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Team News: Arsenal v. Stoke

Arsenal
1 Almunia
3 Sagna
5 Vermaelen
22 Clichy
27 Eboue
31 Campbell
04 Fabregas
8 Nasri
16 Ramsey
17 Song Billong
52 Bendtner

Substitutes
21 Fabianski
18 Silvestre
30 Traore
7 Rosicky
14 Walcott
9 Eduardo
12 Vela

Stoke

29 Sorensen
4 Huth
17 Shawcross
25 Faye
28 Wilkinson
6 Whelan
14 Pugh
18 Whitehead
24 Delap
10 Fuller
11 Sidibe

Substitutes
27 Begovic
22 Collins
7 Lawrence
15 Diao
20 Sanli
9 Beattie
12 Kitson

The referee is Peter Walton.

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Writer: Brice Coffer

Date:Saturday February 27 2010

Time: 5:08PM

Your Comments

Denilson not even on the bench? a new injury perhaps?

TPowell

Massive three points today thanks to Citeh.

gunnerkid107

That is interesting TPowell. Either a new injury, or maybe other players are being picked on form.

gunnerkid107

yeah GK, i can understand some being started ahead of him considering form, but surely he has more utility than traore does from the bench

TPowell

I agree. It has to be an injury. You know what I just realised? This is probably our second hardest match left this season...

gunnerkid107

*****

Sajit

This is just funny now.

gunnerkid107

It had to be right! another long 85 minutes

Sajit

******** bottling ****s... ******** typical

Dan_83

So predictable I'm a bit numb tbph. Trying hard to keep the faith cos we've got 80+ after all.

GoonerLou

GK, I think this is our hardest match we've got left. And it's just got a little bit harder. Nice to see the PR machine looking hollow as usual... Clichy: 'We're ready for Delap'... yeah...

ArsenalRob

Stoke played 120 minutes in midweek yet it's our players who look slow and tired.

bowiecokemirror

time wasting 19 minutes in? how noble of stoke

TPowell

What a useless bunch. We're being handed opportunities left right and centre and they still don't want to know. What exactly IS Wenger's strategy anyway? BOTTLERS.

julieloveshenry4ever

9 stoke six foot plus against midgets. What do u expect? I think he should be booked for taking so long with the throws though

paul_ownz

julie, its not wenger's fault he manages his team to play against football teams, not teams that park the bus and wait for throw-ins

TPowell

TPowell, I'm caught away from home and any pubs, so can't watch the game, but surely if Stoke were 'parking the bus' we wouldn't need to give them any throw-ins in our half.

ArsenalRob

its called counter-attacks, AR

TPowell

Exactly, not parking the bus.

ArsenalRob

i'm not going to argue with someone not even watching the game

TPowell

He should be managing his team to play according to the opposition. He's supposed to have a game plan. Does he not know that Chelsea dropped 3 points today. I wish I had been having a bet on Arsenal games this season, I'd 've been rich by now. I could see this coming all the way from last year. Disappointing.

julieloveshenry4ever

Nicky B!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TPowell

1-1 bendtner

ajwb

OH THANK GOD! Bendtner's again showing what sort of different options he offers to the team with his physical presence and eye for goal. Well done!!! And nice cross for once!! Still rubbing my eyes...

GoonerLou

Lou, of course it was a nice cross, it was from cesc ;-)

TPowell

Ok, but watching this game has nothing to do with it. If they were playing on the counter, they'd be leaving space when they go forward, so we should be able to be equally incisive and be able to take control of the game from midfield and hit them on a counter of our own. That's cautious football, and we should be able to deal with that. If you park the bus you don't go forward, and so don't leave any space, and that's just anti-football, although we should be able to deal with that, too.

ArsenalRob

About Time!!!!

julieloveshenry4ever

Amazing what a goal can change. We look more confident and attacking with purpose, defending with less anxiety and less fouls now.

GoonerLou

And on a more upbeat note, thank **** for Nicky B! Can't stand those mugs who boo(ed) him.

