Premier League - Arsenal coast past Stoke

Eurosport - Sun, 24 May 21:30:00 2009

Arsenal closed out their Premier League season with an entertaining 4-1 win over Stoke City at the Emirates Stadium.

FOOTBALL Van Persie goal - 0

A brace from Robin van Persie, along with an own- oal from James Beattie and a header from Abou Diaby meant the game was effectively over by half-time, while Ricardo Fuller scored from the penalty spot for Stoke.

Improved defensive displays from both sides after the break, aided by a drop in the tempo from both midfields, ensured the score remained the same through to the finish.

Arsenal finish the season fourth, while Stoke City slip behind Wigan to 12th.

Though neither side had anything to play for on the day, comically bad defending from both the hosts and the visitors ensured a goal-filled first half in sunny North London.

Despite Stoke twice slicing through the Arsenal back line in the opening few minutes, it was the Gunners who opened the scoring courtesy of an own-goal from Beattie, who diverted Cesc Fabregas's cross beyond the stranded Steve Simonsen.

Three minutes later and Arsenal were 2-0 up after Ryan Shawcross chopped down Van Persie in the area, and the Dutchman picked himself up to tuck the penalty beyond Simonsen.

Two became three on 18 minutes as Diaby was given the freedom of the Stoke penalty area to plant home a header from Van Persie's cross, before Simonsen's nightmare afternoon came to a premature end when he trudged off with a back injury to be replaced by the semi-fit Thomas Sorensen.

Fuller finally gave the visiting fans something to cheer about as he won a penalty from a clumsy Denilson challenge, before stroking home the spot kick himself.

As porous and uncertain as Arsenal's defence may have looked, Van Persie ensured they were a constant danger in attack, and he was unlucky not to grab his second of the afternoon on 33 minutes after he saw a screaming 35-yard free-kick come back off the bar, while Sorensen acrobatically tipped Andrei Arshavin's overhead kick round the post from the follow-up.

Van Persie did not have long to wait for his second however, which arrived as something of a gift from Rory Delap. In attempting to direct the ball back to Sorensen, the big midfielder succeeded only in presenting it straight to the Dutchman, who restored Arsenal's three-goal cushion.

Perhaps having been on the end of respective ear bashings from their managers, both defences seemed to find a sense of discipline and composure entirely lacking from the first period, though Van Persie and Shawcross did pass up genuine headed chances at the start of the half.

A raft of changes around the hour-mark somewhat broke up the rhythm of the game, though Emmanuel Eboue, one of those brought on, went close with a low effort after striding forward from right-back.

That marked the last genuine chance of the game, as Arsenal switched to cruise control, seemingly content with their afternoon's work, leaving Stoke to chase in vain as they moved the ball slickly around the pitch in front of an emptying Emirates Stadium in the dying minutes.

Michael FitzGerald / Eurosport

Comment 9 - 28 of 28

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  1. Robin
    van
    Persie

    (he needs to sign a new contract this­ summer so arsenal can keep him!)

    From famrich5, on Tue 26 May 10:46PM

  2. I just read the coment from Wendy411. Does this­ moron's mother know she is up so late and has­ access to a P.C.?

    From ERIC P, on Tue 26 May 5:26AM

  3. go on wenger sign hagenland and martins

    From jose m, on Mon 25 May 4:05PM

  4. This season wasn't a failure for Arsenal.After all­ we reached the semi-finals at the FA Cup and the­ Champions League.We just had no luck.For example­ Gibbs.In the first leg he shut down Ronaldo, but in the­ second he slipped.This is life.I am sure that next­ season Arsenal will stay in the league race.I hope­ there will be no mass injuries next season like­ Rosicky, Fabregas and so on.

    From 3D, on Mon 25 May 3:42PM

  5. Arsenal fans lets at this time rededicate our support­ to Gunners the season was not a total failure. Some big­ club like Newcastle who did all the buying has been­ relegated. Gunners for life. From samuel Anodi

    From desam25, on Mon 25 May 2:33PM

  6. Congrats to Mr. Wenger for this season premier­ league... Nothing have to say about him except thanks­ you. However i would like to see Adebayour to leave­ Arsenal coz it's time for him to go. His heart seem­ to be else where..Really miss player like Dennis­ Bergkamp type of play... Pls sign martins since­ newcastle have been regelated to division one. As for­ Arsenal defensive back line.., i would like mr wenger­ to sign an english defender rather than foreign­ player... i felt disappointed to see gallas, silvestre­ and others as their mistake cost Arsenal­ championship...

    From Sheikh, on Mon 25 May 9:48AM

  7. who the f**k are stoke?????

