It is quite amazing how some teams and grounds are more difficult no matter where the two teams stand in the table. I know records are there to be broken but in my head I know for a fact that Stoke are Arsenal’s bogey team when we meet at the Britannia Stadium. The stats bear this out with the results showing that we have only won once on our last eight visits there, including a 3-2 defeat last season.
It doesn’t look good, but Arsene Wenger believes that the Gunners are much more formidable team this time around. “Last year we went to Stoke with a very young defence – we had Bellerin, Chambers, Martinez – and at the start of the game we got caught,” Le Prof said on Arsenal.com.
“Over the years they had a very efficient, traditional English style which nobody liked to play against and it is as well a very windy stadium. And let’s not forget for years they had that narrow pitch where every throw-in beyond halfway was a corner when Rory Delap played.
“[This time] Cech is 34, Mertesacker 30, Koscielny 30, Monreal 30… before we did not have that level of experience and that helps a little bit.
“I think [the squad] feels stronger. It is always a test at Stoke and I believe our record goes against us, but it is interesting as well because it is also a mental test to show we have moved forward and that we can deal with what they offer.
“I feel the feeling that the team moved forward in 2015. We have stabilised the results and got some consistency and the biggest challenge was to win the big games.
“That makes you feel stronger when you are fighting for the Premier League title. We have beaten United and City recently so we can do very well.”
“I hope we have a good result and I will call you on Sunday night to make sure the statistics are updated!” he said.
That is fighting talk from Wenger, but it’s nice to see he is much more confident. We don’t want any more scenes like the infamous Stoke Railway Station incident from a few years ago….
But back to my point. Another BIG reason that Arsenal need to win this is the stunning fact that no team EVER that has lost at Stoke has EVER gone on to win the Premier League……
Pressure?
If we turn up and if the players know what the premier league trophy means to them, then we will win the game……
If we lose and Leicester wins against Villa and Mancity wins against Palace, then we could find ourselves in 3rd position with the point difference not that much though but I know most of us Arsenal fans wouldn’t want that to happen.
Arsenal for the win….
Leicester and Man City will most definitely Win their games!
I better get down to the bookies and bet on them,
Just to jinx the xxxxs! …I may as well stick the Spuds and Utd … along with Chelsea in that acc … just for good measure, because my luck has been absolutely ? lately.
???
At this rate…
I could end up winning us the premier league ???
Don’t worry… I never ever bet on Arsenal ?
As long as none of our player’s don’t start giving it all the big talk, whilst dressed in Rugby kits! … Again ?
Does anyone actually remember that, it was in the Sun News paper…. may have been a year or so ago.
Anyways, even though Stoke City have changed their style of play to a more footballing one, I’m sure that they will take a TRIP! down memory lane, on our arrival.
Pressure? … Theres nothing new there!
The midfield has to be fixed to offer more cover to the defense. Ramsey MUST be disciplined,Walcott has to help out Monreal in defending.Wenger also has to be smart with his substitutions.Arteta shouldn’t even be on the bench.
1-0 to the Arsenal…. Olivier Giroud
I was not hahappy with Wenger’substitutions during our last match. I’m sure he will be better this time.
I’d say winning at Stoke is more important than world peace but not as important as the McRib burger coming back
A win against Stoke may make forget the liverpool draw,that draw hurts more than anything. Have been offline since that day because of those results.
Off topic: I hope its true what I read about Coq, Wilshere & Welbeck being back in training…If they can be match fit before the end of Feb, boy, the FA might as well hand us the league title now!
hahahaha……. In ur dreams
Nobody’s handing anything over
Rotate and fight for ur rights!
The records are stacked against us…however, records are meant to be broken.
Since they’ve learn how to play real football, this Stoke is becoming even better, they sit at 7th now. I can see they are throwing their dirty way text book. They become more technical, and having buoy by their “stunning record”, they will like to show us fancy things. That should be our advantage. We can exploit that high confidence. I hope Alexis fit enough to play. He can make different. Also Elneny run his debut to cover our midfield, because Flaimini is look like headless chicken when we tied again Looserpool.
If we play the right combination of players and our players play well we shouldn’t have a problem.. No Mertz and no Arteta would help that right combination of players in my opinion… Regardless I think we will win for sure!
Very very important