Arsenal fail to score again in draw with Stoke

Arsenal again had to settle for a bore draw as they failed to score again in their second Premier League game of the season. Once again they created plenty of chances but failed to take them. However the team does look as though it's got potential. There was once again a cleansheet which is a major positive and will also be a massive confidence boost for Vito Mannone who came in for the injured Wojciech Szczesny. The goal less draw surely means that Arsene Wenger will now have to look for attacking reinforcements in the final week of the transfer window though. Or does it? Buying another striker could be a sign that Arsenal are panicking as Wenger's summer buys have yet to find the net. However with strikers looking to depart such as Bendtner, Park and possibly Chamakh another new striker could be on the cards. Not to mention that the Gunners could also do with a new defensive midfielder and also a new defender before the transfer window slam shuts on Friday night.

Aswell as the cleansheet in the game with Stoke, there were some other positives again. Arsenal created a lot of chances and Olivier Giroud looked very confident when taking shots on goal. Meanwhile Santi Cazorla was again dominant in the middle of midfield. Giroud was one of two changes to the starting lineup as the Frenchman made his first competitive start for the club in place of Walcott who was dropped to the bench. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was also on the bench as reserve goalkeeper Damian Martinez was also a sub due to injuries to Szczesny and Fabianski.

Santi Cazorla was once again the stand out man for Arsenal

Just 6 minutes into the game and it looked as though Stoke had opened the scoring. Peter Crouch headed the ball into the path of Walters who fired the ball home but for the offside flag that ruled the goal out.

Arsenal's first chance of the game fell to Lukas Podolski. The ball bounced off of Giroud and into the path of the German who hit a shot which was blocked brilliantly by Wilkinson.

Santi Cazorla then had two chances in quick succession as first his free-kick was blocked by the wall and then he shot once more from the rebound but he dragged the attempt wide of the goal.

Just before the half hour mark Vito Mannone was tested for the first time in the match as Kightly drove a shot from outside the box but it was straight at Mannone who held onto the ball well.

Cazorla was the man who was once again testing the goalkeeper as he drove forward with the ball before unleashing a shot which Begovic did well to beat away.

The new Arsenal captain Thomas Vermaelen was then on the end of a very nasty tackle on the edge of the box from Andy Wilkinson. A challenge which resulted in a yellow card and a free-kick. Mikel Arteta took the dead ball but once again it was hammered into the wall.

Then as he did against Sunderland, Olivier Giroud had another great chance to possibly win the game for Arsenal. Cazorla's floated free kick found Giroud on the penalty spot but he acrobatically put the ball wide.

Oxlade-Chamberlain, who had come on as a second half sub then had a decent opportunity from a corner. Arteta managed to find the head of Chamberlain but it went harmlessly over the crossbar.

Stoke City hadn't really threatened much but Walters then had a good chance in the last 5 minutes as he went clear on goal and then tried to flick the ball past Mannone but the Italian goalkeeper was equal to it.

Aaron Ramsey, the man who had broken his leg in this fixture in 2010, then almost gave the Gunners the lead as he found room on the edge of the area before firing his shot wide of Begovic in the Stoke goal.

With 2 minutes left Giroud let fly with a speculative effort from far out on the left hand side which chipped Begovic and just went over. The frenchman also had Ramsey in the middle which could have been a better option but instead he went for goal which almost payed off.

The final score finished Stoke 0-0 Arsenal.

The teams lineups:

Stoke: Begovic, Wilkinson, Shawcross, Huth, Wilson, Kightly, Whelan(81), Cameron, Pennant(66), Walters, Crouch(79).
Subs: Sorenson, Upson, Shotton(79), Delap, Palacios(81), Jones, Jerome(66).

Arsenal: Mannone, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Diaby, Arteta, Cazorla(81), Gervinho(72), Giroud, Podolski(72).
Subs: Martinez, Santos, Djourou, Coquelin, Ramsey(81), Oxlade-Chamberlain(72), Walcott(72).

