Arsenal Preview

[Eddie]

In many ways Rovers and Arsenal have developed a rivalry over the past few seasons. Although we’ve not been in competition for a similar league place for over a decade, our meetings in the cups and the league have been hard-fought games, some might even say violent.

Really not much needs to be said about this Arsenal side. Anyone with even a passing interest in the premiership would know that they are a very talented young side who like to keep the ball on the ground and pass it around with great accuracy and speed. They’re quite possibly play the prettiest football in England, although they sometimes lack the ruthless side that both Chelsea and Manchester United seem to be so good at.

This has been an interesting season for them, I think most would agree that they are currently doing better than was expected and not many saw them challenging for the title at this stage of the season. So to get an Arsenal fans perspective I turned to my resident Arsenal supporter Sam.

Are you surprised at how well arsenal have done this season?

Personally yes, think we had the quality there to compete but never expected us to do this well and this consistently since Henry left the club.

Who has been your best perfomer this season?

Adebayor, 16 goals only second to Ronaldo...filled in for Henry nicely. Can’t fault Eduardo though, relatively unknown and looks a great prospect, so the strikers for me have been the best performers

Almunia for england?

Why not, perfectly capable..however think other Englishmen have a good chance...Joe Hart at Man City for example

Arsene Wenger: job for life?

Definetely...no questions

Did you have any second thoughts when he let Bentley go?

Err not really, we had good players in Pires and Ljungberg and Bentley probably got more by going to Blackburn

Now that he is an england player, is he someone you'd ever like to see back at arsenal?

Arsenal should definetely look into investing in more English born players...however its about winning competitions so would not buy english players for the sake of buying them!

(Eddie) way to dodge the question there!

Most exciting prospect?

Fabregas definitely already established and still very young

Ok, now onto the important things, what do you think of blackburn rovers?

Very strong side, great talent in Samba, Gamst, Santra Cruz...should do great things under Hughes! Keep it up!

Are there any blackburn players youd like to see at arsenal?

I think Samba would be a good adition along with Gamst however to break into the Arsenal 1st team the ways its playing would be tricky!

(Eddie) At this point I realise that the majority of the messageboard are hoping that Wenger feels the same way about MGP.

Seeing as mourinho and wenger basically created our bully-boy tag, particularly after our fa cup semi-final defeat to your lot a couple of seasons ago, do you still see us as being too rough?

I think the tag has dwindled, the league cup this year and failing to beat a weakened Arsenal when two seasons ago I considered a point at Ewood a good result

So you think we're a worse team now? Or just not as rough?

I think you are a bit more stylish, Santa Cruz has done that for you...however the defence is a weakness and loses its bully tag as a result. So your a better team at getting results now, but lost the rough edge! Not in great form at the moment though

Which do you like more, the emirates or highbury?

Highbury has the history...but the Emirates is more accomodating for Arsenals ambitions! Fast becoming a fortress just like Highbury....so gotta be the EMirates for me

Predictions for the game?

2-0 Adebayor to score first. Simple.

Season prediction for both teams?

Blackburn should just get Europe 7th or 8th. Arsenal if they keep going..winners...no lower then 2nd though

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Arsenal have been flying of late, with really only the heavy defeat to Spurs being the only noticeable blip in their results.

Form Guide :

WWDWWW

Rovers have really been out of sorts for a couple of months now. We’ve kept very few clean sheets and seem to like a challenge by almost always letting the opposition get the first goal.

Form Guide :

WWWDDD

So two sides with an undefeated run to defend, although this is the first of the big four that we will have faced in that period. Our record against the top sides has been fairly good so far as we’ve lost in only two of our five games against them this season, but we’ve yet to pick up a win.

Notable recent fixtures between the two sides :

I think the one that will come to mind first for most people will be the FA Cup semi-final defeat to them a few seasons ago. It won’t be remembered much for the quality of football, but much more likely the fact that Todd’s attempt to celebrate Van Persie’s goal ended up with the Dutchman on the floor. I think that was really the game that established the bully-boy tag, to be honest, I think we could do with a bit of physical play this weekend.

