Arsenal
Tactical Review: Arsenal Win Against Cautious Stoke City
Arsenal secured a much needed home victory against Stoke City at Emirates to gain back some momentum in the race for the Champions league spot. Stoke City left the Capital city empty handed. Let’s analyze the game tactically.
Early Minutes: Arsenal’s right side dominates
In the first 15-20 mins of the game, most of the Arsenal’s attack came from the right side where Walcott and Sagna combined well in the final third. It looked very much intentional as they want Walcott to take on Wilkinson with his blistering pace. Another reason for this may the debut of Arsenal left back Monreal. May be the Arsenal players don’t want to put lot of pressure on the debutant who is just two days old at the London club. He just got his first real touch after 10 mins of the game. Look at the picture below, it shows the action areas of Arsenal players in first 15 mins of the game. Most of the action took place in Arsenal’s right side while Monreal’s action areas are almost zero.
Ride and Left side Action Areas
Cautious game by Stoke
It is a well known fact that Stoke play a cautious counter attacking game away from the game. But when you play Arsenal, it is always better to attack them, take lead and then defend deep. But Stoke never really tried to gear up in attack. Peter Crouch is the only player who tried his best to provide some threat to Arsenal defense. But I will put the blame on Stoke wingers Etherington and Walters for Stoke’s bluntness in attack. At least Etherington’s case is understandable because he need to help Wilkinson dealing with Walcott’s pace. Walters was very poor and offered almost zero width to Stoke’s gameplay. Stoke payed the price for giving the hosts too much respect at Emirates.
Unimpressive Performance graph of Walters
Heat map shows that Etherington spent half of time in defending
Monreal debut analysis
Very good start for Monreal’s Arsenal career. As mentioned above, Arsenal players avoided passing to him at the early stages of the game but when he grew into the game, he got lot more distributions from his team mates. He was in a cautious mode all the time during the game. It’s very rare to see an Arsenal left back maintaining defensive position more and also providing less support to left side wingers. But when required, Monreal made some overlapping runs and also provided some good crosses too. He may not be as adventurous as Gibbs, but will certainly add much needed stability in Arsenal defense. Looks promising!
Second Half Story
Second half was much more similar to the first half where Arsenal dominated the possession. This Arsenal is bit weird. They don’t do tika taka anymore. They are not as beautiful as Arsenal few years back when Cesc Fabregas, Flamini and Hleb played an immense brand of football that only present Barcelona can match. This Arsenal is more direct, they dribble more, they take some touches before passing but at the same time they still try to retain possession on every possible occasion. This team is not present mini-Barcelona. This team is more like Johan Cruyff’s Barcelona of 1988 to 1995.
Completed passes show Arsenal’s ability to retain possession without tika taka
Coming back to the game, Arsenal finally took the lead when the substitute Lukas Podolski scored from a deflected free kick. After conceding the goal, Stoke finally decided to attack with some intent. They preferred an ultra-direct style of play as waves of long balls were cannoned from the back. Arsenal center backs neutralized the long-ball threat well enough in the end. Arsenal comfortably held the possession and finished the game well to secure three crucial points for the North Londoners.
Verdict: Cautious Stoke City…Impressive Arsenal!!!
As usual I will leave you guys with some match stats,
Arsenal vs Stoke City Stats
Arsenal host Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday in what could prove decisive for the Gunners’ Premier League title ambitions. Arsenal sit top of the table with 61 points from 28 matches, five points clear of Manchester City, who still have a game in hand, while Chelsea occupy 7th with 45 points after being held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by Burnley at Stamford Bridge last weekend.
This represents a huge opportunity for Mikel Arteta’s side to put further distance between themselves and the chasing pack before facing Brighton away on Wednesday. Chelsea arrive at the Emirates in patchy form under Liam Rosenior, who has won just two of his eight league matches since replacing Enzo Maresca in January despite an encouraging start to his tenure.
Kick-off: 4:30 GMT, Sunday, March 1, 2026
Venue: Emirates Stadium
TV: Sky Sports
Kai Havertz Returns to Haunt Former Club
Mikel Arteta confirmed on Friday that Kai Havertz will train on Saturday ahead of the Chelsea clash, giving the German a chance to feature against his former employers. Havertz has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since early February, but scored the winner in Arsenal’s 1-0 Carabao Cup semi final victory over Chelsea earlier this month.
The 26 year old has endured a nightmare campaign with injuries limiting him to just 158 Premier League minutes this season, though he has still managed two goals and two assists when available. Viktor Gyokeres has flourished in Havertz’s absence, scoring twice in the 4-1 North London Derby demolition of Tottenham last weekend.
