The game's very open now with both teams pressing, it needs that one bit of magic to get the win!
88'
CHANCE!!!! Giroud comes so close to giving Arsenal the lead with an absolutely outrageous effort which goes inches over the bar. Gibbs played him down the left and as ran he looked up and saw Begovic off his line. He shot and the ball looped over Begovic but just didn't dip in time and went over the bar.
87'
However, Arsenal still want to win this as well and Ramsey fires an effort just past the post after some good build-up play by the Gunners. This game's anyone's to win.
85'
The longer this goes on the more Stoke will think than can perhaps geta win from this game, and Walters nearly emphasizes this point as he breaks down the left but just can't get enough on his effort to beat Mannone.
82'
Close!!!! Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain just puts his head wide after beating his marker in the air from an Arteta corner, Strangely enough it's the Gunners who have looked more dangerous from set-pieces than the Potters.
81'
W. Palacios enters the game and replaces G. Whelan.
A. Ramsey enters the game and replaces Santi Cazorla.
80'
The Arsenal defence has been much maligned in recent years but today they've been solid particularly in the air. Mertesacker has performed very well especially against Crouch.
79'
R. Shotton enters the game and replaces P. Crouch.
77'
The games becoming stretched now there's a lot more space available for both teams. Whoever uses the ball the best in the final third will probably knick the three points here.
74'
Again poor from Arsenal in the final third. The ball fell kindly again this time for Diaby in the box, he hesitated though and missed the chance to shoot at goal before he was surrounded by defenders and the opportunity was spurned.
Minute
Description
72'
T. Walcott enters the game and replaces Y. Gervinho.
A. Oxlade-Chamberlain enters the game and replaces Ł. Podolski.
Dear me what a poor effort from Arteta. The ball had fell kindly for him after taking a touch of Huth on the edge of the box but he couldn't get over the ball and his effort went high and wide of the goal.
69'
Giroud has his first attempt at goal of the match and his acrobatic volley goes over the bar after he peeled off his man from a corner. Wasted effort, he had more time than he realised there.
68'
Half-chance for Crouch as he tried to knock Wilkinson's deep cross towards the back post goalward but it's just too long for him and he can't make good contact and the ball goes out for a goal kick.
65'
C. Jerome enters the game and replaces J. Pennant.
64'
A. Wilkinson gets yellow.
Arteta hits the wall from the free-kick and the ball is hacked clear by Stoke. The Gunners have been very disappointing in the final third of the pitch they just haven't been clinical at all.
62'
Arsenal are starting to turn the screw now with some very dangerous passing and movement outside of the Stoke area and this forces a mistake from Wilkinson as he goes in hard on Arteta and gives away a free-kick on the edge of the box.
59'
Nearly an opening for Podolski as Wilkinson slips for the second time in the game, the German international raided down the left before crossing but Begovic was on hand to intercept the ball before Giroud could reach it.
57'
That looked very close to a penalty to Stoke as Gibbs challenged Pennant who had raided inside the box, the left-back didn't win the ball as the winger went to ground but Lee Mason pointed for a goal-kick.
54'
Both sides seem to be cancelling each other out at the minute, Arsenal have the answers to Stoke's set pieces while the Potters are defending well against the Gunners passing game. Something's got to give here.
51'
Stoke are trying press Arsenal to disrupt their passing game it's a risky strategy as the Gunners can break at pace with their precise movess.
47'
Slow tempo to start the half, Arsenal have had most of the ball but were wasteful as Diaby failed to pick out the right pass to pick out Giroud while Stoke are continuing to defend deeply.
46'
We're back underway at the Britannia Stadium.
43'
Stoke have seemed to have gone away from the long throw approach, as they haven't had much success so far as Cameron throws short to Pennant who plays a lovely ball to Wilkinson but Gibbs makes a good tackle to stop his cross coming in from the byline.
40'
The game is sparking back to life as we approach the end of the half, Stoke threaten with a couple of dangerous crosses which result in some hurried clearances by the Arsenal defence. However as soon as they get the ball clear the Gunners are on the attack and Whelan does well to back at Gibbs and make a good challenge to stop a promising move.
37'
Stoke's turn to threaten now but Pennant's free-kick and Cameron's long throw are well dealt with by the Gunners defence. The Potters will have to make the most of those opportunities as they're not seeing a great deal of the ball.
34'
That's better from Cazorla as he shoots from range, his effort looks like it's zooming towards the top corner but Begovic gets there and makes a great save turning the ball past the post.
32'
Cazorla is brought down by Wilson and goes down slightly theatrically and the Stoke fans don't like it. The Spaniard gets the ball outside the area from the resulting free-kick and he fires an effort at goal and it goes wide of the post and the Stoke fans love it.
29'
That Stoke counter was worth monitoring as they break through Walters, he finds Kightly on the edge of the area, the former Wolves man hits a powerful effort at goal which is well held by Mannone.
