Arsenal Preview

[AggyBlue]

Which is exactly what Rovers managed to do.

I must agree with previous posters : did you actually watch the match ?

It was on Setanta.

As for our formation we played 4-1-4-1 again.

By the way, where is Gordon these days?

[roversmum]

It was on Setanta.

As for our formation we played 4-1-4-1 again.

By the way, where is Gordon these days?

Probably found some rope somewhere.......

[philipl]

I do think our problems are stemming from midfield in the inability to play quality balls forwards.

We did frustrate Arsenal at the Emirates- the Arse are capable of playing champagne football for a full 45 minutes if you let them and I've seen them do it this season. They don't tonk sides for 6, 7 and 8s because they try to walk it in.

But the fact we ended the first half evens on shots shows what a superb job the Rovers did in negating them starting like a house on fire. Usual stats in Arse games is shots stats of 10-2 in their favour in a half.

I would rate Rovers performance at the Emirates as par for the course for a UEFA challenging club with half the first team out. Going to get beaten but lose honourably after giving the hosts something to think about (the commentators were clearly worried Rovers might pinch the equaliser as the second half went on).

As for the Benni haters. I am pretty certain if you were to put goals per game ratios for all strikers in top competitions this decade you would find Benni in the top 20. It makes economic sense never mind boosting the lad's self-confidence to give him the new deal.

I hope Sparky sticks with him for the Bolton game. With players of Benni's quality, it is only a matter of time before he rediscovers his goal touch.

[Yorick]

Fife , I'm one who agrees with Rev. To respond to the middle of your post.

1) When they have possession they move forward and look threatining. They could knock a series of passes together and move the ball from their half to deep inside our half. When we have it we just passed along the back four, forward to the midfield, out wide, back to the full back, across the back line, back to Friedel etc... It wasn't penetrating or threatening.

2) There were loads of sloppy passes from Rovers. A few of them were just plain awful balls that go nowhere near there target. Then there are the balls that are badly executed which are played behind the man or played to the man with too much power or at a daft height. The there are the balls that we often specialize in. We play a ball in to a man who is marked and has a defender up his arse. Numerous times this led to us being robbed and Arsenal dangerously breaking and threatening.

3) As a defensive unit, the back 4 and Friedel did very well.

4) Possession football is OK but without penetration it will get you nowhere. However where the midfield also let themselves down was when they didn't have the ball. They would close a man down to within 3 feet of him then just stand off him. No tackle, no pressing, just block his path forward. When previously ourselves and Bolton (and Newcastle this year) have got good results against Arsenal in the past its been through hassling, tackling and dare Ii say it 'roughing up a bit'. I'm not saying we should have kicked and fouled but you have to get tighter and put a challenge in otherwise the Fabregases and Flaminis will punish you. Also poor was the tracking of men off the ball. For the last half and hour, Arsenal players were running off and behind the likes of Reid, Berner, Tugay who just were not tracking them at all.

I think wingwizard sums the situation up perfectly.

To put last night in context - you wouldn't expect Rovers to go to the Bernabau and beat Real Madrid with a depleted team would ya?

The main thing that we were guilty of imo was starting too slowly. In the first 15 mins we had too many players dawdling on the ball and being caught in possession. God only knows what made them come out expecting the Arsenal to play at a snails pace. I can forgive lack of talent but not dullness of thought. This lack of urgency is a fault at this level and seems to occurr a little too often for my liking.

[Yorick]

Fife , I'm one who agrees with Rev. To respond to the middle of your post.

1) When they have possession they move forward and look threatining. They could knock a series of passes together and move the ball from their half to deep inside our half. When we have it we just passed along the back four, forward to the midfield, out wide, back to the full back, across the back line, back to Friedel etc... It wasn't penetrating or threatening.

2) There were loads of sloppy passes from Rovers. A few of them were just plain awful balls that go nowhere near there target. Then there are the balls that are badly executed which are played behind the man or played to the man with too much power or at a daft height. The there are the balls that we often specialize in. We play a ball in to a man who is marked and has a defender up his arse. Numerous times this led to us being robbed and Arsenal dangerously breaking and threatening.

3) As a defensive unit, the back 4 and Friedel did very well.

