorry, I suppose. But as we’ve discussed before, this is not an isolated incident with Shawcross — he has severel injured multiple players in his career through reckless tackling, and he IS that type of player. So boo on, Arsenal fans, I’ll be booing with you in spirit.

One thing I would like to see, though, is a very warm welcome given to Stoke player Glenn Whelan. It was Whelan, remember, who, when all the Arsenal players were alarmed and disgusted by what had happend, had the presence of mine to realize that there was a scared 18 year-old who just had his leg snapped in half laying on the pitch. Whelan was the one who went over to Ramsey and stayed there with him while the doctors talked to him and got him strapped onto the gurney. Aaron spoke afterwards about how important that was, and Whelan really deserves a warm welcome for what he did that day. Hopefully Arsenal fans at the Emirates will remember that and give it to him.

But I hope the Ramsey thing doesn’t overshadow what is an important match in its own right. As I have discussed, Stoke is a pretty decent side away from home, and they could give us some problems. But winning this match, we will go temporarily top of the table, and we could very well stay that way at the end of the weekend, given that Manchester United are playing Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. But this is certainly key to keeping us in the title race. I’m sure the crowd will be singing Aaron Ramsey, and the spectre of his broken leg will cast a pall over the match, but I hope no one loses sight of how important this match is apart from that.

I’m a bit jammed up at work so can’t do a full lineup review of Stoke, but you get the general idea. Kenwyne Jones is the kind of bruising center forward that could really bother Squillaci and Koscielny, and Ricardo Fuller is a real danger too. Jonathan Walters, Robert Huth, and Matthew Etherington each have 3 goals in league play, so we need to keep an eye on them as well. It’s no mystery what they do — they stay tight at the back and try to hoof it forward and catch us on the counter. They love to draw fouls and corners in our area, as that lets them pack their strong tall players in the box and aim the ball at heads. It’s not particularly inventive as strategies go, but it’s worked against us before, so it could very well work again.

In team news for us, not too much has changed. Almunia, Vermaelen, Gibbs, and Frimpong are still out. Diaby is back in training, but not fit for this match. Fabregas is back, but it’s unclear how fit he really is. This is my best guess at a lineup:

Flaps

Sagna-Koscielny-Squillaci-Clichy

Song-Wilshere

Theo-Cesc-Nasri

Chamakh

Bench: Wojo, Eboue, Djourou, Denilson, Rosicky, Arshavin, van Persie

I think Wenger has a tough decision to make with starting keeper. Flaps apparently had a minor hip injury for the Manchester United game, and Wojo played very well. Well enough to continue as the # 1? Is Flaps still hurt? I suspect Flaps is well enough to play, and will keep his job, but it would not stun me to see Wojo suit up in Zubaz stripes tomorrow. At the back, I think Sagna is nailed on out right, and it will be Clichy out on the left. Center half will be interesting. Squillaci will likely keep his starting place, although, again, I am not entirely sure why, and I think that once again Koscielny will partner him, as that seems to be Wenger’s preferred center half pairing. I wouldn’t mind seeing Djourou get a start, myself, especially given how Stoke will attack us with physical strength and through the air, two areas where Djourou is relatively good.

In midfield, I think it’s Song and Jack again. Hopefully Cesc is able to start in the advanced midfield role. If not, it will probably either be Rosicky or van Persie again, although neither has been that great there. Up front, I think Chamakh maintains his spot, although it wouldn’t be out of the question to see van Persie get a start there. I think Theo has earned a start out right, and it’s wishful thinking, perhaps, but I’m picking Nasri to bump Arshavin out of the starting XI. Bench could be interesting — Bendtner has been in Denmark for the birth of his first child, a son, and it is unclear whether he will be back for this one or not.

In more breaking news, Young Guns Blog is reporting that contract talks have broken down between Arsenal and Havard Nordtveit, and that Arsenal are now opening up talks with German side Borussia Monchengladbach to sell the young Norwegian there permanently. It’s a bit of a shame — he looked very good in preseason, and looked like he could be a decent option somewhere. But at his age, if Arsenal had offered him a contract of greater value than his current contract, they would still have been entitled to some compensation had he left in the summer when his contract was up. Nordtveit impressed in the preseason, and was in the first-team picture (literally — the team photograph) but if this is happening, I have to think that Wenger just doesn’t think Nordtveit is of Arsenal quality. Part of the problem may just be that Nordtveit is kind of between positions — he can play center back but isn’t physical enough to do it at this level, he can play right-back but may not be fast or technical enough to do it at the Premiership level. But one of the things I do trust Wenger to do is to hang on to young players he really believes in, and if we’re talking about selling Nordtveit, it signals to me that Wenger doesn’t really see Nordtveit as an Arsenal first-team player. We shall see how this develops.

