Arsenal's title hopes end with 3-1 loss at Stoke

Posted Monday, May 09, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

STOKE, England (AP)—Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes were ended by a 3-1 loss at Stoke on Sunday that exposed the team’s defensive frailties.

First-half goals from Kenwyne Jones and Jermaine Pennant were conceded far too easily and further weaknesses were evident after the break.

Although Robin van Persie pulled one back for Arsenal in the 81st minute, Jon Walters produced an immediate response for Stoke after Johan Djourou’s poor clearance.

The loss left Arsenal nine points behind Manchester United and unable to catch the leaders, who beat Chelsea 2-1 in Sunday’s late match.

As Arsenal finished a sixth successive season without a trophy, manager Arsene Wenger was left contemplating why Arsenal continues to concede soft goals.

“Something has gone (from the team)—you can see that today,” Wenger said. “It was a disappointing performance. The competitive level for Stoke was higher than ours and overall I think we lost the game because Stoke defended much better than we did, with much more purpose.”

Last weekend Arsenal beat Man United to re-ignite its hopes of catching the leaders.

“That is the Premier League. If you don’t turn up it is the same competitive spirit in every game and you can lose everywhere, especially at Stoke,” Wenger said. “Stoke defend well and make it difficult for you and the most important thing is not to be 1-0 down.”

Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny had already flapped at one cross which Pennant hooked wide when he was left totally exposed by his defense in the 28th minute for Stoke’s opener.

Andrey Arshavin’s needless push on Pennant close to the corner flag allowed the winger to clip over a free kick, and Jones easily evaded Johan Djourou to simply jog in and let the ball hit him on the chest to divert it over the line.

Stoke fans’ chant of “1-0 to the rugby team” was aimed at Wenger, who had criticized the hosts for playing too roughly.

Stoke’s second goal came in the 40th after Pennant cut in from the left and was allowed to advance unchallenged.

When Djourou belatedly came to meet Pennant, the winger fired in a shot which deflected off the defender and over Szczesny.

Arsenal was spared further embarrassment by the crossbar just before the break after Walters struck from a narrow angle on the left of the penalty area.

Strikers Nicklas Bendtner and Marouane Chamakh replaced Ramsey and Arshavin for the second half but it was the other end of the pitch where the Gunners were lacking as within seconds of the restart Robert Huth headed over Pennant’s corner.

Shortly afterward, Huth limped off with a knee problem ahead of the FA Cup final against Manchester City on Saturday.

Arsenal’s lifeline came with nine minutes remaining when Asmir Begovic’s slip-up allowed van Persie’s shot to roll underneath him.

But Arsenal threw away its good work a minute later when Djourou’s miserable afternoon was completed by a poor half-clearance that went straight to Walters, who poked the ball past Szczesny.