ArsenalRob

watch via an 'unmentionable' ArsenalRob

ajwb

AR, they're parking the bus and kicking it as high as they can for Fuller... wait for a throw, then decide to attack. things you'd know if you were watching the game. and for the record, we've completely taken control of the game, so there you go

TPowell

lol TP, I was wondering if that's Cesc or Ramsey, just a young man, short hair, didn't really see who that was. Those two and Nasri look the same from a distance sometimes lol..

GoonerLou

I'd love to, but I'm currently having to settle for BBC updates, because the internet I'm using is rediculously slow, and any stream is painfully jittery.

ArsenalRob

TPowell, if they're all sitting back completely bar Fuller, then kicking the ball up to him shouldn't be yielding as many throw-ins as it has been, in which case, yes, they are parking the bus, but it's our inability to deal with long balls and win back posession which is to blame. Glad to hear we're on top now. I'm not having a go, I'm just saying that there's something a bit contradictionary about you're match analysis.

ArsenalRob

nothing contradictory, they are parking the bus. don't know what about the match is contradicting that

TPowell

Now we just need to do what we couldn't do a month ago, win the second half.

gunnerkid107

9 stoke six foot plus against midgets. What do u expect? I think he should be booked for taking so long with the throws though

paul_ownz

Er Rob what TP said is true. They basically parked the bus, waited for opportunities to counter-attack (doing that quite well to be fair) and our defence looked a bit shaky at the start, conceding some throws and free kicks. Then we calmed down a bit, tried a shot or two, then scored that route one goal (a beautiful header though) and took control of the game. That's it really.

GoonerLou

For the last 25 minutes or so, Stoke was the definition of parking the bus. They earned that through their bright opening though. This new found sense of physicality Arsenal has been showing late in this match is oh so pleasing to see.

gunnerkid107

agreed GK, Verm and Campbell were dominating in the air... hopefully we can keep this up...

TPowell

"its not wenger's fault he manages his team to play against football teams, not teams that park the bus and wait for throw-ins." All I'm saying is that if Stoke are parking the bus, they shouldn't be able to get so many throw-ins. The fact that they are getting so many throw-ins whilst parking the bus suggests that it's down to our own inability to deal with their balls forward with, as you say, only Fuller staying forward. We have 4 defenders, with the advantage of the ball facing them when being kicked forwards. If our defenders can't just win the ball and keep it in our possession with these advantages then it is our fault.

ArsenalRob

AR, they scored 8 minutes in, then did just as i described

TPowell

TP - The only way I'd say they were parking the bus was if they were paking it on our halfway line and then letting the passengers run round harrying our players. In the first 10 minutes we didn't get out of our half, and that is not an exageration, they battered us. That said, we started to get back into it, the goal seemed to sapp them of energy, and the crowd are quiet too. I've never been as angry with Arsenal as I was in that first 15 minutes, but I'm confindent we'll get all three points now.

Rocky7

I personally just consider 'parking the bus' to be a different thing than what you seem to consider it to be. Personally, I don't think it's possible to park the bus AND play on the counter. If you park the bus, you just stay back, hoof the ball away and hope for a defensive mistake to let you're forward in, or a set piece. If you counter attack, you sit back, take the pressure, and when you have poseession, go forward with the ball. From what I gather, I think the final 25 mins that GK was talking about sound more like 'parking the bus' from Stoke.

ArsenalRob

Yeah GK, it's also good to see a bit more bite and fight. Probably bcos we conceded too early and we had time to change the game. I like the way Bendtner keeps the defenders busy (usually 2 of them) and Eboue runs at them. Nasri could try a bit more of that too, he's got some pace.

GoonerLou

we should defend long throws as if they are corners,why is there no-one on the far post?,anyway song should let it out for a corner,its easier to defend

fran merida

I've been watching and the long throws aren't a problem, it's the mentality of our players, they've been fooled by a cheap jedi mind trick. Delap says "Ohhhh look how far I can throw the ball" and the players oblige and completly neglect their marking duties. If they just marked their fecking man we wouldn't have any problems.

