Written by Mean Lean on Sunday, 08 May 2011 10:24

After our fine victory against Manchester United last weekend, the wait until our next fixture has felt like an eternity. So Stoke City is next on the list and even though we have played them already since that horrible night, the fact that we are playing them at their home ground makes me feel a little dirty inside.

Like many Gooners, I have read a few of the Stoke City forums, You Tube and website pages and some of the filth being spewed has made my stomach turn. A section of their support have followed the media's narrative and now see Stoke City as the victims while bad old Arsenal are the ones who deserve booing and abuse. I can only hope it is a small section because if that is not the case then you have to wonder what kind of mess Staffordshire is in.

It is quite difficult to talk about this game without mentioning Ramsey and Shawcross, mainly because Ramsey will be starting against him for the first time since the assault. I think it will be good for Ramsey to get this game over and done with, he was developing into an established Arsenal midfielder until that game and he and Arsene will want to get back on that level so as soon as we can put this game down to history then he and everyone else can move on, at least until next season when we travel to Staffordshire once again.

As Stoke City have a cup final to prepare for next week, (one that I hope they lose heavily) It will be interesting to see how they approach the game. It is the type of fixture that Manchester United would have loved to have played. Tony Pulis would have instructed his brutes to roll over and have their bellies tickled. Against Arsenal that could well be wishful thinking. Pulis has made his feelings pretty clear about how much he dislikes Arsene Wenger so I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Stoke City play a cup final before a cup final.

On the injury front we have two big hitters out of the squad. Samir Nasri has not recovered after his hamstring tweak that he picked up in the first half against Manchester United. Cesc Fabregas is not quite ready for a come back whilst Abou Diaby continues to be plagued with injury.

All that is almost irrelevant though as Thomas Vermaelen is back in the squad and I would guess that he will take his place amongst the substitutes, perhaps nudging the boss for a late appearance in the second half.

Mean Lean's Predicted Line Up:

One to watch: Johan Djourou

You are hardly likely to see two sides who contrast in styles as differently as Stoke vs Arsenal. I expect Stoke City to try and take advantage of our weakness this season from set pieces. Without the likes of Diaby and I am guessing Chamakh from the start, we will be lacking in height. Johan Djourou did not defend well enough against Bolton a couple of weeks ago but there is not much doubt that he is one of our stronger players from aerial duels and he will be vitally important to our defending from Delap's long throws and Pennant's crosses.

Mean Lean's Match Prediction:

Stoke City 1 Arsenal 1 (Walcott)

Even with Stoke's most important game of the season coming up, I think they will show plenty of commitment and without the extra spark of Cesc and Nasri I can see this finishing up as a draw. Having said that, if we produce another performance as we did last weekend then we will have enough in the tank to beat this mob. I would hate for the Stoke City fans to have the satisfaction of defeating us so avoiding defeat is important for the supporters. If we want to keep the mathematics on board then only victory will allow us any possibility of a title miracle before the game at Old Trafford.

As long as the players show hard work and play good football then I will be happy.

COME ON YOU GUNNERS.

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Comments (17)

• 08-May-2011 12:19 | | DJ Dragonfly
  

  @ ML
  
  I'm going for a 3-1 win for the Gooners. I can also see Ramsey scoring as well.
  
  As you know mate, I've always been a big of Ramsey. I would go as far saying that he's a better player than Wilshire.
  
  It will be interesting to see who Wenger decides to play in the playmaker role today. I think Arsene will keep Wilshire in the role.

• 08-May-2011 16:14 | | redboy
  

  what a fucking joke this team is light weight load of cunts should be a shame of them selfs cant wait for the season to end cant take any more of this

• 08-May-2011 16:44 | | richie  - Gutted Gooner
  

  That the team doesn't have anything to play for shouldn't excuse todays performance. Our boys didn't turn up in any competitive way. Really that is unexcusable, I'm not one to ask players to play for the badge, but they should play for their own pride. Sadly that was lacking. Yet again it was a storey of chances not taken, and defending that tactically was inept.
  Roll on next season. No doubt with Manuer winning the title this season we are in the same boat as Chelski nothing left to play for.

• 08-May-2011 18:31 | | Man United Killa  - ML said..One to watch..Johan Djourou
  

  Djourou was the one to watch alright..freaking joke of a team.rubbish!

