Another game, another comfortable win: this is fun, isn’t it?
Arsenal started off the better team, piling bodies into Stoke’s box and looping in chances. However, the Potters did make one or two surges forward.
Despite the positive start, it didn’t look good for Shkodran Mustafi, who went down under a challenge and soon limped off holding his hamstring. The newly fit Hector Bellerin came on in his place.
While the Gunners continued to have the better chances, none could really find the target, which we paid for when Stoke got a penalty because Granit Xhaka put his elbow in Joe Allen’s face. Quite why Xhaka wasn’t sent off if it was indeed a penalty, no one knows.
Accident or not, penalty or not, Charlie Adam scored.
The Stoke goal took the wind out of Arsenal’s sails and although they were playing some good football, they were a little wasteful and sloppy throughout the rest of the first half.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, a lovely bit of build-up play between Xhaka, Alexis Sanchez and Bellerin led to our equaliser. Theo Walcott decided to start playing and scored a lovely goal just before half time, slotting the ball in at the ‘keeper’s near post after receiving the ball and instinctively passing it into the net.
All the stats from the first half of #AFCvSCFC
What have you made of the game so far? pic.twitter.com/DJ94FlxXBi
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) December 10, 2016
In the second half, Arsenal wasted no time in getting forward, linking up and making accurate, decisive passes. Bellerin skied a shot just seconds after we kicked off again but the intent to push on and go ahead was there.
Sure enough, Mesut Ozil put the Gunners 2-1 ahead in the 50th minute. A stunning ball in from the Ox landed on the German’s head, which Ozil looped over the goalkeeper.
After Arsenal went ahead, the intensity of the match was taken down a level. Stoke had a couple of chances but never really troubled Cech.
https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/807623046072827904
Shortly after being brought on for the Ox, Iwobi put Arsenal 3-1 ahead, putting the tie out of sight for the visitors. The 20-year-old isn’t known for his composure in front of goal but it seems he’s been working on it, since his finish was very slick.
Arsenal sub:
Alexis off, Giroud on. #afc— afcstuff (@afcstuff) December 10, 2016
Stoke continued to not really offer anything to the game and Arsenal cruised to another straight forward three points.
With Chelsea still to play this weekend, Arsenal sit top of the Premier League table.
All this winning comfortably is rather nice, isn’t it?