By Alan Duffy
Stoke City 3-2 Arsenal – Premier League – 6th December 2014
Arsenal produced another trademark capitulation on Saturday, with the Gunners going 3-0 down to Stoke before eventually losing 3-2.
A feeble back-four of Gibbs, Mertesacker, Chambers and Bellerin was battered by the Potters in the first-half, with Peter Crouch netting after just 19 seconds. The impressive Bojan and then Jonathan Walters made it 3-0 before the break, with those two goals coming from more dismal Arsenal defending. Olivier Giroud had missed a great chance to make it 1-1 earlier in the half but the overall performance from the Gunners was horrendous, with the Potters out-muscling their opponents time and time again,
After the break, the Gunners almost went 4-0 down, only for Bojan effort to be chalked off for offside. Soon after that, Arsenal got one back courtesy of a Santi Cazorla penalty before Aaron Ramsey superbly volleyed home to put the visitors right back in the game. Alexis Sanchez deserved a goal for a superb solo run and shot, only for the Chilean to hit the post having rounded ‘keeper Asmir Begovic. However, the sending off of Callum Chambers for a second bookable offence late on put paid to the north Londoners’ comeback hopes.
Arsene Wenger’s side are now sixth while Stoke move up to 12th.
Photos…