Arsenal have broken a couple of bogeys in their last couple of games by beating Man United and Southampton, but today’s game against Stoke could present an even greater challenge. Not only are we playing in a stadium where we haven’t won a game in the last six visits, but Wenger is also being pitted against Mark Hughes, a manager that he has never beaten in an away game in eight previous attempts.
And Wenger’s record of losing eight of his 26 games against Hughes in all competitions (home and away) is the Frenchman’s worst against any single manager except for his arch-nemesis Sir Alex Ferguson.
“I wasn’t aware of that,” Hughes said in the Stoke Sentinel. “There will be other clubs I’m not quite so successful against, I’m sure.
“I have always liked going up against Arsenal teams, as a player and a manager, because they are one of the best teams in Europe and you always want to test yourself.
“They will always test you with pace, power and technical ability. You’ve got to get your own game right and negate their threat – and have a threat going the other way.
“It’s about taking your chances against the top teams and we haven’t been as adept at that this season and our percentage conversion is down. It would be good if we can address that.”
So with the Potters great record against us as well as Hughes statistics it could be a hairy afternoon for the Gunners. The Welsh manager was involved in some fiery confrontations with Arsenal during his career with both Man United and Chelsea, but Hughes insists there is no bad blood. “I don’t think it gets as personal as that. We just like to upset teams that maybe expect to win.
“When you beat sides used to winning it has more effect and is satisfying.
“It’s always a difficult fixture, but we always go into the game with a positive attitude. Our record is good and we won’t be fazed by them.
“They are fully focused (on Champions League qualification) and that will help us too.
“It’s our last home game and our fans will be totally behind us – and the fact it’s Arsenal adds to the mix.”
This season has been a funny one for breaking records, and I really hope that we can stop two sequences at once by beating Stoke as well as Mark Hughes for a change!
Admin
Liverpool will lose and we will also lose the next game have you forgotten we really know how to bottle
We will win all our games, and so will Liverpool.
But I do so admire your negativity. It is so refreshing.
He loves playing us,because he knows if they play with physicality and crowd the 18 yard area,we will just pass the ball around with no real penetration or threat but 70% possession and the wait for an opportunity to hit us on the counter,All teams know that if you frustrate our passing style then we are vulnerable.A trait of all recent wenger teams.Hughes as a player was a stylish bruiser and thats how his team are set up.
Truth is the current arsenal squad are mostly average players with weak mentality they have been overachieving so far,when the club owner who has employed the manager and players say he is interested in profits,then blame not to win titles can’t go to the manager. wenger works with little available and he can’t sack himself
Average players? Overachieving?
Top Four for 20 years, three FA Cup Finals in 4 years?
Grow up
Why didn’t you add 3 EPL titles,1 UCL title, 1 World club championship, 1 Ballon d’or winner(or top three nominees)?…what yagoonersya said about those guys being a bunch of average players with weak mentality is so true…at least with the current manager…i just have this believe that with a new manager there will be a significant step up from what we are currently seeing. Change is inevitable and until the club owners come to terms with that, wenger will just keep this club in a stagnant position while others are improving.
Mourinho hoodoo broken
Southampton hoodoo broken
Stoke hoodoo will broken
City will draw
Liverpool will be miserably beaten
Well said Chokulate!
Mark Hughes is the one more likely to be looking for a job this summer than Wenger.
I guess you are one of the fools that now believes Arsenal have “turned the corner”
That perhaps the manager has decided that the apprach he has tried for the last thirteen years is not working and a new approach is needed.
That perhaps Wenger himself is the “catalyst for change” that Gazidis has referred to in interview and that he will “break the bank” and sign the world class players that we need to challenge.
If you believe that you are worse that negative – you are deluded and as ignorant as Wenger himself.
One of two reasonable results mean nothing in a season that is over anyway..
City is winning their game….
Cant see Leicester draw
Please Do not give in to stock early aggression and concede. Take your chances even out side the penalty box and we are home and dry
Can’t see Liverpool losing. They had a bad result recently so will be looking to turn that around like we have and they will want to secure their spot in the top four. Who knows though?
Everything is possible in the circus that is the premiership.
Stoke will be a long and hard match!
Wenger win Power struggle, Gazidis quit
follow by Hiring a Football Director
and Wenger quits
this is a good strategy
My Summer business
Wilfred Zaha
Christian Benteke
Gylfi Sigurdsson
Sead Kolasinac
Thnak f### you don’t hold the purse strings
Twiglet