Stoke. What can you say about Stoke? Seriously. Apart from Owd Grandad Piggott, May un Mar Lady and the 1842 Pottery Riots the place seems not to have an awful lot going for it. Oh sorry, I forgot there’s the football team. We need to mention the football team. Now. I am well aware of the protocol here. I know I’m expected to litter this piece with Tolkienesque allusions and rugby references, but I am going to try to break out of that particular clichéd straight jacket. I want to see if I can make it to the end without one mention of Orcs, seven points, Mordor, The Barad-dûr or Twickenham. You don’t think I can? Just watch me.
With players closely resembling the uglier members of The Dothraki tribe and a playing style closer to American rather than British Football Stoke City have won few friends in their most recent sojourn in the top flight of the English leagues. They have been in the premier division on occasions before, but each time their stay has descended into an attritional battle where survival becomes the supreme goal. To be fair they haven’t always stirred such feelings of animus, such hostile revulsion from their peers as that which they earned during the Pulis years. We can’t tell if the Hughes era will usher in a new playing style or whether the unkind comparisons to more heavily contact based sports will endure. You have to be honest and say that his record with such Wendigo filled cloggers as Blackburn doesn’t bode well. Off the pitch a handful of Stoke supporters have done little to reverse the awful reputation that the team have earned upon it. I know there are folk, long suffering Potters fans, who have had to put up with some pretty strong stuff, not least of all from us, but sadly for them, as long as a section of their support thinks it right and proper to boo Aaron Ramsey then I fear they may as well accustom themselves to their pariah status. That reaction to the events of the twenty seventh of February twenty ten surely ranks among the most reprehensible of any group of modern football fans.
Today however I don’t really want to waste too much breath on the opposition. Today I want to focus on us. I don’t want to write a piece about Morlocks and their attempt to import Murderball tactics into the Prem, it’s all a bit tired now and we are in such a fine run of results right at this moment that it seems silly not to look at our own side and let the visitors worry about themselves. 
One of the positives about our recent mini run since the opening day setback is that we’ve put it together with a severely depleted squad. I think most people now accept that the bunkum bandied about us being weak, lacking strength in depth or having insufficient back up to first team players has been categorically disproved and was in all honesty little more than a Sky Sports editorial flogging horse which Murdoch’s minions had been ordered to repeat until the brainwashed hordes assumed it to be based on some sort of empirical evidence. We have sauntered on, apparently uninhibited by shedding players of the calibre of Santi Cazorla, Lukas Podolski, Alex Oxelaide Chamberlain, Tomas Rosicky and the best midfielder in the league Mikel Arteta. That we haven’t broken stride despite this luminous list joining AD2 in the infirmary having the old embrocation rubbed in by beefy men in roll necked sweaters of course speaks volumes for our squad depth. Less tangible however is this creeping feeling that we are a considerably more to be reckoned with force than we have been in recent seasons. I can’t speak for you obviously but I know that I have been a little taken aback by how fast our injured players are returning to us. This could of course be no more than the effects of the passage of time. An old man like me will naturally watch the few remaining grains in the top half of the hour glass appear to drop ever more quickly the less of them there are, that is merely human nature. In this instance, however, I think something else is at work.
Normally when important players are missing you, well, you miss them. You study Arsène’s elastic forecasts of their projected return dates with mounting anxiety and you know that we desperately need them patched up and wheeled out in as little time as possible. It has sometimes been a fretful misery watching our second string hanging on in there as we wonder how many more months our wounded stars must be injected with the old horse tranquillisers and fed the cod liver oil. Well I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not but Thomas Vermaelen’s name slipped back into the match day programme recently. And now I’m hearing that Mikel Arteta our other captain is back to full training and may even feature in today’s line up. So soon. They haven’t recovered particularly quickly. That isn’t it at all. Nature has run it’s course as it always has and ever will. No, I maintain that what’s happening here is because our squad is so strong, so resilient even in times of crisis that we haven’t really been worrying about the wounded in the way we once would. The spotlight is on the guys who are winning for us on the pitch and not for once on the ones we desperately need back to careen a stricken ship. Even a year ago we’d have really struggled without Arteta in the team. Now I begin to wonder who could we drop to make way for him. Aaron? Don’t make me laugh. Jack? Just when his burgeoning understanding with Mesut Özil is growing minute by minute before our eyes into a thing of rare beauty? I don’t think so. The new boy himself? Seems a little unlikely. Seems to me he needs games under his belt; as many and as soon as possible to help him settle and learn the ways of the Wengerball. Can’t see MA rampaging down either wing nor displacing Olivier Goal A Game Giroud and so maybe, just maybe I have a point.