Man of the match: Santi Cazorla

Referee: Lee Mason
Attendance: 27,072

Arsenal start Premier League season with bore draw

Arsenal began life without Robin Van Persie in their first Premier League game of the season against Sunderland. There were doubts and there probably still are as to where the goals will come from this season. It was a case of a lack of end product for Arsenal, something that the fans are getting quite tired of. We were let off last season as we had the goalscoring prowess of Robin Van Persie taking almost every chance that fell to him. However this season will be slightly different, at least whilst such players as Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski settle into English football. The Gunners had many chances to score on Saturday but just couldn't take them, a thing which has become a familiar sight over recent seasons.

There were positives though, none better than a cleansheet to start off the season for Wojciech Szczesny, who has finally taken the number one shirt after the departure of Manuel Almunia. Whilst there were also full debuts for Podolski, Giroud; and Santi Cazorla who dominated the midfield and was involved in pretty much every move of the game as far as Arsenal were concerned. Abou Diaby also looked very good as he finally looked back to full fitness and to his best.

Santi Cazorla was the star of the show as Arsenal drew with Sunderland

Onto the game and the first chance fell to Sunderland. James McClean was set free and raced in on the goal but he hit a shot straight at Szczesny who kept the ball out.

Arsenal's first chance came from Cazorla as he let fly from distance and Mignolet in the Sunderland goal had to be at his best to tip the ball over.

The first 10 minutes of the game was quite equal as Jack Colback then struck a shot from just outside the box but Szczesny managed to save the ball comfortably once more.

Santi Cazorla then had another chance to score after great work from Gervinho down the left hand side. The Ivorian beat two Sunderland defenders before getting into the box and pulling the ball back to Cazorla who just curled the ball wide of the goal.

Arsenal were now starting to dominate as Podolski could have scored from a Jenkinson cross and then Walcott also could have but he fired the ball wide after Gibbs' cross had been knocked down into the path of him.

Diaby then forced a save out of Mignolet as he ran towards the edge of the penalty area, before firing the ball goalwards, but for the Sunderland keeper who tipped the ball wide.

Just before the break Cazorla and Arteta linked up brilliantly before slipping Walcott in who got to the byline before finding Podolski who stabbed the ball wide.

The first real chance of the second half came from a free-kick after Walcott was brought down. Arteta and Podolski stood over the ball but it was Podolski who took it and put the ball just over the bar.

Gervinho was looking very lively, as he had done all pre-season, as he had two shots blocked before the ball came out to Cazorla who shot wide.

Arsenal were showing promising signs going forward as they got another decent chance to take the lead as Gibbs' cross found Walcott at the back post who volleyed the ball into the side netting.

Two chances were then put over the bar as Jenkinson's cross was put over by Giroud who had just come on and then another one was put over by Ramsey.

The best chance of the game came 9 minutes from the end of time as Cazorla slipped in Giroud who, 12 yards, out blazed the ball wide with his weaker foot when he really should have scored, or at least hit the target.

The final score finished Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland.

The teams lineups:

Arsenal: Szczesny, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Diaby(68), Arteta, Cazorla, Walcott(77), Podolski(63), Gervinho.
Subs: Mannone, Djourou, Santos, Coquelin, Ramsey(68), Arshavin(77), Giroud(63).

Sunderland: Mignolet, O'Shea, Cuellar, Cattermole, Richardson, Larsson(79), Gardner, Colback, McClean, Sessegnon(63), Campbell(68).
Subs: Westwood, Kilgallon, Bramble, Meyler(79), Elmohamady(68), Wickham, Saha(63).