And that’s about it. Televised in the US live on Fox Soccer, and in Canada live on Setanta Sports Canada. This is a big match, and a tough fixture, but it would be a great statement of intent about our title ambitions, and would get some momentum going into next Monday (the 27th)’s showdown against Chelsea. So let’s do it.

Come on Arsenal.

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Category: Arsenal News, Fixtures, Premiership, Preview, Stoke City

Tags: Arsenal News, Fixtures, Premiership, Preview, Stoke City
« Champions League Draw: Guess Who? | Home | Arsenal – Stoke Postponed »OrionI went over to the Barca Offside, and commented "I really did not hope for a draw like this, not because you're going to destroy us , cos you will. But because of a re-run of the Cesc episode. For the love of God, not that again.

An Arsenal Fan."

The guys over there replied :
Dear Arsenal Fan,

We don't want to play the Cesc episode either. We hate it. We wish it were dead and buried, with a stake through its heart for good measure.

Let's make a deal: we don't mention it, you don't mention it, and we all pretend there is no Cesc Issue until the summer transfer window opens (and, perhaps, if the Football Gods are merciful, not even then!).

Wouldn't that be wonderful? We could be friends again!

Ade C., on behalf of the Barcelona Offside [unquote]

So at least, the feeling is mutual. On to the game. Let's hope we could see the boys giving their best, and hopefully staying in touch with the leaders, I guess. And by the way, really, when is Verminator coming back? I really do miss that guy, and so does the Arsenal backline, as the results speak for themselves.

Come on you goooooners.Tengkuamir10Here's to hoping Arsenal wins tonight. They always do against these kind of teams. It's the big guns that they have trouble coping with.

Arsenal really needs to change managers and buy defenders (CB and LB) and a good goalkeeper cos they are too leaky. Mertesacker would fit in great and if only you guys still had Cashley.......

For the goal keeper, you should try your luck with Atletico Madrid. Their two young goal keepers are amazinG! De Gea is definitely a really good prospect and Asenjo is a good goal keeper who's warming the bench (unfair!).

But these players aren't really the problem. It's Arsene that you should fire. After all, he is the one who bought these overrated crop of players (Squillaci, Clichy, etc etc).

Too bad the owners can't see past 2004.AfcNewsThose images of Aaron sadden me, such a terrible site having to see him Eduardo & Diaby experience similar things :\ Hope we get a good few goals tomorrow, we need all the confidence we can get before Barca!! @thorpeAFCGigi_manUn bonjour à la place St Michel!Gigi_manMan I saw the pic and realized...I miss TV5!!!
Anyone knows anything about the progress or not of his injury..?
JunichiI think maybe it's time for RVP to start game if we expected him to be one day fit... Then, everybody put Koscielny in balance with Djourou, to my point, I put Squillaci in contention with... the bench ! Lol. Sorry, french humour. Nasri is wasted on the right flank, either on the left. I guesse if Arsene dare to put him in the center of the pitch, a kind of Xavi - Iniesta partnership, that would force Song to keep that holding role he seems to have forgotten since he dyed his hair... I trust Nasri and Cesc for defend when it will be needeed, and plus, with those two, we will have the ball even more, and that's mathematic, the more we have the ball, the more we have to defend.

Anyone has news about Vela. I remind him as a huge talent, but apparently, he can't even sit on the bench to watch Arshavin walk. Sad.

I will finish by saying, don't be mad at Chamakh, scoring goals has never been his thing. Yeah, I know, Wenger should have told you.

Cheers from Paris !Homey_MillsSo "cap-wearing" people are bad? I've been known to wear a hat on occasion. I hope that doesn't make me frowned upon by the Arsenal Offside.
In other news, I want to tell a cool story from about an hour ago. As I've mentioned before, there is basically no real interest in soccer in my neck of the woods. No fellow fans, no discussions on local talk radio, etc. There is this one host on a local sports talk station who likes Liverpool, but he never has anyone to talk soccer with. And the listeners don't call in to talk soccer with him. Anyway, today there was a guest partner/host - a guy by the name of Mark Fallowell. He's one of the announcers for the Dallas Mavericks NBA team. So the two guys were talking about how people should give soccer a chance, and should watch the Man Utd/Chelsea game, etc. Well then Fallowell goes into this long explanation as to why fans should choose to be Arsenal fans, and all the similarities between Arsenal and the Mavericks. It started with the fact that they both have a local rival called Spurs. He continued that both play an offensive style, but are criticized for not being tough enough. Anyway, he went on and on with the list, and it was clear that he was a serious Arsenal fan. It was one of the coolest things I've heard on local talk radio in a while. Maybe there's hope for the DFW sports market after all.brentonwaltersYou wear a cap? I will forthwith refuse to read your posts.Homey_MillsExcellent use of the word "forthwith." I think.Zidane's headbuttOne Aaron Ramsey, there's only one Aaron Ramsey!blog comments powered by Disqus