Rocky7

ramsey clearly brought down in the box, no pen

TPowell

Nailed on pen? No Ref? Ok .. f*** you then.

Rocky7

Another thing ... 2 minutes injury time when Delap takes at least 45 seconds per throw and they had about 7-8 of them. ***** off.

Rocky7

9 stoke six foot plus against midgets. What do u expect? I think he should be booked for taking so long with the throws though

paul_ownz

DEFINITE PENALTY! Regardless of whether Stoke are parking the bus or not, we need to learn how to beat teams who play this way instead of moaning about it.

bowiecokemirror

What the ***** did Song do to deserve a yellow?

TPowell

so bad ref

ajwb

How the ***** is that a yellow card? Song missies 2 games now. Stoke fans singing "Same old Arsenal, always cheating" ... do they ever watch football?

Rocky7

What's that yellow for Song about?!?!??!?!?!? Nothing there!!! That after the failure to award a pen to Ramsey is ridiculous.

GoonerLou

Oh my word! Aaron.. F*cking Shawcross!!

ArsenalRob

ramsey's had his knee broken... what a bunch of ******** thugs

TPowell

Oh d@mn. Horrible!!!

GoonerLou

where have stoke gone after their goal? They'll probably score now but meh

ajwb

I believe Ramsey has a broken leg. I saw Vermaelen with his head in his hands and saw him mouth the words "***** me"

Rocky7

I don't even give a ***** about the red card.... our players are in shock, what a *****ing *****ty *****ing club.... still think they're playing football AR?

TPowell

I'm pretty sure it wasn't intentional ... Shawcross was crying as he left the pitch.

Rocky7

F*ck. De ja **** vu. Let's be stronger this time.

ArsenalRob

deja vu, i feel sick

ajwb

Oh dear oh dear ohdear, the players' faces are looking very very scary. Oh please. No replays. Must be very horrible. What the hell happened there?! Oh my goodness, I can't watch Verm's face anymore. He looks shocked. Nasri's hand gesture to the boss/staff was scary too. OH dear oh dear God...

GoonerLou

TPowell, this has absolutely zero bearing on what I was saying earlier.

ArsenalRob

Shawcross seemed genuinely upset about it to his credit, it wasn't malicious I don't think.

bowiecokemirror

oh my god. terrible accident. shawcross' reaction tells it all

gunnerkid107

Don't let what happened a couple of years ago happen again. Let's win this title for Rambo!!!!

Rocky7

never did shawcross mean this

gunnerkid107

******** hell...... please please please. make this not career threatening.... wish u all the best aaron.

Dan_83

Shawcross was mad about the tackle from cesc... oh well, just one of the most promising young british talents out for a ******** year

TPowell

WTF? Our players and our club is CURSED. Why is it always us? Poor, poor Aaron. Please don't let their heads go down. Please.

julieloveshenry4ever

FFS - Don't send Eddie on, he will not be up for this.

Rocky7

C'MON ARSENAL. FIGHT FOR RAMBO!!!

gunnerkid107

This is crazy what is with these guys that think they must break us to beat us. It is about time the FA wake up to their responsibility. Why should Delap be allowed 5minutes to take each throwing???

phreddy

This is crazy what is with these guys that think they must break us to beat us. It is about time the FA wake up to their responsibility. Why should Delap be allowed 5minutes to take each throwing???

phreddy

This is like some sick, ironic joke. This was the game where we were supposed to give ourselves the best shot at the title since we capitulated at Birmingham in 08, and now look what's happened. Apart from the struggle we're going to face winning this game after such shock, we're going to have to get Diaby and Denilson back for Hull, where we'll have no Ramsey or Song.

ArsenalRob

I never knew dean whitehead was so ugly

TPowell

boulderhead TP ;)

ajwb

I didn't see it at all. But the players' response reminded me of 2 years ago. Clearly Vermaelen and Nasri were shocked to the core while Cesc's face was stern and had that toughness written on it. That's a certain mentality gained from adversity in the past I suppose. We really have to win it for Aaron!

