With Thierry Henry and Robert Pires in attendance, the Gunners had a sense of vengeance about their play to redeem the 3-2 loss at the Britannia in early December. With Mesut Ozil, Theo Walcott and Aaron Ramsey on the bench to start, Alexis Sanchez led the way for Arsenal in a 3-0 win, their first clean sheet in seven league matches, led by David Ospina in place of a short-leashed Wojciech Szczesny.
The game began with high intensity pressuring by Arsenal led by Alexis Sanchez, Tomas Rosicky and Laurent Koscielny. It took a mere six minutes for the Gunners to open up the scoring at the Emirates, with a wonder cross from Alexis Sanchez (who else?), Laurent Koscielny had an unmarked header six-yards out for his second goal of the Premier League season, Sanchez picking up his seventh assist of the season.
The Gunners struck again in the 33rd minute with a clever one-two pass between Sanchez and Rosicky on the edge of the area, leaving Alexis with a curling shot near post that left the Potters keeper on his wrong foot. Sanchez picked up his eleventh league goal of the season, leading Arsenal’s scoring charts in his first season with the club.
Arsenal picked up a free-kick on the edge of the box about twenty-yards out, leaving Alexis Sanchez to finish another set piece this year. The Chilean winger ripped a shot through the wall, leaving Stoke’s Asmir Begovic unable to squeeze a save. Alexis then picked up his twelfth league goal of the season, placing him fourth in the race for the Golden Boot.
The one damper on the Gunners was yet another injury picked up by Mathieu Debuchy as he awkwardly landed on his shoulder while trying to shield the ball for a goal kick, leaving the pitch with a dislocated shoulder. Debuchy left the Emirates for a local hospital spell – should be a couple weeks, minimum – before he is back in action. Hector ellerin came in for the former Newcastle United man and provided a steady performance on the back line. Bellerin’s ability to get forward on the wing leaves teams guessing which speedster will lead the charge on the right side of the pitch: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott or Hector Bellerin.
Ozil and Walcott made their returns to the Premier League late in the second-half and both had opportunities to score to extend the lead – Walcott scuffing shot wide and Ozil ripping a shot wide of the near post; both trying to shake off the rust. Understandable.
Cazorla and Coquelin did tremendous in the midfield today as Santi attacked with creativity, which almost resulted in a cheeky chip attempt on goal. Coquelin’s clinically timed tackled in Arsenal’s end provided a physical presence in the midfield that has been a lingering problem with Arsenal. Well done.
Overall, the Gunners looked comfortable going forward with the ball against an uninspired Stoke side. Arsenal’s defense stepped up, finally, and showed what the Gunners can look like with a solid back line.
Man of the Match: Alexis Sanchez (two goals and one assist)
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