Stoke City vs. Arsenal
Competition: Barclays Premier League
Date: 28/04/2012
Kick-Off Time: 15.00
Venue: Britannia Stadium , Stoke-on-Trent
Arsenal Preview
A few weeks ago Arsenal fans were talking about a push for 2nd, now we are looking over our shoulders as we try to hold 3rd. Whilst there are some good signs for us, such as Newcastle's tough run-in and Spurs seemingly imploding, our last 2 performances have lacked energy, desire and cutting edge. Ramsey is seemingly too low on confidence to even have a hope of filling Arteta's role effectively and winning the fans over, RVP has hit a barren patch at the wrong time, whilst Theo Walcott, our most effective player recently, is out for the season.
Luckily our defense is now blessed with the return of Koscielny, who was superb against Chelsea, and we do have adequate back-up for Theo in Gervinho and Oxlade-Chamberlain. It does not need stressing how crucial getting 3rd is, because if we come 4th some Frank Lampard triple-deflecter off a German man's backside will condemn us to the Europa League. We must get at least 5 points from the last 3 games: that should be enough to guarantee 3rd.
Stoke Preview
I don't really know what to say, it's like trying to discern what's happening on the other side of the Black Gate of Mordor. They'll give us a game that's for sure, with plenty of grit and determination and getting stuck in.
Previous meeting:
Arsenal 3-1 Stoke City
Gervinho 27'
RVP 73', 82'
Last Games:
Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea
Newcastle 3-0 Stoke
Form Smileygram
- win - draw - loss
Arsenal: - 10/18 points
Stoke: - 6/18 points
The Robin Van Persie form smileygram
- 0 goals - 1 goal - 2 goals - hat-trick
Last 6 games:
Overall: 1 goals in 6 games ; GET RID WENGER
Top Scorers
Arsenal:
1. Robin Van Persie - 33
2. Theo Walcott - 10
3=. Mikel Arteta, Thomas Vermaelen - 6
Stoke :
1. Peter Crouch -13
2. Jonathan Walters - 9
3. Cameron Jerome - 7
Injuries and Suspensions
Arsenal Injured:
Coquelin (Hamstring)
Mertesacker (Ankle)
Wilshere (Ankle)
Frimpong (Giving everyone else a break)
Arteta (Ankle )
Walcott (Ankle)
Diaby (Sickness )
Stoke Injured:
Wilkinson (Hamstring)
Diao (Knee)
Sidibe (Knee)
Likely Line-ups
Arsenal:
---------------------Szczesny-----------------------
Sagna-------Koscielny ---Vermaelen-----Gibbs
-----------------Song-------Ramsey ---------------
------Gervinho--------Rosicky---------Benayoun------------
-----------------------RVP ----------------------------
Stoke:
----------------------Sorensen--------------------------
Huth--------Shawcross ----Upson-------Wilson
Pennant --Whelan----Whitehead----Etherington
---------------Crouch-------Walters---------------------
Dangermen
Arsenal: Robin Van Persie - He must score
Stoke: Isn't it obvious?
STAT
On average Stoke are the tallest team in the Premier League, with an average height of 6'2 in the team I selected for them. By contrast this Arsenal have on average the 2nd shortest team in the League, after Spurs, whose average height is above the average height of the Arsenal team I selected. We're doomed
LAL
Stoke 1-0 Liverpool
Prediction
Stoke 1-1 Arsenal
Huth 24' Van Persie 73'
Feel free to leave your own comments, predictions and feedback below
Arsenal vs. Stoke Preview
posted on 28/4/12
Kamran, do you know what a justified opinion is?
posted on 28/4/12
Lol no he's not. That's not even and opinion, it's fact.
Vermaelen is good in the opposition team's area because he's got great movement. He's not great at defending from set pieces. A player like Huth or Shawcross would just crush him in the air. Same goes for Koscielny.
posted on 28/4/12
Vermaelen's a beat in the air defensively as well Kamran, I thought you knew better Kamran, shame on you.
posted on 28/4/12
*beast
posted on 28/4/12
Guys, just because Vermaelen is a better overall player than Djourou, it doesn't mean he's better at every aspect of the game. Djourou has some qualities that Vermaelen doesn't have.
posted on 28/4/12
Kamran, Vermaelen dominated Carroll in the air earlier this season. However much we laugh at Carroll, he is very strong and good in the air. Whereas I seem to remember Djourou getting outjumped by Di Natale, who is 5'8?
posted on 28/4/12
"Kamran, Vermaelen dominated Carroll in the air earlier this season. However much we laugh at Carroll, he is very strong and good in the air. Whereas I seem to remember Djourou getting outjumped by Di Natale, who is 5'8?"
====
I know mate, but I'm talking about set pieces. When defending long balls in open play, we can deal with Stoke because our centre backs have time to judge the flight of the ball and leap, but it's different from set pieces. It's very packed in the area, you can't get a fall leap because you're being pushed around by 6'3 giants. Defending set pieces is very different from defending long balls in open play.
posted on 28/4/12
full*
posted on 28/4/12
I also remember Djourou getting outjumped by Welbeck for the love of God.
posted on 28/4/12
Our tallest player is Koscielny, he's shorter than 6 of Stoke's outfield players.
I'm 100% certain we will concede from AT LEAST 2 set pieces.