The game I remember most was the 2-1 win at Highbury in the 2002/2003 season. I’ve never seen such a backs-to-the-wall display that produced three points.

Missing players :

We will be without suspended players Samba, Dunn and Pedersen who will all be finishing up their suspensions for picking up too many yellow cards. I am not sure if Mokoena will be available. We will also be without the injured Nelsen, although we should see the same back four that kept a rare clean-sheet against Everton. It will be interesting to see who fills in for MGP on the left.

Arsenal will be missing Toure and Eboue because of the African Cup of Nations. They have a couple of other players who are slight injury doubts, but apart from that it would appear that they have everyone fit for selection.

I can really see this game going only one way. We have a struggling defense and we have regularly failed to deal with pace and sides who move the ball quickly, something Arsenal are very good at. If we are to win this game we will need our central midfield to perform miracles as this will really be one of their toughest tests.

My own prediction is going to be 3-1 Arsenal. I think we’ll provide one of the greatest shocks of the season and actually grab the first goal, but our weak central midfield will see us on the back-foot for the rest of the game and we won’t be able to keep them out.

Here’s hoping though…

Thanks to Sam for answering my questions.

[Eddie]

All ready now, sorry about that.

[Jim J]

Arsenal 5 - 0 Rovers

[krislu]

Good read Eddie!

There is only one why to play Arsenal when you can not match them on quality, pack it in and be dirty!

Our only chance is to play deep with a five man midfield and hopefully we can create something on a set piece or a counter attack. Hopefully we won't give away too many free kicks around the box, but we really have to be the bully boys in order to get something from this game.

---------------Friedel----------------

Emerton--Ooijer--Zurab--Warnock

------------Reid----Mokoena---------

Bentley-------Tugay----Derbyshire

----------------Cruz-------------------

[1864roverite]

Nice read Eddie and credit to your interviewee for the lack of name calling of our beloved team.

I think this Monday evenings game is a game to dread, both for the viewers who tune into Setanta and also for the few Rovers fans who will make the trip to North London.

I dont think there is a pundit or supporter who would give Rovers a cat in hells chance of winning the game or indeed even having a chance at getting a draw. A look at the odds for the games shows cracking odds on a Rovers win, for those who fancy an upset Mickey Done has Rovers at a nice 8-1 to win the game, in fact a double for Cruz to score and a Rovers 1-0 win gives a highly fancible odds of 45-1 ! Any other Rovers win with Cruz is a round 100-1 on any other score (Rovers win) with a Rovers goalscorer.

How do we approach it ? Well, we gotta go 4-5-1 even though I am not a fan of it. We have to quell Arsenals ability to go through the middle, round the back and down the flanks !

Lets see, Rosicky, Hleb,Fabregas and Diaby versus Bentley, Tugay, Mokeona, a n other and a n other ! Our midfield options are limited as both Dunny and MGP are banned, Reid is rated very doubtful and we have no one else who can play in that position.

Rovers have also got some serious defensive issues, no Samba, Nelsen, Ooijer doubtful and Emerton travelling back across the world from Oz.

I cannot see a Rovers positivie result, its a damage limitation job one thats important due to our current goal difference. An avalanche of goals against will destroy our hopes of a top 6 finish.

my team

Brad

Emerton

Zurab

Ooijer

Warnock

Bentley

Tugay

Reid

Berner

McCarthy

Cruz

Subs

Roberts

Brown

Treacy

Kane

First fan to turn up with their boots !!

Its a sorry tale for Monday, Arsenal to run out 5-0 winners. Another sending off for Rovers and plenty of bookings. Vitriole from AW in the tuesday morning press with headlines of VIOLENCE from the NORTHERN BULLIES

[T4E]

Nice preview Eddie. One thing though - any chance you can put the Questions and Answers in different colour fonts to one another for ease of reading?

[Ozz]

1,000 tickets sold out of our allocation of 1,410.

[Hasta]

Good stuff Eddie. The fact that your mate still thinks that Gamst is one of our top 3 players still gives us hope of a decent price in the summer.