I know we have a lot of games and people need to rest and injuries will happen. I get all that, but it isn’t really what I’m driving at here. I’m more interested in the way things feel calmer, even in a so called crisis, the way the club seems to sit a little deeper in the water and not heel over so badly in a sudden squall. I can’t put my finger on it but there’s a settled, purposeful strength to our progress right now and I like it a lot. None of this should hoodwink you into thinking that I’m not a gibbering wreck in the ten minutes before kick off – the thing wouldn’t be any fun otherwise would it? But if you take recent events into account I can’t see why anyone would be anything other than serenely calm right now. I certainly couldn’t grasp why folk spat out their pacifiers (for my English readers that’s ‘dummies’) when we conceded against Paulo the Fascist’s north eastern division last weekend. There was a sense of inevitability about our matching and going at least two better than anything they could throw at us that day and that typifies the aura the club is wearing right now.
OK, enough of me and my hypothetical rambling, I know what you want. You want final score predictions and team lists don’t you? That is after all the only reason to read a blog. Unless it’s to be told what to think. So here goes. Bendtner will start in a four four three with Akpom playing off him in the channel holes, Giroud to start on the left drifting into the right half central wide position when defending. Peter Story will be at holding midsweeper and with Theo in goal we’ll defeat the ravening Mongol hordes of Batu Khan Hughes by six to two with one impaling and two yellow perils to one red army faction. There will be a white Christmas, it might as well rain until September and the lotto numbers for Wednesday will precisely correspond to the page numbers in which Mr Gradgrind is mentioned in the first half of Hard Times by Charles Dickens.
Positively Arsenal 
Oh my. So busy was I trying to choose a picture for Kelly that I completely overlooked Mathieu Flamini. So OK I’ll say it first. Maybe I can see who Mikel will displace in the current line up.
That’s what you get for rushing the bloody write up.
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Hahaha. That picture is pure class. It is sure to please her. He will have a great game. For the next post pull up the picture of him at seventeen holding or wearing his first ARSENAL shirt.
That would be fantastic….
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No problems mate. Excellent write-up by the way.
I hope that crowd today is so loud that they put the fear of god into the stokees. Lol.
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Great piece steww.
Things really do feel much calmer than they’ve been in a while.
Blame it on AW, Rambo, Sagna, OG, Per, Gibbs, Szcz, Kos, Jack, ol’ Flamster, Nacho, Jenks, and that wizard of Oz fella. They’re oozing so much mojo right now, it’s stinking up Gooner universe. Can you imagine what it will be like when the likes of Santi, Mozart, Ox, Poldi & AD24 add their flavours to the potpourri of stank AW’s cooking up @ the Emirates?…oooh wee!!!
I expect Arteta will start ahead of Flamini in the C1C vs the Baggies. If he’s good & ready, he’ll be in the 18 away @ Swansea next weekend.
Today, we smash some Pottery,
COYG!!!!!!!!!!!
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DB speaks..
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/sep/21/dennis-bergkamp-arsenal-love-game
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Today we smash some pottery. Lol.
Darn right. morning AMAN.
Excellent line that…
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Aman 9:03am
ALL hail the Great One!!
Oh, and Dennis too.
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Gooner Kam,
Mogroth is their deity of choice.
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I blame it on having the second best defence in the PL last season, who knows we may go one better this year. Settled, experienced, lacking any monster egos, and with good back up to slot in if required.
Upon the solid foundation a good team are founded
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…right back at ya, goonerkam…
“The wait is unbearable. Anticipation is killing me . OZZI ‘S first game for ARSENAL at home . I have a feeling this guy is going to be with us for foreseeable future. Maybe still a gunner even after AW is gone. How jealous I am of those who can make it to the game. Best I can do is try to get a few winks( yah right ) and then drive to the pub to scream and watch the game with about 150 die-hards. It will be jam packed they say . Get here early to be seated. Only way to get food served. Food? How can you eat. Be seated. Hahaha. To damn nervous for that. This could be a historical game. I can feel it . Sub-plots everywhere you look. Tomas back. Mikel back. Aaron, oh Aaron. How tough to be playing against that basterd again. Emotions in motion. I hope they are rested from the CL game and up for this game. Hughes first game at the EMIRATES in charge of this bunch. Bad blood abound between him and AW . Will he show some class. Will he send his punks out to play or do more unthinkable things. One thing is for damn sure. Those in attendance better do their effin job. Make it memorable. Make it a bloody win to send us a top the table , as is surly our place.
