Arsenal Out-Muscle Stoke as Mesut Ozil Shines Again

Mesut Ozil collected three assists on his home debut as Arsenal tossed Stoke City aside to the score of 3-1. It was evident from kickoff that this Arsenal side is not the same as those of years past, which have succumbed to Stoke's physical pressure and withered away as the game would wear on. Rather, the Gunners turned what are generally assumed to be Stoke's greatest strengths against them. Set pieces have not been Arsenal's hallmark for about a decade, and Arsene Wenger seems content to preserve his side's technical skill and focus less on the brawny aspects of the game. Yet this is a much more well-rounded side than those the Frenchman has fielded in recent seasons. All three of Arsenal's goals were the product of set-piece situations, and two required no touches other than the ball into the box and the header into the goal. It is difficult to remember a time when the Gunners relied more on the strength of their necks than the deftness of their feet to win matches. Indeed, their two headed goals were indicative of a broader physical commitment against a side often thought to be the most robust (to put it diplomatically) in the most brawny league in the world.