Seriously can't see anything other than a comprehensive defeat. With at least 4 players out and doubts about Ooijer and Reid we'd be struggling going to most grounds, let alone The Emirates. Maybe Sparky will suprise everyone, go 3 up front with Roberts, McCarthy and Santa and win 5-4. But I doubt it.

If we have sold over 1000 tickets then I'm quite pleased with that for a Monday night TV game in London.

[Presty On Tour]

we have selection problems already, god help us if anything happens to our players on international duty tonight.

i haven't seen the Switzerland squad so does anyone know if there's any chance bentley could be playing against berner?

[tchocky]

Not looking good at this point. I can see this being a heavy defeat or an unexpected draw.

[Eddie]

Nice preview Eddie. One thing though - any chance you can put the Questions and Answers in different colour fonts to one another for ease of reading?

Just for you.

[Hughesy]

With the players we have out id expect it to be 3 or 4-0, so il say 1-1.

[T4E]

Just for you.

Thank you ever so

[USRoverME]

i haven't seen the Switzerland squad so does anyone know if there's any chance bentley could be playing against berner?

Dear Lord, wouldn't that be our luck, those two managing to collide and break each other..... I'm having nightmares already...

[LeChuck]

Does anyone know if Mokoena is back for this one? I never thought I'd say this, but...we could be screwed if he isn't. It looks like Reid isn't going to be fit, so the best line-up I can see (trying to keep everyone in their natural position as much as possible, or at least one they're comfortable with):

-------------Friedel

Emerton Ooijer Zurab Warnock

------------Mokoena-------------

------Bentley-------Tugay-------

Derbyshire-------------------????

------------Santa Cruz-----------

If Reid is fit then we can push Bentley on to the left with Reid in the centre, otherwise we're really struggling. If it was anyone other than Arsenal I'd be happy to move Warnock forward with Berner left back, but Arsenal are so strong down the flanks that I feel Warnock has to stay where he is. That really only leaves us with four options; McCarthy (worked hard against Everton, probably couldn't keep that up for 90 minutes though), Peter (very unlikely as he hasn't been seen for ages), Treacy (probably most natural choice but lacks experience) or Rigters (played on the right of a front three at his last club, so that wouldn't be much of a change).

I'll be amazed if we get anything from this match, we just have far too many players missing.

[Mozzer]

last couple of seasons arsenal have beaten both boro and everton 7-0..with the problems blackburn have, regarding team selection-we could possibly end up with a scoreline like that..

[joey_big_nose]

---------------Friedel----------------

Emerton--Ooijer--Zurab--Warnock

------------Reid----Mokoena---------

Bentley-------McCarthy----Treacy

----------------Cruz-------------------

I would set up like that and tell Reid and Mokoena to sit super deep and just look to cover the defence. Bentley, McCarthy adn Treacy would all be looking to close down at every opportunity.

With a side like that we could do okay. We should still lose by one or two goals though.

The main thing is not to get tanked 6-0 and lose all our confidence.

If Reid isn't fit we are fooked.

[Roaming Rover]

3-1 Rovers

Santa 2, Bents 1 - Cesc for them..........

.....right where's the rest of that special brew

[cn174]

last couple of seasons arsenal have beaten both boro and everton 7-0..with the problems blackburn have, regarding team selection-we could possibly end up with a scoreline like that..

We weren't so far off it being that last year

I'd love to get something out of this game, but just can't see it

[frosty]

Although I'm not confident, Birmingham went to the Emirates recently and got a point.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I wonder if we can 'do a Boro' and just make an excuse not to turn up!

[roversmum]

Keep the faith. The Axe is back. If I hadn't got tickets I'd just contact Arsenal and ask them to put the three points in the post. Save them the bother.........

Then again

[Dunnfc]

Be optamistic!

Roversmum should be a good night at the Emerites, meant to be a well good stadium.

im going for 0-0

You lot will have egg on your faces

[Jordan]

I will be driving to this one so if anyone requires a lift from the Harrogate/Leeds/York area send me a PM and we can sort something out.

[philipl]

Nice preview.

Rovers to return the compliment and beat the first team at home by playing the kids...

or maybe not.