    From wendy411, on Mon 25 May 4:40AM

  8. The match statistics tells it all. What a way to end­ the rather roller-coaster season for Arsenal. Wenger is­ a fantastic manager and individual. He evidently­ optimizes resources more than any other top flight (Big­ 4) premier league manager. I know he has suffered­ tremendously unwarranted damnation from both­ fickle-minded supporters/board and the media but I­ believe he is a strong character, capable of not being­ fazed by criticism. No one, not even Sky Sports, has­ bothered to cut him some slack by judging his­ achievement against his resources in relation to other­ Big 4 managers and their budgets. Today's display­ hopefully vindicates Wenger's continued belief in­ and defence of his young players. It is more likely for­ younger people to be discouraged when they have to­ continuously deal with unrelenting hammering as opposed­ to the hyping and overhyping Man U players for example,­ enjoy on and off pitch from the media, particularly Sky­ Sport!

    From Victor, on Mon 25 May 4:27AM

  9. not too good but not too bad a season for­ arsenal....experience in defence is only what is­ required for them....balance in the side is­ key....midfield and attack is superb perhaps the best­ but defence perhaps the worst....there is no­ composure....surely wenger will figure this out...
    ppl­ beware of the gunners nxt season

    From pranay_1411, on Mon 25 May 2:25AM

  10. Semi final Champions League, Semi-final FA Cup, 21­ successive Premier League games unbeaten, Qualifying­ for the Champions League for the umpteenth season in a­ row, only one defeat in 6 to the other teams in­ 'The Big Four'. Yeah, a real failure. (comment­ by Millsy2010)

    From tmb.bond, on Sun 24 May 9:17PM
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    How good has your season been Arsenal...not as good as­ ours by a mile............come on you mighty Stoke.

    From aligater, on Sun 24 May 7:02PM

  12. staceyjames717, we've won two away games. get your­ facts right before making statements. Thanks

    + TP 2nd­ best manager of the year, got to hand it to roy hodgson­ to be honest

    From barnz, on Sun 24 May 6:02PM
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    if rvp goz in at sorensen like he did at the brit­ gunners have had it stoke will win 2-1 to the potters­ ha ha ha tp prem manager of the year only one win away

    From staceyjames717, on Sat 23 May 10:46PM

  14. wenger,buy 2 or 3 star player who can score a goal,dont­ always attact n passing in the middle oni,try to move­ in wing also.like barca,man u,liverpool

    From peace guy, on Sat 23 May 6:51PM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    F*CK ARSEnal WHO ARE THEY ANY WAY ?WON NOTHING ,SPENT­ LOADS,JUST A WASTE OF SPACE AND MONEY...SACK ARSE H*LE­ WA*KER THAT WOULD GET SOME DECENT PLAYERS

    From simonwilson47, on Sat 23 May 12:12PM

  16. andrew.childs3, Muppet. You can't kick a throw in.­ Hence it been called a throw in.

    From Rich, on Fri 22 May 3:45AM

  17. I LOVE the new away kit. It is amazing!!!
    I loved the­ yellow one so i got it with my name on the back and 4­ for fabregas.
    Then i got the red one with nasri, 8 on­ the back.
    I really would like this one so i am going to­ the arsenal store (or the amoury) to get it on the 25th­ of June!!!
    But who should i get on the­ back...
    Fabregas, 4 (but will he go??)
    Arshavin, 23­ (but he hasn't really been that good in the last­ few games)
    Walcott, 14 (but i want walcott for the­ world cup on my england shirt)
    Van Persie, 11 (but that­ will cost a lot including the price of the­ shirt!!)

    It's so hard...

    From famrich5, on Fri 22 May 2:05AM

  18. your to right lagrenouille, delap is abetter player­ than people think its morons like childs who can only­ see what the media write ,cause hes got a long throw­ ,it hides his other good work what he does, unless you­ actually see him you cant comment . its still a sore­ point what happened at the britt, l o l arsenal are­ arrogant,and bad losers you will see on sunday. go on­ stoke

    From peno1, on Thu 21 May 10:17PM

  19. andrew.childs3 is an idiot. a drooling moron. a brain­ dead joke of a man. andrew chils 1 and 2 are­ embarrassed to share a name with him. the man is a­ clueless joke. Delap? long throw? highlights on MOTD­ aren't the same as watching a full game. reading­ match reports don't mean you know the game or the­ player. give it up andy you're tired lame comments­ show you up as a half wit

    From lagrenouille, on Thu 21 May 8:47PM
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    delap is an idiot he cant kick a football he has to­ throw it in

    From andrew.childs3, on Thu 21 May 7:04PM
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