Stoke vs. Arsenal: Issues and Decisions That Will Shape Premier League Game
Arsenal and Stoke City are set to renew a rivalry that has festered quite a bit in the last few seasons.
Ever since Ryan Shawcross snapped Aaron Ramsey's leg several years ago, there has been a remarkable amount of acrimony between the two sides. Potters fans' distaste for Arsene Wenger and the Gunners is vehement and palpable, and it bubbles up every time Arsenal go to the Britannia Stadium.
They will do so again on Saturday, hoping to avenge the crushing 1-0 defeat they suffered there last season that put paid to their title chances.
With that, let's look at several issues and decisions that will largely affect the outcome of the match.
Arsenal's Fatigue
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We're now into the busiest part of the season, when every player who plays on a regular basis needs to hunker down and play through fatigue.
Arsenal's upcoming game against Stoke will be their fourth game in 11 days—a grueling run that has included a couple of grinding victories. The Gunners should have the requisite confidence going into this encounter, but perhaps not the necessary leg strength.
Stoke are an especially dangerous team to play against while tired because their physicality can cause mistakes. Arsenal will have to be mentally switched on and able to engage in a 90-plus minute battle.
Stoke's Confidence
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After a promising start to the season, Stoke currently sit in 13th place, just three points above the crowded relegation zone.
Their recent troubles began with a loss to Burnley, who are currently at the top of the relegation zone. They then narrowly capitulated to Liverpool and were barely edged by Manchester United at Old Trafford in crushing fashion.
Still, the Potters always seem to be able to dig deep and play their best when Arsenal come to town, so passionately distasteful are their fans to Wenger's glamorous European style of football.
In a rivalry game, as we know by now, form goes out the window.
Can Arsenal Fight Back?
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One would like to think that this Arsenal side is not like previous iterations that folded when confronted with Stoke's physical prowess.
But Arsenal did lose this fixture last season, and they have been even more prone to collapse this year.
Hopefully, with the tenacious Mathieu Flamini anchoring the midfield and Laurent Koscielny back in the centre of defense, the Gunners can find their teeth again. They will not only have to control the ball despite Stoke's press but guard against counter-attacks.
Stoke will no doubt try to force corners and free-kicks, giving them opportunities to test Arsenal's aerial capabilities and marking discipline. Hopefully, Steve Bould will have put his men through a few extra drills this week.
Who Will Start Upfront?
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Both Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck started in the same team for the first time this season against West Bromwich Albion. It worked fairly well, with the latter scoring the winner, though the change was not totally seamless.
However, Giroud was left out of the starting XI in Arsenal's last match against Southampton. The Gunners looked considerably more cohesive and threatening when he was brought on for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, though.
It would be reasonable for Wenger to put both in the same team against Stoke to combat the Potters' toughness and allow for more bread-and-butter holdup play to support the midfield. Stoke will probably do everything possible to prevent Arsenal from playing through the middle, and Giroud and Welbeck will be valuable aerial threats.
On the other hand, the manager has a knack for surprising us.
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