Rosenior Yet to Face Top Six Opposition
Liam Rosenior faces his first test against a top six side in the league since taking charge of Chelsea, having only faced teams sitting 7th or lower during his opening eight matches. His winning run needs proper context, given the quality of opposition, with recent dropped points against Leeds and Burnley at Stamford Bridge exposing serious vulnerabilities.
Arteta has beaten Rosenior twice already this season in the two legged Carabao Cup semi final, and the Spanish manager will fancy his chances of completing a treble over the Chelsea boss. Bukayo Saka should be fit despite limping off late against Spurs, while Ben White remains doubtful with a niggle.
Predicted Lineups: Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber; Rice, Zubimendi, Odegaard; Saka, Gyokeres, Eze
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; James, Disasi, Colwill, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Madueke, Palmer, Mudryk; Jackson
Also read: Kai Havertz Injury Update: Real Timeline and Medical Details Revealed!
Arsenal Dragon
Update Given Following Arsenal Injury Scare as Olivia Smith Discharged From Hospital After Being Stretchered Off During FA Cup Win Over Bristol City
Arsenal star Olivia Smith has been discharged from hospital after being stretchered off the field during their Women’s FA Cup game against Bristol City. The forward, who joined the Gunners in the summer, played just under an hour before being forced off with pictures showing a neck brace around the 21 year old at Meadow Park.
This was a worrying moment for Arsenal supporters watching on Sunday afternoon. The Canadian international went down, receiving lengthy treatment before being taken off on a stretcher as a precaution. Thankfully, the injury appears to be far less serious than initially feared.
Left Hospital Yesterday Evening
According to Arsenal reporter Tim Stillman, Olivia Smith left the hospital yesterday evening after tests were run and will return to be assessed this week ahead of the March international break. This is brilliant news for Arsenal, who cannot afford to lose Smith for any length of time, given her importance to the team.
It is believed that her involvement with Canada is still up in the air, with the Canucks facing a triple header of friendlies against Colombia, Argentina, and the United States over the coming two weeks. Arsenal’s next match sees them face London City Lionesses in mid March.
Big Boost for Champions League Hopes
With no video available for Arsenal’s cup game against Bristol City, there was huge concern surrounding Smith’s condition for those unable to attend the game at Meadow Park. Thankfully, what seemed initially to be a severe injury has turned out to be a fairly minor incident.
While Stina Blackstenius and Alessia Russo are both more than capable options to lead the line, it has been Smith who has been Renee Slegers’ favoured choice and proven to be a brilliant signing since her arrival from Liverpool. Having Smith likely available for both legs of the Chelsea Champions League quarter final is a massive boost for Arsenal’s hopes of retaining their European crown.
Arsenal
Arsenal Star Named WSL Player of the Month for January as Midfielder Continues Outstanding Form Following 400th Appearance Milestone
Kim Little has been named January’s Barclays Women’s Super League Player of the Month, recognition that follows her 400th appearance for Arsenal. The captain has made an outstanding start to 2026, completing every minute in the WSL and helping secure two clean sheets and four points from fixtures against Manchester United and Chelsea.
Little drove the midfield against United in the 0-0 draw at the Emirates Stadium and was again pivotal in the disciplined defensive display at Stamford Bridge that delivered that historic 2-0 win over the Blues. This is absolutely deserved recognition for one of Arsenal’s most influential players, who continues to perform at the highest level despite being 35 years old.
400th Appearance Came in Belgium
Little’s landmark 400th appearance came in Belgium as Arsenal won 4-0 at OH Leuven to close in on a Champions League London derby with Chelsea. The Scottish playmaker came on as a second half substitute in the 82nd minute, replacing Olivia Smith, to reach 400 appearances.
This achievement is even more notable given the time she spent playing in the USA and Australia during her career. Little has become one of the defining figures of the modern Arsenal era, establishing herself as an absolute legend at the club.
Chelsea Awaits in Champions League Quarterfinals
Provided nothing dramatic unfolds at Meadow Park next week, Chelsea awaits in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Women’s Champions League. Arsenal hold a commanding 4-0 advantage from the first leg and are overwhelming favorites to progress to a mouth watering London derby in the last eight.
Little will be central to Arsenal’s hopes of defending their Champions League crown, with the midfielder’s experience and leadership qualities proving invaluable during the knockout stages of major competitions. Her consistent performances continue to set the standard for everyone around her.
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