By Sandy Macaskill at the Britannia Stadium Published: 7:37PM GMT twenty-seven February 2010
Agony: Arsenal"s players rught afar signalled to the dais for obligatory courtesy Photo: REUTERS If Arsène Wengers idea was to peace Stoke in to giving champagne football a go when he described them in the week as a "good football-playing side", it failed. Stoke stranded to what they do best, taking advantage of an proceed that was blunter than a battering ram. For 65 mins it worked a treat. They went a idea up and authorised Arsenal usually an equaliser. But afterwards Ryan Shawcross pennyless Aaron Ramseys leg.
For five minutes, Arsenal and Stoke players comparison swarming around the stricken eighteen year-old, hands covering their faces, as the healing staff did their majority appropriate to have him comfortable. When the compare restarted, Arsenal picked up their wits and, incredibly, Cesc Fabregas and Thomas Vermaelen combined to Nicklas Bendtners first-half goal, securing a 3-1 feat and ensuring that they sojourn in the pretension race.
Shawcross: "No malice" in Ramsey plunge in to Aaron Ramsey out for deteriorate Arsenal contend they will not be derailed by Ramsey damage Aaran Ramsey suffers abhorrence plunge in to Premier League list Premier League movement"Im unapproachable of the diversion since it was an unimaginable conflict from the initial minute," Wenger said. "We indispensable to be difficult and volatile to win. Of march really unhappy since of what happened. We know the a bad injury. We have to send him to London tonight to see if he needs puncture surgery. We could see the group was repelled but this group is really clever mentally and we will do it for Ramsey as well, since he deserves it."
This has been a week to dont think about for the Premier League, what with Portsmouths monetary plight, nonetheless the approach this compare proposed was a sign of because it is the majority watched joining in the world. Committed, fast, furious: football with courtesy necessity disorder. As Wenger said, a conflict right from the beginning.
Wenger might have been all respect where Stoke were endangered forward of this game, but as one would expect, he had still forked out that they had scored fifteen goals from set pieces this season, fourteen of them at home, and of those 14, majority were from their prolonged throws. Perhaps he not think to discuss it his players, though.
Eight mins in and, you guessed it, Rory Delap destined his throw to
Shawcross, who flicked on to the far post. Danny Pugh was inexplicably unmarked and, with Manuel Almunia stranded, had the elementary charge of streamer in to an open net. Delaps capability to launch the round similar to a ballistic barb never ceases to amaze, but even some-more implausible is that, after roughly dual seasons, opponents have still not come up with an initiative, a Star Wars programme, to understanding with it.
With scarcely half an hour gone, Arsenal had usually one correct try on goal. Time to adopt the when-in-Rome philosophy. Emmanuel Ebou cannot throw as far as Delap, but he found Fabregas, who crossed low in to the box and Bendtner arched his header over Thomas Sorensen and in to the far corner.
The second half began as the initial had finished, full speed ahead.
Then Shawcross felled Ramsey. The players swarming around, and fast signalled their concern. Shawcross attempted to console the stricken midfielder, but was suggested to travel away. When he did it was with tears in his eyes. "He was great his eyes out," Tony Pulis said.
Perhaps to take their mind off their team-mates predicament, Arsenal strong entirely on attack. Pugh rubbed in the area, Peter Walton forked to the spot, and Fabregas found the corner. Then Vermaelen, one of those who had been majority influenced by Ramseys injury, found his approach past Sorensen. It equates to that Arsenal sojourn in the pretension competition but that will be the last thing on Wengers mind. "I cannot suffer this win," he said. "It is as well sad."