• 08-May-2011 18:33 | | Man United Killa
  

  I am sorry my friend..I feel your pain but you will be forever gutted until these rubbish players are shown the door.

• 08-May-2011 19:02 | | MeanLean
  

  Disappointing to fall away (again) and the squad needs improving. We haven't been good enough to win the league this season.
  
  However, we knew this a few weeks ago. No need to get knickers in a twist me thinks.
  
  It so happens that two teams who are further down the road of experience and two who have invested much more than we have will finish the season ahead of us.
  
  Disappointing? of course. Rubbish team?? Are you sure?

• 08-May-2011 19:35 | | rizzla  - same ol' same ol'
  

  Petty much the same performance prior the man u match, did we think anything else would change, simply the side needs rebuilding and wenger needs to have the guts to show players the door at the end of the season, get someone in to teach the team how to defend and hold the midfield, abandon the walking the ball in the net, we don't have players with the skill to pull it off, are player aren't good enough to be a passing side.
  
  If wenger can't do these things then thank you for your service but well need to look for someone else before we turn into a mid table team at best. Don't say that wont happen because since the cup final thats what we have been without any sign of improvement.

• 08-May-2011 21:45 | | Dan
  

  Just shows the Man utd game was papering over the cracks.For Bolton and Stoke this season it was Wigan and Blackburn 12 months ago.Nothing has changed.This team is a team of weak bottlers who Mad Wenger keeps bigging up for no reason at all.We will not reach the points total we got last season.So we have fallen backwards.56% of goals conceded from set pieces!!!!.And Wenger has done nothing about it.It says something when we are outfootballed by Stoke.A Gutless Shameful Disgraceful performance

• 08-May-2011 21:53 | | Dan
  

  ML
  
  Nothing at all has changed from last season,Not one lesson has been learned.This season is an exact replica of 2008 and 2010.A total capitulation in the run in.What did Wenger do last summer about it?Nothing

• 09-May-2011 03:46 | | Man United Killa  - Response to ML
  

  101% ML..Wenger proves critics right season in season out that we are always prentender:never contenders...big shame.a bunch of overpaid kids who dont know a thing about winning under pressure.rubbish indeed!

• 09-May-2011 03:51 | | Gino92
  

  Hey ML,
  
  What's up with your "One to Watch" predictions? A few of them have been pretty much "spot on" this season. Unfortunately, Djourou was really the "One to Watch" yesterday. Pathetic defending.
  
  Since the defeat in the Carling Cup, a lot of the players just don't seem to care anymore, IMHO. And that is simply not acceptable. I would love to know what Wenger tells them exactly in the dressing room. It is pretty obvious that the squad needs to be revamped in the summer. We clearly need new blood. The same mistakes of yesteryears just CANNOT be continuously repeated without any lessons learned. That is just criminal. Sometimes, it's shocking and unbelievable to watch them happen, already knowing that something like that was bound to happen sooner or later. That makes it hard to be a supporter but we must carry on nonetheless. Through good times and bad times...
  
  I do feel bad for Wenger a lot, because I believe he is one of the all-time best managers in football. He never criticizes his players in public which shows that he is a trustworthy and a great man, but this group of players (minus the ever dangerous Robin Van Persie and the fighter with a never-say-die attitude Jack Wilshere) are not repaying the faith Wenger has in them. They are making him out to be a liar and an incompetent Manager which is far from the truth. He looks to have aged a bit over the past couple of months, I think. Must be from all that stress.
  
  I hope that Wenger finally opens his eyes and really SEE who does deserve to wear the Arsenal shirt next season, and does something about it. I mean, after careful analysis of this season especially the last 2 months, he surely has to make some much-needed changes, right?
  
  Anyway, ARSENAL all the way in 2011-2012. For sure. Provided that Fabregas stays and rediscovers his great form of 09-10; Van Persie stays injury-free throughout the whole season; we finally get our new towering, commanding Center-Half we've been asking for over the past few years; we get a solid, fast and untiring Defensive Midfielder to split paly time with Song; we also get a new lethal Striker who can shoot with accuracy and from distance; we get a reputable no nonsense Defensive Coach and practice defensive drills repeatedly until we are blue in the face; we learn to adapt to adversity in a bad game, and change our formation to 4-4-2 when and if necessary during a game (i.e there were many times this season when a rare cross would come in and Van Persie was the only Arsenal player in or near the box. We need at least a second striker to get in the box and fight to get to the ball first); and finally, our Fullbacks/Wingers must learn to cross the damned ball accurately. Plain and simple.
  