27'
Cazorla hasn't quite been in the form he was last week, but he nearly produced a moment of magic to set Giroud through on goal but the Frenchman couldn't quite take the ball in stride and Shawcross was able to get a foot in.
24'
For all their possession Arsenal really haven't carved out any clear cut chances and haven't made Begovic work this time Podolski beats two men before cutting in on his left foot and firing at goal but his effort went well over the bar.
22'
Stoke are on the back-foot at the moment but do look dangerous when they break especially as the Gunners are committing so many men forward when they attack, leaving space for Crouch and Walters behind. That could be an interesting battle to watch.
19'
Lovely build-up from Arsenal nearly presents an opening for Gervinho as the Gunners played slick passes between Cazorla and Diaby, the latter found the run of Gibbs on the outside, who crossed to the back post but his ball was just too high for the Ivorian.
17'
The answer is no they can't as first Cazorla hits a low shot into the wall and with the rebound he fires well wide of the post. Disappointing from the Spaniard.
16'
R. Huth gets yellow.
15'
Again good stuff from Podolski as he picks up the ball in midfield and runs at the Potters defence, he beats Huth before being brought down on the edge of the box by his countryman. Referee Lee Mason awards a free-kick, can the Gunners threaten Begovic here.
13'
Nice interplay from Arsenal between Podolski and Diaby nearly creates an opening for Giroud but his cross hits Diaby before he has a chance to react. The rebound came back to him but he fired a volley way wide of the post.
11'
The game has settled down a bit now and were more into seeing what was expected as Arsenal are seeing a lot of the ball, but Stoke are sticking to their task and are looking to press the Gunners high up the pitch.
8'
End to end stuff this as the Gunners go straight on the attack and this time a knockdown from Giroud falls to Podolski as Andy Wilkinson slipped, but fortunately for the defender he was able to block the German's effort while on the floor to prevent his shot getting on target.
6'
Oooo from Mertesacker's clearance Stoke get the ball straight back and Kightly whips the ball in to find Crouch who knocks the ball down to Walters who puts the ball in the net only to be flagged offside! It looks like he was but that's a warning for the Gunners.
5'
Effective countering by Stoke as they dispossess Cazorla in the centre circle. Walters gets the ball on the right and whips a dangerous ball which Mertesacker deals with superbly to get the ball away from Peter Crouch.
3'
Three minutes in and we have the first long throw of the game and with Rory Delap not in the starting line-up it's Geoff Cameron whose fired the ball in, but Arsenal do a good jobs defensively as Vito Mannone gathers the ball in comfortably.
2'
Arsenal on the ball straight away and they try to get Santi Cazorla into the game, he plays a couple of one two's with Lukas Podolski before tying to find Kieran Gibbs on the left but his pass is misplace and goes out of play much to the delight of the home crowd.
1'
We're underway at the Britannia Stadium.
Hello and welcome to Goal.com's LIVE! commentary of today's Premier League clash between Stoke City and Arsenal from the Britannia Stadium. I'm Simon Sinclair and I'll be taking you through all the action as it happens.
Arsene Wenger has made two changes from his side that drew against Sunderland on the opening day. One has been enforced as Wojciech Szczesny misses out with a rib injury, so Vito Mannone replaces the Pole between the sticks. Olivier Giroud makes his first Premier League start coming in for Theo Walcott who drops to the bench.
Tony Pulis has also made two changes to his side that drew with Reading last week. Dean Whitehead is suspended following his red card at the Madejski so summer signing Geoff Cameron comes into the midfield to replace him. Jermaine Pennant has recovered from injury and replaces Matthew Etherington in the starting line-up.
Team News: Arsenal subs: Martinez, Santos, Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey, Djourou, Coquelin.
Arsenal have notoriously struggled in their visits to the Britannia winning just once in four trips. They've lost on two occasions the last being in 2011, in their last game here they drew 1-1 with Peter Crocuh and Robin van Persie getting the goals. We all know the Dutchman is no longer a Gunner can his replacements step up today?
Arsene Wenger doesn't seem to be happy with the length of the grass on the pitch at the Britannia Stadium. He may have a point it does look thick, which could inhibit their passing game.
It's half-time at the Britannia Stadium and it's still goalless between Stoke and Arsenal. Neither side has had any clear cut opportunities the closest being Cazorla's effort which was well saved by Begovic. The Gunners have dominated possession but haven't been at their clinical best as Stoke seem content to sit back and hit them on the break. We're set for a fascinating second-half of football, so stay with us.
It's all over at the Britannia Stadium and it's finished goalless between Stoke and Arsenal. The Gunners perhaps had the better chances but they couldn't find a way through the Potters defence and Begovic. Tony Pulis will be pleased with the point while Arsene Wenger will again be frustrated as his team seemed to lack ideas and a clinical edge when it mattered most.
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