Long-throw specialist Rory Delap continued his domination of Barclays Premier League defences, setting up both goals as Arsenal's season took another bad turn with a 2-1 defeat at Stoke City.

Delap, whose deadly delivery from the touchline has already proved crucial to the Potters' hopes of survival, found Ricardo Fuller after 11 minutes, then helped set up Seyi Olofinjana for the hosts' second before a deflected Gael Clichy effort reduced arrears.

It was a case of bad to worse for Arsenal after the dramatic 4-4 draw with Tottenham Hotspur in midweek and a red card for Robin van Persie, coupled with injuries to Emmanuel Adebayor and Theo Walcott, made it a grim day indeed for Arsene Wenger.

Wenger had been expected to make a decisive selection following the debacle against Spurs, where his side shipped two goals in the dying seconds.

He did not disappoint. Kolo Toure was restored to both the starting XI and captaincy duties in place of the injured William Gallas, while Walcott, Samir

Nasri and Robin van Persie gave way for the more robust Alex Song, Abou Diaby and Nicklas Bendtner.

A typically patient Arsenal move in the fourth minute presented Cesc Fabregas with an early chance to try his luck, but the Spaniard's attempt was scuffed wide of the post.

The visitors continued to pour forward, with full-backs Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy finding acres of space on the flanks.

But Stoke held firm, clearing a handful of early crosses.

After 10 minutes, good interplay between Fuller and Mamady Sidibe handed Delap a first chance to cause havoc and he duly obliged.

The midfielder's throw, as it has so often this term, arrowed wickedly towards the far post where Fuller got the better of Toure to glance home from close range.

Delap again caused problems after 20 minutes, looping a header goalwards after a mishit punch from Manuel Almunia.

Only a Clichy clearance off the line kept the score at 1-0 as the Gunners' defence started to wilt under examination.

Arsenal did not cope considerably better with Delap's second throw, this time surviving a goalmouth scramble more through luck than good judgment.

Toure was, at least, doing a more visible job of rallying the Arsenal troops. But, for all his fist-pumping and shouting, the best his side could muster in response was a quick turn and shot from Adebayor which failed to trouble Sorensen.

Delap was enjoying the limelight and showed another side of his game when tracking back 30 yards to rob Fabregas as he lined up a shot on the edge of the box.

Arsenal were starting to find their feet going forward but it was the unlikely figure of Griffin who showed the first half's fanciest footwork, leaving Bendtner for dead with a deft turn that delighted the home fans.

Wenger resisted the temptation to go to his star-studded bench at the interval and his side responded by starting in a more settled fashion.

But with time on Stoke's side, something more drastic was required.

Walcott was duly summoned to warm-up. His 57th-minute introduction, for the injured Sagna, gave Arsenal a more attacking shape and three minutes later Toure volleyed over from close range having met a Fabregas corner.

Van Persie was next to get the call, arriving in the 64th minute in place of the anonymous Denilson.

But, predictably, it was a Delap throw that gave rise to the next scoring opportunity, Almunia making a sharp save after Salif Diao's deflected drive looked to be heading for the net.

Olofinjana then made it two for Stoke, but again Delap was the central figure.

It was another long, lofted throw into the area and another Stoke goal as Ryan Shawcross nodded on to Olofinjana, who bundled the ball past Almunia via two touches off his chest.

Van Persie added to Wenger's woes when he petulantly charged at Sorensen, knocking him into the net and earning a red card for his trouble.

Clichy made it 2-1 in the closing seconds with a twice-deflected shot - but it was not enough and a bad day got worse as Adebayor and Walcott left the pitch in considerable pain, the latter with his left arm in a sling.