Stoke 1 - Arsenal 0: Jese nets winner on debut as Gunners struggle
ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger was left to bemoan more refereeing decisions but few Premier League neutrals would begrudge new Stoke signing Jese his moment in the spotlight in the Potteries last night.
The glamorous new loan signing, whose career path has taken him from Madrid to the Potteries via Paris, immediately wrote himself into Stoke cult status with a debut goal as Mark Hughes’s side stunned Arsene Wenger and his title hopefuls.
The lively former Real star surged through midfield after 47 minutes and exchanged passes with Sadio Berahino before continuing his run and slotting an impressive finish past the diving Petr Cech.
And, after his performance came after just one training session, Hughes expects the former Real Madrid and PSG forward, to make a major impact in his new surroundings.
“He’s an elite player,” said Hughes. “A player that can change games for teams, I’m delighted he’s here.
“Everybody has seen what he is going to bring to Stoke and bring to the Premier League. We’re glad he’s in our colours because he’s going to light up the Premier League.
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“He’s not up to speed yet. He’s only had one significant training session and missed a week’s training last week because his new-born child had a minor operation.
“But he came in and wanted to make an impression and really enjoyed his first taste of the Premier League.”
Wenger was left fuming, not only at his own team’s failings, but also referee Andre Marriner ruling out a second half “equaliser” by Alexandre Lacazette.
“I watched it it’s not offside at all,” said Wenger. “Even his foot was not offside but we have to swallow that.
“We should have scored and it’s just another detail that didn’t go our way. I believe we lost three big points today. In football when you don’t win games you should win you can only look at yourself.”
Wenger was also frustrated by two penalty shouts that did not go his team’s way - a handball by Kurt Zouma and Mame Diouf foul on Hector Bellerin.
“But of course – we don’t get penalties, we know that,” he added. “I can get the numbers you will see. Look at the statistics. We had the highest penalties against us at home by a mile and the lowest number for us.”
Still, there were opportunities to score that Arsenal squandered and they had nothing to do with refereeing.
GETTY
Alexandre Lacazette had a goal disallowed against Stoke
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In a lively first half showing, Danny Welbeck volleyed directly at Jack Butland from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s clever lob, then sent a free header sailing over in the second half.
Nor was the England striker alone in missing some golden openings. Team mate Aaron Ramsey looked lively and found himself beyond Stoke’s backline repeatedly but the end product was disappointing.
He met a far-post free-kick from Mesut Ozil after 28 minutes with a thundering volley which Butland, again, saved well but, tellingly, that was the German playmaker’s only contribution of note in the game.
Not that Stoke failed to create chances of their own, aside from the game’s only goal.
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Ryan Shawcross headed over when unmarked just before the interval while Erik Pieters’ cross was met by Berahino whose powerful downward header bounced up and was tipped over by Cech.
By that stage Arsenal were launching a furious late charge to try and salvage a point although an injury-time chance that Olivier Giroud headed just wide summed up a fruitless afternoon and more headaches for Wenger.
At least Wenger had the consolation of knowing that Alexis Sanchez, subject of so much transfer speculation this summer, should be available next week after coming through a training session yesterday.
But on this display, it will take more than the brilliant Chilean to transport the Gunners into title contention.
