Stoke punish sorry Gunners

Stoke beat Arsenal 2-1 at the Britannia after the Gunners failed to deal with Rory Delap's throw-ins.

Fuller and Olofinjana score for Potters, Clichy for Gunners

Stoke recorded a famous and deserved victory over Arsenal at the Britannia on Saturday after the Gunners failed to deal with Rory Delap's throw-ins. Ricardo Fuller put the Potters ahead on 11 minutes after outjumping Kolo Toure to a Delap throw-in and flicking the ball in. The Potters then doubled their advantage on 73 minutes when a Delap throw-in was helped on by the outstanding Ryan Shawcross to Seyi Olofinjana who chested the ball in. Arsenal's afternoon went from bad to worse as substitute Robin Van Persie was deservedly sent off for a stupid challenge on Thomas Sorensen, before fellow substitute Theo Walcott had to be stretchered off through injury, while Emmanuel Adebayor also went off hurt. Wenger had been expected to make a decisive selection following the debacle against Spurs, where his side shipped two goals in the dying seconds. He did not disappoint. Toure was restored to both the starting XI and captaincy duties in place of the injured William Gallas, while Walcott, Samir Nasri and Van Persie gave way for the more robust Alex Song, Abou Diaby and Nicklas Bendtner. A typically patient Arsenal move in the fourth minute presented Cesc Fabregas with an early chance to try his luck, but the Spaniard's attempt was scuffed wide of the post. The visitors continued to pour forward, with full-backs Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy finding acres of space on the flanks. But Stoke held firm, clearing a handful of early crosses.

First goal

After 10 minutes, good interplay between Fuller and Mamady Sidibe handed Delap a first chance to cause havoc and he duly obliged. The midfielder's throw, as it has so often this term, arrowed wickedly towards the far post where Fuller got the better of Toure to glance home from close range. Wenger, already unimpressed by his side's generosity in the North London derby, stalked the touchline furiously. Delap again caused problems after 20 minutes, looping a header goalwards after a mis-hit punch from Manuel Almunia. Only a Clichy clearance off the line kept the score at 1-0 as the Gunners' defence started to wilt under examination. Arsenal then did not cope considerably better with another Delap throw, this time surviving a goalmouth scramble more through luck than good judgement. Toure was, at least, doing a more visible job of rallying the Arsenal troops than the ineffectual Gallas in midweek. But, for all his fist-pumping and shouting, the best his side could muster in response was a quick turn and shot from Adebayor which failed to trouble Sorensen. Delap was enjoying the limelight and showed another side of his game when tracking back 30 yards to rob Fabregas as he lined up a shot on the edge of the box. Arsenal were starting to find their feet going forward but it was the unlikely figure of Griffin who showed the first half's fanciest footwork, leaving Bendtner for dead with a deft turn that delighted the home fans.

Second-half

Wenger resisted the temptation to go to his star-studded bench at the interval and his side responded by starting in a more settled fashion. But with time on Stoke's side, something more drastic was required and Walcott was duly summoned to warm-up. His 57th-minute introduction, for the injured Sagna, gave Arsenal a more attacking shape and three minutes later Adebayor volleyed over from close range having met a Fabregas corner. Van Persie was next to get the call, arriving in the 64th minute in place of the anonymous Denilson. But, predictably, it was a Delap throw that gave rise to the next scoring opportunity, Almunia making a sharp save after Salif Diao's deflected drive looked to be heading for the net. Olofinjana then made it two for Stoke, but again Delap was the central figure. It was another long, lofted throw into the area and another Stoke goal as Shawcross nodded on to Olofinjana, who bundled the ball past Almunia via two touches off his chest. Van Persie added to Wenger's woes when he petulantly charged at Sorensen, knocking him into the net and earning a red card for his trouble. Clichy made it 2-1 in the closing seconds with a twice-deflected shot - but it was not enough and a bad day got worse as Adebayor and Walcott left the pitch in considerable pain, the latter with his left arm in a sling.

Stoke City	Team Statistics	Arsenal
2	Goals	1
1	1st Half Goals	0
3	Shots on Target	4
2	Shots off Target	8
4	Blocked Shots	2
3	Corners	5
12	Fouls	8
3	Offsides	0
4	Yellow Cards	2
0	Red Cards	1
59.8	Passing Success	81.8
31	Tackles	20
77.4	Tackles Success	85
27.6	Possession	72.4
38.4	Territorial Advantage	61.6