Stoke City winger, Xherdan Shaqiri, has admitted that the Potters were scared when Arsenal thrashed them 4-1 last weekend.

  • Olivier Giroud (x2), Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez all scored against Stoke
  • Win kept Arsenal hot on Liverpool’s heals in race for top four
  • Shaqiri knows Potters’ performance wasn’t good enough

Shaqiri, who was actually linked with Arsenal in 2014 before he signed for Stoke the following year, admitted that the Potters’ performance last weekend wasn’t good enough and even suggested that his side were ‘scared’.

“I was disappointed after the last game because everybody knows that we are better than that. We have to learn and analyse what we can do better,” Shaqiri said.

We have to see next season when I think we will be better and we are going to try to go forward.

“We were very scared to play against Arsenal, that’s not our football. We have to go into the game to try every game. Against Man United, against every big team, we have to play.

“But in this game we play backwards, not forwards, and we have to learn. We have to try on Sunday (at Southampton) to close the season with a win and then next season try to get better to go forward.”

When Arsene Wenger’s side traveled to the bet375 Stadium last Saturday, they expected a physical, tough match. It usually is. However, from the get-go, Stoke didn’t look as if they could be bothered.

While Mark Hughes’ team didn’t have much to play for in terms of league position, usually, the glory of beating Arsenal, or more specifically Wenger, is enough for them to kick the Gunners off the pitch.

Not that I’m complaining: Arsenal played well and collected all three points, which were vital in the race for top four.