UP WITH THE ARSENAL!!!!!!!!!!!
TEAM, AW AND THE FANS.
UP WITH THE GOONERS AND THE RED&WHITES..
WELCOME TO THE THEATER OF TOTAL FOOTBALLLLL….
WELCOME HOME MASOUD….. WELCOME HOME…
COYG!!!!!!
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If a heat map could be laid across the southern part of the USA, I reckon we’d be able to pinpoint the exact moment a certain reader from Alabama views Steww’s otherwise entirely gratuitous portrait of Aaron Ramsey.
Great write up; must admit I’d been wondering about Peter Story …
[*scratches chin, sagely*].
I’m probably more concerned that this could be yet another EPL game whose outcome is decided by the referee. Dean’s stats ‘for’ Arsenal are nothing short of horrific (7% win rate going back to 2009/15 games); even if we come out on top (which I still expect, to be honest) at the very least I can see a plethora of yellow cards waved in the general direction of Jack, Aaron, Kos and Flamini.
Oh and Story, too.
Dean is THAT thorough.
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Anicoll,
Arsenal have to sort out the last ditch sliding tackles soon.
It is written in the Laws of The Game:
7.6.3 iix (c) No Arsenal player shall ever will a ball cleanly, all referees are to give the free or the penalty (when such offence occurs within the penalty box) to the team the ref likes more.
This rule is just after the rule that no Arsenal team is allowed to defend itself from thugs.
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AMAN . you are amazing. Thanks mate.
RASARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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AA….so its time to be served up some DeanDeins?
The Dark Side is primed & ready with the usual
what say ye positivistas?
who gets the main slap-back?
Ozil’s the most likely candidate
anyone got Flamini’s contact?…twitter?
need to keep an eye on Shawcross, Wilkinson & Adam.
Pennant will only try to play his heart out…
STILLNESS & SPEED.. RASERS
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ditto g’kam
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I wonder if Aaron feels a pain in his leg before every game against Stoke,
You know, sort of like Frodo?
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morning ANDREW
I agree about your concern with this particular referee. I also agree with you that we will be to good for them despite all that and bag the three points. I think the crowd noise can play a major part In helping the team navigate through this hump they call Dein.
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When you have two daughters that wish to join you on your walk in the peak national park, expect delays……I’m still here….need to be back for the game….ah women….
Great piece Steww……
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DC
I don’t know if he feels the pain or not but I bet you the emotions will be high within him and he is just the sort to channel that energy and have a memorable game at that.
The maturity in this kid is off the charts. The long road back and now it his time to shine and put rayan s. To shame. Their fans best show some class and stop with his abuse. As steww says, reprehensible. Low class.
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GP
Two of them. God bless. You must be watching over them like a hawk. Lol.
what kind of wildlife you come across your walks?
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DC
how old do you Think Torres is now?
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Morning GK, everybody.
Alabama heat map still all blue I see.
I think the atmosphere at Emirates will be awesome today; sadly I can’t make it but will be watching live on tv. I actually think the crowd could play a major role in ‘dissuading’ Dean from his usual anti-AFC antics. Not that I’m suggesting he’s biased or that there is a conspiracy or anything.
Then again, that new Mark Halsey biography has thrown up a few gems which the establishment are doing their best to distance themselves from …
http://thenextfootballsuperstar.com/thenextmalesoccersuperstar/2013/09/16/referee-mark-halsey-reveals-prohibited-friendly-relationship-with-sir-alex-ferguson-in-new-book/
The soon-to-be-published Ferguson autobiography will also make interesting reading.
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http://blog.emiratesstadium.info/archives/31332
untolds review on deans performances,
apart from the ref hughes teams are always organised whichever style he uses today(hes one of the few managers who can play football or hoof/hackball) the media are saying stoke are playing the ball along the floor this season although against us anything can happen. I’m sure most supporters looking at a home game would only worry about football matters and not about the ref, injuries and how many fouls the opposition are allowed to get away with but that’s the sad indictment on the f.a. today.
Anyway lets hope Wengerball wins out and all our players make it off the pitch safely
COYG
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Sobering stuff a_or_b, sobering stuff (thanks for the link).
