Arsenal Vs Stoke City: Nail in Potters’ coffin utterly joyous

The animosity between Stoke City and Arsenal continues to intensify as years go by. Slamming the nail into the Potters’ coffin, then, would be utterly joyous.

Stoke City and Arsenal are on two completely different levels. One fights for the title, or at least believes they fight for the title; the other fights for survival. One challenges in Europe; one rarely makes a mark domestically. One plays attacking, attractive football; the other, traditionally, reverts back to the kick-and-run era of this apparently beautiful game.

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The burgeoning question on everyone’s mind, then, is why do the Gunners faithful waste their time hating them? Easy, Stoke stand for everything that Arsenal aspires not to be. Classless. Hard-hitting. Nothing more than a pub side.

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In 2010, the rivalry began. Ryan Shawcross horrifically injured Aaron Ramsey. Shawcross dangerously flew into a challenge, breaking the Welshman’s leg. Shawcross did actually weep before Ramsey’s broken tibia, but such was the violence of the challenge, forgiveness has been hard to find. One thing that is quite puzzling is that Potters fans now feel hate towards Ramsey when he was the victim of violent play, often booing him when he receives the ball, especially at the Britannia, now BET 365, stadium.

While that was the start of the rivalry, the sustenance came from Arsene Wenger. Although many have cast doubt on Wenger’s ability of coaching recently, there is no doubting his philosophy for the game and for how football should be played. After Ramsey’s injury, Wenger sprung to the Welshman’s defense in the post-game press conference, stating Stoke use “rugby tactics”. Say what you will about the ageing Wenger, but he will never fail to stick up for one of his players.

A fiery rivalry between good and evil came from the horror tackle. ‘Rivalry’ may be a strong word, though, as while Tony Pulis was scraping through each season just to stay alive, Wenger was consistently making the top four. Now that Pulis has parted ways with Stoke and was sacked this year after a sticky spell with West Bromwich Albion, you would think the Stoke faithful would get off Wenger’s back. Not a chance.

Arsenal and Stoke City’s hate toward each other grows each and every time the sides meet. In the last game, Alexandre Lacazette had a goal wrongfully called offside, angering fans, players, and manager alike. Revenge, then, will be on the menu.

And revenge will come in the form of potential relegation. Stoke currently sit 19th in the table, three points from safety having played a game more than West Ham United and Southampton, the two teams directly above them. Incidentally, those two teams play one another on Saturday afternoon. A win for either, and a loss for Stoke, and their survival hopes could be left in tatters.

Next: Arsenal Vs Stoke City: Predicted starting XI

That is the reward for Arsenal: to damn a team that they most certainly do not like to the depths of lower league football. Hammering that nail into their coffin would be the most joyous of occasions indeed.