Man of the match: Santi Cazorla

Referee: Chris Foy
Attendance: 60,078

Pre-Season: New signings make debut in thrashing of Cologne

Arsenal played their final game of pre-season on Sunday evening in Germany as Arsenal beat Bundesliga 2 side Cologne. Arsenal's pre-season hadn't gone completely to plan on their Asia tour having only beaten Malaysia late on, losing to Manchester City 2-0 despite dominating the best parts of the game and drawing to Kitchee FC 2-2. However, the Gunners looked back to their best as they beat Cologne 4-0, a side they had beaten 2-1 last season thanks to goals from Gervinho. The Ivorian was once again on the score sheet on Sunday as he, Vermaelen and Podolski grabbed two on his debut. Also making their Arsenal debuts was Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla who played the first half and showed glimpses of why Arsene Wenger has brought them to the club. Meanwhile, 17 year old German Serge Gnabry played 20 minutes of senior football for the first time.

All new signings played well as Giroud held the ball up well and showed great strength and was rather unlucky not to score. Cazorla, however, looks to be one of the bargains of the season as he was very good in possession and his vision was excellent. The game will have hopefully given Wenger a chance to have a rough idea of his starting XI for the first game against Sunderland on the 18th August.

Lukas Podolski scored twice on his Arsenal debut

The first chance of the game fell to Olivier Giroud as Coquelin played him down the left and he struck a shot towards the near post from a tight angle which Horn put out for a corner.

From the resulting corner, Arsenal took the lead. Cazorla's corner was flicked on by Mertesacker at the near post and into Vermaelen who nodded the ball home from close range.

Arsenal's next chance was then created by Giroud. Walcott crossed the ball onto the head of the frenchman who knocked the ball down into the path of Cazorla whose shot was saved well.

The Gunners were dominating the early parts of the game and on 13 minutes were awarded a penalty after Oxlade-Chamberlain was brought down on the byline. Lukas Podolski stepped up to take the penalty and slotted the ball home to score against his former club.

Cologne were then gifted their first chance of the game as Coquelin gave the ball straight to Pryzybylko who got into the penalty area and fired a shot just past the post.

Horn in the Cologne goal was pulling off some good saves and was forced to make another from Girouds' attempt. Walcott and Chamberlain played a one-two before Chamberlain pulled the ball to Giroud whose shot was saved brilliantly.

Cologne were now starting to move the ball around and had another shot as Ishak struck a shot from distance but it went wide of the goal.

Giroud was then denied again after Cazorla split the defence with a ball through to him but his shot was saved again by Horn. It was then again from a corner that Giroud's header was tipped over the bar by the Cologne keeper.

Cologne almost found a way back into the game as Royer's effort went through the grasp of Mannone and hit the bar. It was a let off for Arsenal and the Italian goalkeeper.

Three minutes before the break Lukas Podolski grabbed his second of the game. Kieran Gibbs got down the left hand side before finding Podolski who sweeped the ball into the back of the net.

The score at half time was 3-0 to Arsenal.

The first chance of the second half fell to Cologne as Lehmann struck a shot from distance which cannoned against the bar and hit the goal line but luckily for Arsenal, didn't cross it.

Just after the hour mark, Arsenal found themselves 4 goals up. Gervinho linked up brilliantly with Podolski down the left hand side before beating his man and beating Horn at his near post.

Near to the end of the match, Andrey Arshavin began to show glimpses of his old self. The Russian went straight through 3 Cologne players before finding Gervinho who stuck his shot straight at the goalkeeper.

The final score in Germany finished Cologne 0-4 Arsenal.

The teams lineups:

Cologne: Horn, Kubler, Pezzoni, Wimmer, Hector, Jajalo, Royer(45), Schnellhardt(61), Strobl, Ishak, Pryzybylko.
Subs: Schuhen, Eichner, Matuschyk, Tese, Thelen, Broker, Bisanovic(61), Lehmann(45).

Arsenal first half: Mannone, Yennaris, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Chamberlain, Coquelin, Cazorla, Walcott, Giroud, Podolski.
Arsenal second half: Szczesny, Jenkinson, Djourou, Koscielny, Santos, Song, Diaby, Arshavin, Gnabry(69-Van Persie), Podolski(69-Chamakh), Gervinho.

Man of the match: Lukas Podolski