For the media to have picked up on Dean’s ‘work’ is all the more remarkable and suggestive that maybe we are not being paranoid entirely without reason as some would no doubt have us believe …
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This Halsey book: I mean, how can you allow referees to get so close to managers? I think that this leads to a point where even a person of maximum integrity would find himself in a state of conflict on the pitch, when he has to ponder if he should make a decision that will affect a good friend in a negative way. Surely this must always be a recurring thought in a referee’s mind and probably have an effect on 50/50 decisions? If you aren’t sure, are you really going to give a decision against your friend?
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Kam
I’m guessing 29 before I look it up on wiki.
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Yup, I know everything.
They should let me back into Jellysone Park, such is my omnipotence.
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EVIL
all valid points. That’s why many here have been asking for an overhaul of referee selection, education and audit after each performance system. Even though it makes perfect ” common sense” not all supporters are on board with this simple request and feel this is more for some to reflect attention from a bad result. Ie the villa game just last month. Nothing could be further from the truth. For example
1) do you think it’s proper to pick a referee for our game today with known likes or dislikes for either team , going back to their supporting days.
Or
2) shouldn’t all referees be in top physical conditions to be able to keep up with the modern game.
You wait and see, as more years roll by more shocking” revelations” will come to light but by then most of the damage is done and no one will care anymore.
I won’t be surprised even if more of these revelations involved money or ferret face Ferguson. Will they take some of his trophies away then?? Hell no. Water under the bridge.
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DC
Indeed your holiness. If he is 29 or abouts I wonder if it will be too difficult for him to learn a different system and he will be set in his money demands. Meaning he won’t take a pay cut.
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Excellent pre-match write up Steww.
1 hour to kick-off!
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What I would like to see is for this team to cast off our perpetual underdog status. Grab the three points, climb to the top and let the others do the chasing. Being underdog has served us well previous years with young ambitious squads unsure of their qualities. I like to think now its different, that this resilient confident team will savor being top dogs and cling on to the lead.
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What a great interview with Mesut…..
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Bendtner on the bench.
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My word….hearing about the appalling events from a great Gooner Darius Stone on the ground in Kenya sends a chill down one’s spine…..
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Madness.
On lighter note, my tv is on and by coincidence it’s airing…the hobbits.
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The toughest fixture we have between now and Liverpool’s visit in November is Swansea away. By the time that Liverpool fixture rolls around, Santi, Tomas and maybe the Ox will have been back in the team for a few weeks. If we keep up our winning streak in the league, we should be in a very good position heading into Christmas.
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Walcott out with illness
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Check your map, Andrew. Read the blog while still lying in bed. Woke hubby up when I snorted with laughter. You guys are great (smiley). What is he, 18, 19 tops in that photo? I do prefer the more recent, finished article. He’s still less than half my age, but he’s no longer a child, that’s for sure. And the best photos are ones where he shows off that million dollar smile. Adorable. There was a time there where we weren’t treated to it that often. It’s so nice to see now on a regular basis.
I’ll tell you one thing: if those oafs are going to boo his every touch today, they’d better bring lungfuls of air. That’s a totally different proposition now. They’ll pass out from the effort. Wouldn’t that be great?! Alright, have to finish getting ready for church now, so I can catch the first half. UTA!
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Viviano in for Fabianski
Arteta & NickB on the bench also
Dean has the following scenarios to play with:
1. send off Sczc & put the hammer on Vivi
2. send off Kos & hope an overly intense Verm self-destructs
3. send off Shawcross / Wilkinson AFTER breaking Özil’s ankle(s)
4. get a potter to curse out Flamini’s mum & get the cards ready for the fallout
5. get Wilkinson to stamp on Jack’s ankle(s) & get the cards ready for the fallout
oh sh*te..no Walcot !!!! (i missed that one)
Dean or Dein must’ve spiked his gatorade!
makes way for who…Gnabry or Bendtner or Ryo?
COYG!
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Theo is ill. Gnabry to start in his place.
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Should be interesting w/o Theo.
Gives someone else a chance to shine
who’s up for it I wonder?
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Cool G69…who replaces Gnabry on za bench?
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We have Stewart Robson on our feed. Blehhhhhh!
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Ramsey scored and accidentally stood on Walters’ ankle. Take that, you dirty bastards.
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Hahahaha! He did that just for me. God I love that boy.
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Stewart Robson: Stoke are upset at the referee giving most of the decisions to Arsenal, even if they have been the right ones.
Then what the fuck are eh mad about then?
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actually clapped when Stoke scored….Sparky’s really changed their game.
should finish a 3-1 though.
Giroud & Gnabry to score
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Good game so far – more goals for sure
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And for my next trick (large smiley )
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thats it Per…1 more should seal it
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