[Archived] Arsenal 6 Rovers 2

[Dr Gonzo]

Just got back

Yes we did get stuffed, but let's not get carried away. We were doing OK and at 3-2 we looked like we might nick one. When we went to 3-5-2 we were always going to get a battering. You have to admit that Arsenal were at times amazing and against our lack of pace were always dangerous.

- Bentely played well 1st half

- Gamst was good in the 2nd

- They nullified Tugay very well

- Todd and Oojer were both skinned many times due to their immobility.

Arsenal are just a team we were always going to stuggle against, they're the anti-Rovers..

[Flopsy]

From BBC Sport

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger:

"Both teams showed great football going forward and the score was too big for them because at 3-2 we were wobbling slightly.

"But overall we played some great football and showed marvellous technique.

"Many teams have got away with a point playing a lot less football than Blackburn have and they came here and played.

"But I was pleased with the way we responded with character and great self-belief."

Blackburn manager Mark Hughes:

"In the second half we had a real go at it and at 3-2 Arsenal were wobbling, but the fourth goal knocked the stuffing out us.

"We didn't come here just to nullify Arsenal's attack, we came here to win the game and maybe that has cost us today.

"But we didn't put in a performance worthy of a 6-2 defeat. There was some good performances on our side but in the end we gave ourselves too much to do."

[frosty]

At that point Arsenal were playing the most sublime football imaginable.

They might have been, but most of the other teams that have been there this season have not allowed them any time on the ball, therefore limiting their passing and maybe grinding out a 1-1. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I can imagine Rovers standing off them and, rightfully so, we were punished.

On the upside though, the last couple of goals seemed a bit unfair on us and I would have loved 3 points out of Reading and Arsenal. Also, glad to see Nonda getting a couple.

[ABBEY]

Abbs, how the hell would anyone know that?

THE SAME WAY AS ANYONE ELSE FINDS OUT....SOMEONE WHO KNOWS SOMEONE AND ITS NOT FROM PLEASURE ,but lile i said something i heard.but somethings amiss...ok 2nd half against reading was awsome but the the 1st was woeful.just like newcastle .something is not right and im not overreacting

[Flopsy]

for ###### sake Abbey and Sambo, we are in trouble but if we win our game in hand we're suddenly 13th.

We've not played badly and although we got the whooping that Arsenal have been threatening to dish out for a while, it doesnt sound as deserving as some we got under souness.

WE are in trouble, but im pretty certain that if we get a couple of our suspened and injured players back we will be fine

[Paul]

perspective? 6 goals and 1 point above the drop zone ..how much perspective do we need ...WERE IN POOP !!!!

Draw with Liverpool and beat Boro and we can be back to 14th. These are two very crucial games.

[vyeo]

......and I've just heard Bettie and Dunn are on the way home. Lets keep it in perspective folks this happens, we've done it to teams before now.

to be honest Paul, i'd be very very underwhelmed by the return of the above two players. Yes, i appreciate that they are locals, hence there will always be the sense of a 'homecoming'. However, maybe because i am NOT local, i tend to take a more 'objective'/'detached' perspective. Beattie has for me, last had a couple of good seasons a couple of seasons ago; he's been out of the team at everton for a while, and certainly has not replicated his southampton form at all. Even at southampton, he had his ups and downs, scoring in spurts and being anonymous at others. He also seems to be rather injury prone.

As for dunny, yes i love the guy, but 53 starts in 3.5 seasons is not a good statistic anyway you see it. The man is simply too injury prone; how many games will he manage for us?

That said, i do recognise the question: if not these two, then who could we attract? I have absolutely no idea who we could attract or the level of funding available, but I'm of the opinion that if these two are who hughes can afford, then surely it does not bode well. Both are to a certain extent gambles, who the added sentimental tinge. For me, i'd be happier with an unknown player (nesmanychiy/nelsen two years ago) who could have the potential to be better. But like in my previous post, my fundamental point is that the board/trustees should really really back hughes this time round, although i do not hold out much hope to be honest.

[Paul]

to be honest Paul, i'd be very very underwhelmed by the return of the above two players.

I agree with you, what I was really trying to say is one rumour says Hughes has lost the dressing room, another says we are signing Dunn and Beattie. I doubt both rumours.

[yorkblues]

just glad the wife did not let me go to this one but i do think we will come good come on you blues

[den]

Paul, you can't start a rumour and then deny it. That's just not cricket.

[Uddersfelt Blue]

OK I only had the benefit of Radio 5 commentary but it certainly sounded like Arsenal were as usual, superb. Yet with just a few minutes to go we were 3-2 down and pressing for an equaliser.

Would have settled for two draws at Reading and Arsenal so we're a point up in my view

Glass still half full methinks

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Come'on board, stand up and be counted. Even if the board/trustees are not wholeheartedly interested in the club like Uncle Jack was, surely they would see economic sense in investing in the squad so that we'll stay up? With the new tv deal next year, we simply cannot afford to be relegated.

Well said Vyeo, the board MUST back Hughes with hard coin to ensure our Premiership survival and the increased tv money....... the financial ramifications of relegation do not bare thinking about!

[West Sussex Rover]

I agree with you, what I was really trying to say is one rumour says Hughes has lost the dressing room, another says we are signing Dunn and Beattie. I doubt both rumours.

