Wenger admits his plan didn't work...

Stoke City's long-throw tactic is one of the talking points of this season's Premier League campaign. Irish international Rory Delap launches them from the touchline as though they are free-kicks, and several teams have found it hard to cope with.

Arsenal became the latest, succumbing twice to Delap's throws as Stoke inflicted a hugely damaging defeat on the Gunners' title aspirations at the Britannia Stadium.

And although Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said they had tried to prepare for the aerial onslaught, he was forced to admit the plan had patently not worked.

Wenger picked a starting XI without Theo Walcott, Samir Nasri and Robin van Persie - their three best players in the midweek thriller against Spurs - and replaced them with taller men in Alexandre Song, Nicklas Bendtner and Abou Diaby. But still they were unhinged.

And to make matters worse at the thoroughly depressing end to a traumatic week for the Gunners, Van Persie came off the bench and was promptly sent off, while Walcott, also introduced as a substitute, had to be carried off with a painful shoulder injury.

Emmanuel Adebayor and Bacary Sagna were also casualties as Arsenal's title challenge was further eroded.

Wenger had been furious with his players for throwing away their two-goal lead in the dying seconds of the North London derby against Tottenham last Wednesday. And nothing happened in the Potteries today to improve his mood.

After the 2-1 defeat he admitted his team had been vulnerable to Delap's long throw. He said that plenty of thought had gone in to trying to counter the tactic but had to concede Arsenal's attempts to defend against it had been inadequate.

He also declared that neutrals will have enjoyed the spectacle and the outcome.

"Yes we had a plan, of course," said Wenger.

"We worked on it a lot. But those kind of goals - straight into the box with 20 people there - it is not our greatest strength to deal with that. We were punished but very unlucky as well.

"But traditional people who love the traditional English game with a lot of fight and a lot of commitment, will have been happy because they got what they like.

"At the end of the day, Stoke deserved to win the game."

Asked about the injury situation, Wenger said he did not know the extent of the injuries to Walcott, Adebayor and Sagna.

But he felt that Van Persie, red-carded for a petulant charge at Stoke goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen, had been harshly treated by referee Rob Styles.

"He should not have done it but I don't think it was a red card. A red card was very harsh.

"If Andy Griffin goes without a yellow card today and Van Persie ends with a red, I'll have to review my rulebook."