GoonerLou

Wow Dudu coming on.

GoonerLou

For me, Nasri should have been allowed to cover for Ramsey while Rosicky joins attack. What a day for the young lad. Edu may send the message wewant to win, but may not be the right move, to my mind.

Naijagunner

For me, Nasri should have been allowed to cover for Ramsey while Rosicky joins attack. What a day for the young lad. Edu may send the message wewant to win, but may not be the right move, to my mind.

Naijagunner

For me, Nasri should have been allowed to cover for Ramsey while Rosicky joins attack. What a day for the young lad. Edu may send the message wewant to win, but may not be the right move, to my mind. Rosicky too

Naijagunner

Sorry to go back a little bit, I thought Bendtner was just onside earlier when he went clean through?!

GoonerLou

Oh God.

julieloveshenry4ever

they showed the replay of that Lou, he was offside

TPowell

PENALTYYY

gunnerkid107

Please don't miss it Cesc

bowiecokemirror

come on cesc

TPowell

pen!! yessssssss

ajwb

CESCCCCCCCCCCC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ArsenalRob

Just, it was close, well done Cesc

bowiecokemirror

thank you jesus (cesc)

TPowell

I might just cry if we hold onto this

gunnerkid107

For Aaron slot this him Cesc plz!

ajwb

For you Rambo!!!

Rocky7

Poetic justice!! Finally a pen to us!!!

GoonerLou

*****IN COME ON YOU GOOOOOONERS

ajwb

Now, just keep cool heads and get the 3 points. that push on Bendtner was a pen.

Naijagunner

Funny it was Pugh who scored their goal. This pen was for Aaron who's due one anyway! And yes GK, I'll defo cry if we hold onto this.

GoonerLou

wtf! definite penalty again

bowiecokemirror

bendtner shoved down in the box, yet another pen not given

TPowell

TOMMMMMMMMMMYYYYYYYYYYY VVVVVVVVVVVV

TPowell

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

gunnerkid107

Ah dear God it really makes me cry this time!! :D :D :D

GoonerLou

Well, there you go; 3 points in the bag!!!!!!

Naijagunner

VERM

ajwb

AND TOMMY GUN SEES US HOME!!! Cesc and Tommy, the two that looked most affected by the injury. Two years ago, that detered us. This time, it's inspired us. WE CAN WIN THIS F*CKING TITLE!!!!! CRAZY DAY!

ArsenalRob

Cesc = 1 goal and 2 assists. Jesus.

TPowell

Well done my boys. I am so sorry I called you bottlers. What a reaction.

julieloveshenry4ever

3 points won, despite stoke's insistence to not play real football

TPowell

I love the Verminator! To see him so shocked and then came back to score the goal that sealed the win was just AWESOME! Edu provided the assist in the game that could turn our season too, 2 years on, this is it, I truly have confidence in our title bid now!!

GoonerLou

This can propel us to the title ..... I can feel it.

Rocky7

YOUR SUPPORT, YOUR SUPPORT, YOUR SUPPORT IS *****!!

gunnerkid107

great game from the captain, capped having a cynical foul, and gathering together his team for a word after the whistle

TPowell

Clichy was immense today. He was one of the guys who fell to pieces when Eddie broke his leg, but I saw him trying to pick Vermaelen up when he was sat with his head in his hands. The tide is changing.

Rocky7

Clichy has his best game in over a year.

gunnerkid107

So, this was our "hardest match"? Easy, if you ask me. Psyche! This is a very pleasing victory, though coming at such an emotional cost. In the end, Ramsey will be happier than if it ended as did, that other game (against Birmingham). Now, who will bet against us taking the league by as much as 5 points ahead of runners up?