To be fair, im sure several people said that when we were linked with signing Bellamy, he hadnt played in a fair while and Sparky did his usual magic on him and he came good.

Im fairly positive that he could do the same with Beattie, Beattie has a good record and im sure he would be a great addition to our squad and 2.5 million is nothing to be sneezed at...

[des]

the one thing that we lack and its something that all teams need is pace.

most teams have one or two, but we do not.

we were up against players who have both a great touch and pace, and that is hard to handle and to deal with.

the back four had no chance, with a midfield like ours up against there pace and touch its goodbye. savage is good against aveage teams, but his running qround style tryin to put pressure on players only works if they lack a good touch. today savage was just by passed by good passing. tuguy good on the ball not so good off it. however

we will play worse and win belive me

[Jan]

I was there (for the first half anyway- I left my Blackberry and mobile on display in the car and got nervous about it so went to get it)

We were good for much of the first half. On another day, Bentley would have had a hat trick with his shots which Lehman saved. My friend (who stayed when I left) said we were good in the second half too (although she did leave at 4-2).

I don't think this is the game for the "oh woe is me" ers to come out of the woodwork!

[thenodrog]

The concensus is that we were not 4 goals worse than arsenal and I'll accept that BUT the 'dogs of war' brfc of 2 years ago would not have let 6 in. We need to rediscover that attitude and add more steel to our game. Watch any of the top teams and if they go behind or are having the worse of a match they nearly always change tack and start to cut up rough to try and intimidate and soften up the opposition. It's a win at all costs mentality.

[ABBEY]

Draw with Liverpool and beat Boro and we can be back to 14th. These are two very crucial games.

lose em both and we could be adrift..anyone knows im the most optimistic person in the world but were 1/2 way thru the season and its not good ,cant help it but ive got bad vibes ,,stella and jack are gonna me lose them.

[Alex Rover]

THE SAME WAY AS ANYONE ELSE FINDS OUT....SOMEONE WHO KNOWS SOMEONE AND ITS NOT FROM PLEASURE ,but lile i said something i heard.but somethings amiss...ok 2nd half against reading was awsome but the the 1st was woeful.just like newcastle .something is not right and im not overreacting

Abbey get behind the boys. Someone who knows someone, who knows someone? What the heck is that? Have you not listened to any interviews with Rovers players over the last month about Hughes? Savage signing a new contract? Give 'or. We're a good team and will stay up. Having been to both games I'd say there wasn't much to choose between the performances except Arsenal aren't Reading. We might still lose against Liverpool and we'll still stay up.

[philipl]

We can be sure MoTD will edit the game to make it look like an Arsenal procession so don't be misguided by that.

In fact listening to the commentators, they were so dull boring and utterly biased, I came to the conclusion that the BIG 4itis that is dominating coverage of the EPL is actually contributing to the demise of the game. Very clearly, people are influenced by these numbskulls mascarading as commentators and pundits and frankly they did today's game a massive disservice as they do practically every game Rovers play- even when we are playing in the UEFA.

These are the stats from today:

Arsenal v Blackburn Rovers

6 Goals 2

12 Shots on target ( Inc Goals ) 7

6 Shots off Target (inc woodwork) 3

1 Blocked Shots 2

7 Corners Won 6

15 Total Fouls Conceded 14

4 Offsides 6

3 Yellow Cards 3

0 Red Cards 0

61% Possession 39%

It is a hard fact that when Lehman pulled off a stupendous save in the 82nd minute to deny MGP, the shots on target stood at 7-7.

OK, perhaps dumb of Rovers to go chasing a conselation 3rd at 2-4 but even if we'd pulled eleven back, Arsenal were playing so well we were going to be extremely lucky not to conceed more.

There is not even the whisper of a hint that Hughes has lost the dressing room and I expect that the bumper Boxing Day crowd will be treated to a rip roaring game no matter what the eventual result against the scousers.

[Flopsy]

whats worse? this result, or being 3-1 up and losing 4-3 at home?

[West Sussex Rover]

Thing that worries me is, we have gone from expecting anything in a big match last year, a win/draw to hoping we dont loose and hopefully getting a point.

Now if that doesnt worry anyone else then we are defo in trouble...

I think we will survive and stay in the Prem but i dont like this feeling. I want last season back!

[ABBEY]

Abbey get behind the boys.

always do!!! but were in trouble !!!!

[LeChuck]

2) Show me a defender who wouldn't have been skinned by Van Persie for their 4th. Then show me the change from £10m.

The change would be around £7 million, Van Persie only cost about £3 million.

[Mr. E]

i find it quite shocking that a lot of people here, including Mark Hughes, are looking for positives in a game that we lost 6-2. I understand that some people have the mentality that we are nothing more then a relegation-battling club, but even as such, surely 6 goals, however looked at, are unacceptable ?

In other countries, scores like 6-2 are the type of stuff they mock you for decades.

Also, just last week Pompey, who also have many bad injuries, pulled off a 2-2 here with the "amazing" Arsenal barely getting to the draw. And the week before that they barely managed to overcome Wigan with a last minute goal.

[philipl]

Yes le chuck, van persie is a defender. ha ha