Ask anyone who the traditional rivals of Arsenal are, and almost everyone would reply “Tottenham Hotspur”, or maybe something a bit more colourful if you posed that question to an Arsenal fan.
As well as their North London rivals, Arsenal also share a rivalry with Chelsea, due to mainly regional reasons, and Manchester United, due to the fact that in the late 1990s and early 2000s, it was those two clubs fighting it out to be recognised as the best team in England; a competitive rivalry ensued thereafter.
Stoke City see their traditional rivals reside in the Midlands – in the shape of West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Potters’ most local rivals, however, are Port Vale, another club based in Stoke-on-Trent. The match between Stoke City and Port Vale, known as the Potteries derby, has only seen 46 league matches, with the most recent coming 13 years ago in 2002. A rare but regionally significant match.
Origins
The rivalry between Arsenal and Stoke is a recent one when compared to the local derbies and other rivalries seen in British football; the rivalry began with Stoke’s entry into the Premier League in 2008 following a season in the Football League Championship when the Potters finished second behind West Brom. Previously, the two sides had met in various FA Cup ties and in the 1984-1985 First Division season, a season where Stoke were on the receiving end of a 4-0 loss at Highbury as well as a relegation.
The origins of the rivalry are as much about differences in play-style and philosophies as anything. Arsenal are renowned for their tiki-taka, pass-and-move, one-touch attacking play, with diminutive, tidy midfielders being at the heart of it all. When Stoke entered the Premier League under Tony Pulis, his team were the footballing equivalent of Arsenal’s antithesis; every player was six foot plus, with the emphasis being on keeping the defence tight as well as minimizing the space between lines and playing a direct style of football to the attackers, usually through long passes. Any throw-ins within 50 yards of the goal were a set-piece, due to the handiness of Rory Delap, a man who could launch the ball with his hands as if he were kicking it.
First blood goes to Stoke
The first match between the Gunners and the Potters in the Premier League ended in a 2-1 victory for the side from the North of England, courtesy of two goals from Rory Delap long throw-ins. A contentious and competitive affair, Wenger criticised Stoke for their overzealousness when tackling, stating that certain tackles came in with “the only intention” being to “hurt” his players and that he could “show some tackles where” Wenger “can prove” his claim. The French manager would go on to criticise Ryan Shawcross for a tackle on Emmanuel Adebayor which injured the Togolese striker for three weeks. The return fixture, played at the Emirates Stadium, was a comfortable 4-1 victory for the side from North London.
Unfortunate catalyst
The rivalry truly erupted in January 2010, as a result of an incident that occurred in a match won by Arsenal by a score line of 3-1 at the Britannia Stadium. A badly timed tackle from Ryan Shawcross broke Aaron Ramsey’s leg, causing the English defender to be sent off; the Stoke centre-back left the pitch visibly in tears. The match continued with a fiery, almost volcanic atmosphere for the remainder and ‘revenge’ tackles were flying in from Arsenal players. One such tackle caught the attention of Tony Pulis, who was shushed by Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas and the bad blood between the two clubs continued after the game finished. When told by the media that Wenger had described the tackle as “horrendous”, Pulis stated that the Arsenal manager “can keep his opinions to himself”.
Ever since that match, Shawcross has been booed by Arsenal fans whenever the two teams meet. In retaliation, Stoke fans, rather bizarrely, support their captain by booing Aaron Ramsey whenever the Welsh midfielder gets on the ball against Stoke.
Bad blood
The rivalry saw another stoking of its fire following a match between the two sides in September 2010. Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, had compared the tactics of Stoke City to rugby, causing the Potters to file a complaint to the Football Association, a complaint which ultimately came to nothing.
Other key incidents in the rivalry include Michael Owen throwing a punch at Arsenal captain Mikel Arteta following a lunged tackle from the Spaniard on the English striker. Neither Arteta nor Owen saw a red card for their actions and neither player was charged retrospectively by the FA, with referee Chris Foy stating in his match report that he had seen the incident and both players had apologised for their part in this petty piece of theatre after the match.
The 2013-2014 season saw two matches between the two sides which added additional fuel to the fire of this rivalry. Following a goal from Ramsey against Stoke at the Emirates in a 3-1 Arsenal victory, the Welsh midfielder put a finger to his lips and shushed the Stoke away section, who had been booing him again throughout the match. The return match saw Stoke win 1-0 via a controversial penalty which halted Arsenal’s late title charge. In the post-match interview, Stoke midfielder Steven N’Zonzi stated that “when you start kicking” Arsenal “a little bit” the match “gets harder for” the Arsenal players as “they don’t like it”, something the Stoke players are well aware of. N’Zonzi finished the interview by saying that he and his teammates “don’t care” and they’ll “keep on doing it.”
Calming down?
Last season was another mixed bag of results for Arsenal but there was a lost less controversy about the matches this time. In the first game, Stoke raced to a 3-0 lead before half-time before Arsenal managed to claw back two goals. The second match was a much clearer affair; a 3-0 home victory for the Gunners, with Alexis Sanchez taking centre stage with two goals.
It has to be said that Stoke are a different footballing side under the managerial stewardship of Mark Hughes. They retain the defensive solidity and aggressiveness a manger like Pulis instils whilst combining an intricate attack, filled with pace, power and a few ex-Barcelona players. Will Arsene Wenger and his men find a way past the puzzle that Hughes and his players will present?