  If (and that's a big IF) we can get all of these issues sorted out (I am no manager and I am sure Wenger has his own plan, btw), I truly believe we can win the League next season. And why not the Champions' League?
  
  I could be dead wrong but these are just my own observations and opinions, as a supporter.
  
  At least I can dream since this season is all over. Not much else to do, really...

• 09-May-2011 06:12 | | James  - Wenger will not change
  

  Gino 92
  
  And then you woke up.We are in the same position we were this time last year.Did Wenger buy a brick shithouse CB?No.Did he buy a DM who will protect the back four unlike Song?No.Did he bring in experience?No.Wenger is so set in his stubborn ways he will not change.He will carry on in his own Wengerworld playing pitty patty football .Why is Wenger going to change now when he hasnt for the last 4 years?He has a job for life so the project continues.

• 09-May-2011 10:51 | | richie  - I may be gutted
  

  Can't agree that nothings changed. We were better this season than last, also I think many of us (myself included) have been lulled by ManU into thinking that without their flair players they weren't up to much. They may not have been entertaining, they may not have looked like much, but they were damed difficult to beat and lucky as we found out on the 13th December. By beating them at ours we showed we are competitive. It's true to say there's nothing between us and Chelski except the millions they've spent.

• 09-May-2011 11:05 | | richie
  

  Muk its not that you can't win with kids. Remember Taggart's done that,
  it's not that you can't win with Foreigners either we went unbeaten with a team of 90%. Its bloody obvious we can't defend set pieces! And this zonal marking system we use fail's miserably against certain teams that block off centre backs and keepers alike. I feel the pain of all those who feel we are not learning lessons from the mistakes made by employing this system previously. However the league doesn't lie we ain't miles away. Tweaks are needed undoubtedly, but the wholesale changes that some are calling for are way off the mark IMHO.

• 09-May-2011 11:16 | | dkgooner  - Summer important
  

  I agree that the signings we make in the close season will be important, not only for the make-up of the squad but also for the signs it will give to fans and foes. I can't imagine Cesc staying - especially not if there is no reassurance given to him through signings. And if he goes, that could trigger other departures.
  The pressure is really on Wenger now. We have a new guy in charge - will he give AW another season to sort things out? I can't imagine he's going to give him any longer than that. Americans are results oriented - even the concept of a draw is foreign to them. So, sad as I would be to see him go, AW has to win something next season or it's Hasta la vista. That should focus his mind somewhat.
  Personally, I think there needs to be a big shake up - some of the squad are clearly not of sufficient quality and/or resilient enough to cope with the demands of the number of games they have to play in England. I hope we go back to using the Carling Cup as a proving ground for the next generation.
  We live in interesting times.

• 09-May-2011 15:30 | | Man United Killer  - I agree Richie
  

  Richie,I agree with you.We dont need wholesale changes.But we need to get some real real real..and I mean real quality in.We need to change our style of play a little bit.Shooting is required from outside the box if we want to win anything.A plan B is also required.As it stands we are increasingly looking like boys every game and it's getting frustrating.I dont expect them to win every game but I do expect them to show up for every game.I blame no one but Wenger.Surrounding the kids with a bunch of losers only makes them losers.I feel bad and sorry for someone like Vela who obviously has so much talent.Hernandez makes Vela look like a clown.Why? Wenger has surrounded quality with rubbish.There a players in the squad who are just not good enough for the Arsenal.
  Plus Wengers attitude of consistently playing players out of position is killing us.Eboue has never been a winger any more than Bendtner has been a winger.Walcott is painfully inconsistent.is someone teaching this kid how to be patient in the final third.or how to be unpredictable in the final third? These are some of the basic things that can bring us goals.Walcott could be a powerful tool..if only....Apart from RVP we dont have any striker who can actually score 20 goals a season.How pathetic.We need changes and we need it now..
  Finally as for the defence..NO COMMENTS!..sigh!

• 09-May-2011 15:31 | | Man United Killer  - I like...
  

  I like your final comment "We live in interesting time"..indeed we do..dont we

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