Mixed Britannia
By Tanaka Felix Chidemo
Away from the comfort of the Emirates and into the hostility of the Brittania. Stoke on Sunday. This is the English Premier League.
Stoke is not a place that Arsenal are very fond of. There have been moments when we’ve been lucky to walk out of the Brittania with a point and some of our players have been fortunate to be carried out with all their limbs on their person. In light of our mixed fortunes at the Brittania, to fancy Stoke against Arsenal is not misplaced but I think Arsenal can go past this hurdle without sharing the spoils. Per Mertersacker stood tall in our defence last season with regards to ariel threats.
That helped lower the number of set pieces and headers we conceded. Our most unsavoury previous engagements with Stoke have seen us undone by their long ball and signature throws. Per’s presence will be a big help as he looks set to start alongside Vermaelen in defence ahead of Koscielny who remains sidelined due to injury.
Regardless of the fact that Koscielny is out, Mertersacker-Vermaelen was always going to be my preferred centre back pairing for this one. Crouch will need a ‘curator’ everytime he’s in our box and Per is the man. Vermaelen is part of the back four furniture, if he’s fit he plays, end of story!
New boy Santi Carzola looked classy against Sunderland and Gervinho had no respect for anyone as he attempted to dribble past a player 20 times in that game according to Opta. A reproduction of that form, better finishing from Podolski & Giroud and we’ll be asking ‘Robin van who?’ England international Oxlade-Chamberlain returns for this game but long term absentees, Wilshere, Rosicky and Sagna will continue to keep the medical staff company.
Stoke will miss the services of Whitehead who’s serving a one-match ban and Pennant who’s out with a thigh strain. Sadly for Arsenal, I hear all of Stoke’s towels are fit and dry for Shutton’s service. I expect the same starting Xl as the one last week to feature for this one but I won’t rule out seeing Chamakh in the game’s dying embers if things go south.
Twitter was alight with talk of Sahin joining Arsenal in the short term. Percentages of how far the deal had gone were peddled and most were quite high. Never quite understood how the people on twitter calculate those percentages but from what I’ve heard the system that they use is similar to the Duckworth-Lewis method used in cricket. I stand to be corrected and enlightened. The latest on Sahin is that Liverpool are now on pole to sign him. Its Formula One stuff this race for Sahin. I wouldn’t rule out another twist as we approach the last turn.
3-1 in favour of Arsenal is my prediction for this one and I’m tipping Theo, Gervinho and Podolski to score. Possession figures should also make for pleasant reading.
Victoria Concordia Crescit!
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I would say “First” if I was sad but……
———————–Szczesny———————-
Jenkinson – Mertesacker – Vermaelen – Gibbs
———————Arteta – Diaby——————
————————Cazorla———————–
Walcott/Chamberlain——————-Gervinho
————————-Giroud———————–
Against this NFL team, I’d prefer Giroud to start so he can try bruise them about and tire them out for Podolski to come on later on in the match. Stoke are likely to defend extremely deep, so Giroud would allow us to switch from “on the floor” to an “aerial” approach which when in transition is bound to create space for our wingers and maybe midfielders to exploit.
Diaby and Vermaelen should be in areas in which Mertesacker can flick the ball onto with the other midfielders being a nuisance and Arteta just outside the box to bang the ball in if it falls outside the area.
Sahin deal’s a no go now, Mourinho the little sh*t, if it was Chelsea who wanted the buy out clause they’d have it. I’d rather Capoue join our team for that extra bit of physicality in the centre of the park.
Yeah forget sahin, were not so desperate to rip ourselves off, Liverpool don’t mind doing this they have habit of doing these stupid deals that benefits the other team.
Anyway, it’s good that we play stoke so early in case they break someones leg we can still look to transfer window to replace the broken part?
It’s better than playing them in bloody winter on a Monday night!
We travel to shittania on sunday guys, let’s hope we return like we will go.
Stoke game is just like a scene in spartacus, rowdy fans, their manager is just a downright cunt!.
We need to win it there then coz we got litterpool next week.
No draw, just fucking win this thing!
Bit childish with the names etc there all good fun though.Expect an even more hostile atmosphere than usual at the Brit this Sunday,you can blame so called Wales manager Chris Coleman for that(he has got our backs up big time as Arsenal fans on Twitter might be aware).No love between both teams as it is,but this bafoon has just opened it up again big time.
Just a couple of things to pick up on,firstly Jermaine Pennant is fighting fit(although unlikely to start as TP will go with Kightly and Etherington.)Also the men with the scuds Shotton and Delap are probably not going to start,Wilko is our first choice rightback so that leaves Shotts out and hopefully Geoff Cameron gets his eagerly anticipated debut in centre mid,so no Delap.
Begovic,Wilko,Shawcross,Huth,Wilson,Kightly,Whelan,Cameron,Matty,Crouch and his perenial sidekick Walters(would much prefer to see Jerome )…all in all given the fact the forecast is for torrential rain I reckon we have enough about us to beat you 2-1 the mighty rip roaring Potters Shawcross and Crouch to score,RvP for Arsenal….oh hang on he’s gone hasn’t he(I ll let you choose then lol).Can’t wait to see Wenger lose it on the touchline again can he breakdance at all GOAAAAAAAARRRRRRN STOKE!!