Naijagunner

One of the most emotional wins in the past 5 years, maybe longer. **** me. I can barely sit still long enough to type this

gunnerkid107

I'm all over the place here. Elation mixed with horror. Cannot get my head around this evening. Go on you Gunners!!!!!! Will be thinking of you Aaron and praying for your clean, straightforward recovery, son. I know Eddie will inspire you.

julieloveshenry4ever

Stick that ******** towel up your arse, you can stick that ******** towel up your arse, you can stick that ******** towel, stick that ******** towel, stick that ******** towel up your arse.

nikolaijns

I kept thinking how dramatic it would be if Eduardo scored the winner, 2 years after he broke his leg in such similar circumstances. It wasn't to be. But oh, what a reaction. I'm so proud of the players. We've truly COME OF AGE! Like Rocky, I can feel it, we can truly go on and win it now!!!

GoonerLou

Lou and Rocky, let's not get ahead of ourselves... we have a whole host of internationals for our players to get injured in, plus Song will be missing the next couple of matches (he does have that amount of yellows, right?)

TPowell

Wenger and Cesc are soo cheesed off. Fabregas looked like he was going to cry and Wenger really looks angry.

Keplaz

Agreed Julie. I'm extatic with the win, but I'm struggling to feel happy. Andy Gray pointed out that we lost Eduardo the day before the CC final, scarey coincidence. But a coincidence that ended there. Well done to the boys for having the proffessionalism to get the 3 points.

Rocky7

also, you have to notice that those who came here criticising our team and calling them bottlers are not showing their faces... probably have run off to le-grove

TPowell

Not get ahead of ourselves? Ten Games to go, three points in it, we don't have to play any of the "big three", they all have to play each other ..... I'm all for not get ahead of ourselves, but right now, this is the time to start believing we can win the league. Arsenal players and fans have to believe it, without belief it won't happen.

Rocky7

Come on Rocky, i'm one of the most optimistic on this site!! ;-) Truthfully, I'm just worried about these internationals and Song's suspension. I'm quietly confident though ;-)

TPowell

TPowell you should be saying "Who are ya, who are ya" I know Fabregas was pulling all the strings and at the heart of everything , but Clichy was my man of the MATCH! THIS ONE'S FOR AARON RAMSEY (the most talented young midfielder in the game)

gronedrone

Aaron has not gone for nothing. If our players lacked the motivation and belief that they could win amidst adversity, they've been given it today. I've often been frustrated that our players don't always look like they know that they've got something to fight for. Reflecting on today and a quick glance at the table will give them every motivation they could possibly need. Get better soon Rambo, and we'll win this for you.

ArsenalRob

The heart bleeds for Ramsey. Hope he recovers from the injury and the shock...really emotional night for us. Onwards and upwards.

Deltaforce

Song will be susspended for Burnley at home and Hull away, if we can't win those with out him then we don't deserve the title anyway. We will be fine without him. :)

Rocky7

anyone see the moment when cesc ask tony pulis to shut up his mouth??

my_gunners

haha, you've made me feel confident again rocky :-). Also, I'd like to apologise to AR for insulting his take on the game for no real reason. Emotions of the match had gotten the better of me

TPowell

I believe, my man! Always believed!!

Naijagunner

***** my balls off, it's 4am in Western Australia and i'm so buzzing from that game i can't sleep. How incredible our stength was. I was so hoping we'd fire up after Aarons injury. Cesc looked like he wanted nothing more then to bring Stoke down. A warrior leading his men. Then gathering them together after the game, strength in the face of adversity. So moving. Today is a very proud day to be an Arsenal fan. Our team were so together tonight, time for us, the fans, to be with them! 100% of the way. LETS ******** GO YOU MIGHTY GUNNERS!!

FuiKaka

YEESSSS!!!! Best wishes to young Ramsey, the Birmigham game of 07/08 is something like an evil twin of the game today against Stoke, the similarites and differences are almost unbelivablel! COME ON YOU GUNNERS, LET'S WIN THIS THING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gun 'Em Down

VICTORIA CONCORDIA CRESCIT

Patresc Vieiragas

Victory through A&E

nikolaijns

Don't worry TPowell, if I'd have had the privellidge to watch I would've been equally out of my mind. I blame the rugby.

ArsenalRob

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