Stoke vs Arsenal, 3-1: Full time thoughts, analysis and player ratings

The Game
With what is coming up next in the Premiership, I completely agree with Arsene Wenger’s starting line-up. Sol Campbell needed a game to test his fitness out, ditto for Theo Walcott and sooner or later, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas had to enjoy a regular start in an important game.
Unfortunately, the players who were supposed to help the young ones didn’t turn up for the game, with Lukasz Fabianski, Mikael Silvestre and Denilson all showing why they should never be used as regulars.
The ratings of many players, including the young ones, are very low today but this doesn’t mean I don’t believe in them or that I’m rating them as a player. Many will blame them, they will be quick to blame players who are used once every two months with the expectations that they will play the game of their life.
Believe me, it’s not that easy. Judge them when they play 10 games in a row, maybe more, and I’m including Theo Walcott here.
We crash out, but it’s not the end of the world. As I said, it’s seeing the "experienced" players failing that really disappointed me today, not really the scoreline, which doesn’t come as a surprise to me, just like the heavy defeat against Manchester City in the Carling Cup. There are more important objectives to fight for.
Starting this Wednesday.
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Player Ratings
Fabianski: 4,5 – Let me tell you, we’re in deep trouble when it comes to goalkeepers. If Almunia offers no protection whatsoever to the back four, you can’t say Fabianski does. Not to mention his dangerous distribution when he has the ball.
Campbell: 6,5 – He looked rusty and slow, but it was his first game after all. Having said that, he had a very, very good game, good in the air and showed all his experience at the back.
Silvestre: 3 – The challenge from which he suffered an injury was the only positive thing of his game. The rest, a disaster.
Coquelin: 4 – One of the young guns who really can’t be blamed for defeat. Not the best of games, some good tackles but panicked when in possession. He will surely learn from this.
Traore: 5 – Clichy had to play. I can’t understand why an experienced player returning from injury was not used. Armand may be very good when going forward but defensively, he’s still a long way off.
Eastmond: 6 – Keeps on performing well and one of the few who did well today.
Denilson: 4 – I still can’t believe many consider him a regular. The second and third goal exploited all his weaknesses: no strength and even more worse than that, no pace. For the record, it was Mamady Sidibe he was chasing, not Cristiano Ronaldo.
Fabregas: 6 – I knew he had to play if we were to stand a chance of winning. It seems Arsene thought the same, but you can’t expect one man to do it all alone, can you?
Vela: 4,5 – Some nice runs, some nice passes but except the final pass to Ramsey, created nothing worth noting with the ball.
Walcott: 3 – Just like Carlos, Theo also failed to make an impact on the game but I’ll wait to see him with the regular eleven to judge him.
Emmanuel-Thomas: 4 – Unimpressed by him. I thought he could be an option for the regular team in terms of physical presence, which he possesses, but he’s terrible on the ball.

(Subs)Eduardo, Arshavin, Ramsey: No Vote – These three came on to help Arsenal’s cause but I can’t really say they were involved as much as Wenger hoped. Eduardo and Arshavin barely touched the ball. Aaron was more involved but I still can’t understand why he didn’t go for the easy pass to the right to Vela and that started Stoke’s second goal move which killed us off.
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