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Match preview - Arsenal vs. Stoke City - Wenger-boys have to be the bullies of their own playground
Thursday 03 December 2009
Dumped out of the Carling Cup by Manchester City in midweek off the back of a 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Carlo Ancelotti's well oiled Chelsea machine, Arsene Wenger's Gunners face another stern test as they play host to Tony Pulis' bruising Stoke City in a fixture that couldn't have come at a worse time.
Although, the Potters were soundly beaten 4-1 at the Emirates on the final day of the 2008/09 campaign, it was the damage they inflicted just over a year ago to the day at the Britannia Stadium that will linger in both teams minds. Arsenal's title aspirations were all but over after they were pummeled into a 2-1 defeat that saw their soft underbelly ruthlessly exposed by their pumped up opponents. With Stoke managing to collect eight points from their last five Premier League games compared to Arsenal's seven, should the Gunners fail to assert themselves with anything but a win, questions will once more be raised about the character of this Arsenal side.
Arsenal - Shorn of striking options by the lengthy lay-offs to Nicklas Bendtner and most notably, Robin Van Persie, the Gunners have failed to net - or win - in three consecutive domestic matches. With such a young outfit, confidence can come and go at the drop of a hat and the shock defeat at Sunderland, coupled with the humblings 3-0 at Eastlands and by a Didier Drogba inspired Chelsea, means Wenger will look to the leaders of his side to ensure his men match Stoke's hunger if not physicality.
With Gael Clichy and Kieran Gibbs still out, the left-back berth should naturally fall to Armand Traore, although Wenger could opt to field Mikael Silvestre alongside William Gallas, Thomas Vermaelen and Bacary Sagna. Minus the injured Abou Diaby and suspended Alex Song, Denilson and Cesc Fabregas are the certain midfield starters, with the option of Aaron Ramsey or Emmanuel Eboue completing the trio, whilst the attacking roles can be any two from schemers Samir Nasri, Tomas Rosicky, Andrey Arshavin and Theo Walcott in support of lone front man Carlos Vela or Eduardo.
1 Almunia
3 Sagna - 10 Gallas - 5 Vermaelen - 30 Traore
15 Denilson - 4 Fabregas - 16 Ramsey
8 Nasri - 9 Eduardo - 23 Arshavin
Stoke - Tony Pulis' biggest concern will be that of the injury to defensive linchpin Ryan Shawcross. who picked up a groin strain in last weekend's 0-0 draw with Blackburn. The return from suspension of skipper Abdoulaye Faye should see him step in should Shawcross be ruled out. Midfielder Dean Whitehead is a definite absentee following a fifth booking of the season at Ewood Park but Rory Delap, whose notorious long throw-in's caused mayhem in the Gunners defence last season, is a suitable replacement. Turkish international Tuncay will no doubt be pushing for a start but may not fit into a game-plan that will rely heavily on hard graft.
If Pulis, who has guided Stoke to an impressive ninth place in the league and just five points behind their fourth placed opponents, opts to take the game to a diminutive Arsenal side, joint top scorer James Beattie could be recalled to start alongside Ricardo Fuller where the duo's bustling, physical presence could be utilised to unsettle the hosts at the back.
29 Sorensen
28 Wilkinson - 4 Huth - 25 Faye - 22 Collins
7 Lawrence - 15 Diao - 24 Delap - 26 Etherington
10 Fuller - 9 Beattie
Arsene Wenger has called upon his team to demonstrate belief and mental strength in what's been a tough fortnight for the Gunners, but Saturday's encounter will require his men show physical strength as Stoke will no doubt look to unhinge the free-flowing football of Arsenal with a typically bustling display. For too long the soft centre of the Gunners has succumbed to sides who get amongst them as Tony Pulis will no doubt instruct his men to do and a lot will be decided by whether the hosts can rival their visitors' robust approach.
Just five points and four places separate the two sides, and if Stoke can execute their game-plan whilst stifling Arsenal's, another bad result could loom for Wenger's men which would certainly kill off any slim, remaining title hopes. The defensive partnership of Gallas and Vermaelen, devoured by Didier Drogba last weekend, will be key in ensuring the direct and unpredictable nature of Ricardo Fuller doesn't open them up. With such physical dominance at the back against an Arsenal attack
consisting of nobody over 6ft, Stoke's defence must concentrate of not being dragged around by the intricacy of Fabregas, Arshavin, Nasri and co. In a game like this for Arsenal however, intricacy may have to go out of the window.
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