4) Possession football is OK but without penetration it will get you nowhere. However where the midfield also let themselves down was when they didn't have the ball. They would close a man down to within 3 feet of him then just stand off him. No tackle, no pressing, just block his path forward. When previously ourselves and Bolton (and Newcastle this year) have got good results against Arsenal in the past its been through hassling, tackling and dare Ii say it 'roughing up a bit'. I'm not saying we should have kicked and fouled but you have to get tighter and put a challenge in otherwise the Fabregases and Flaminis will punish you. Also poor was the tracking of men off the ball. For the last half and hour, Arsenal players were running off and behind the likes of Reid, Berner, Tugay who just were not tracking them at all.

I think wingwizard sums the situation up perfectly.

To put last night in context - you wouldn't expect Rovers to go to the Bernabau and beat Real Madrid with a depleted team would ya?

The main thing that we were guilty of imo was starting too slowly. In the first 15 mins we had too many players dawdling on the ball and being caught in possession. God only knows what made our lot come out expecting the Arsenal to play at a snails pace and stand off them. Tugay and Reid being particularly to blame. I can forgive lack of talent but not dullness of thought at this level. This lack of urgency is a fault at this level and seems to occurr a little too often for my liking.

[S15]

IMO all we did was play Damage Limitation very well.

Arsenal won the game in the 3rd minute. Our game plan was based on not conceding.

Can't complain too much, Arsenal are too good for us, but our lack of quality in the form of a creative threat is very worrying, and we will reamin at our current level at best until it is solved. That will only happen by buying a very good creative midfielder for between £5m-£10m. Will this ever happen?

Probably not.

[HATRIX]

[As for the Benni haters. I am pretty certain if you were to put goals per game ratios for all strikers in top competitions this decade you would find Benni in the top 20. It makes economic sense never mind boosting the lad's self-confidence to give him the new deal.

I hope Sparky sticks with him for the Bolton game. With players of Benni's quality, it is only a matter of time before he rediscovers his goal touch.Benni 's gone flat like a bottle of pop .No doubting he's quality on his day,i'd just be suprised if he ever has another Day for rovers

[CAPT KAYOS]

I think he is. Played Everton at home with 4-5-1, seems like MH is more concerned about stopping the opposition than letting them worry about what we can do. Which, with what we have at the moment is probably about right, with only DB and RSC any real threat TBH.

Played OK at times, but no real threat in the danger area.

Still, plenty of crappy teams left to try and beat up before the summer and hope we scrape 6th.

This is the gripe with me ozzie though as he started doing this before our supposed depleted squad - however its what alot of Managers do nowadays rather than going out and trying to win a game, which I have posted before - and it annoys the hell out of me (and is probably the reason why I moan so much ) - not the clubs or managers fault really, but the way the game has gone -but it shouldn't be and we should certainly not be doing this at home whoever the opposition is, and only as necessity away (did we really need to do this against Arsenal? )

'Played OK at times, but no real threat in the danger area'

As I didn't see the game I can't be too critical but this has been common throughout last and this season

Crappy teams but how many times have we said this before.

[Hasta]

Yorick - your missing the point. Whether your playing Real Madrid or The Dog and Duck, you should still be able to do the basics. I'm not bothered over the result as I was expecting a worse scoreline that we got - just the performance.

[RevidgeBlue]

Which is exactly what Rovers managed to do.

I must agree with previous posters : did you actually watch the match ?

[RevidgeBlue]

Which is exactly what Rovers managed to do.

No we didn't, we frustrated them for three minutes, after that they were one up and never in any danger.

[QOTSA]

I've done a short blog for setantasports.com about the game. Check it out if you're that way inclined.

[mattyboy6000]

I'm pretty sure it was Mokoena who lost Ronaldo at OT,

it was

[modes98]

it was

However Benni lost Carew at Ewood when he was stood next to him.

[mattyboy6000]

how many chances does benni need to rediscover his form? he's been played, dropped, picked and had a minor resurgence, subbed against newcastle and hasn't looked much cop since.

i would love him to find form, and with such a lightweight midfield we need him to, but i see no signs of it so far.

[T4E]

However Benni lost Carew at Ewood when he was stood next to him.

In which case why were we so mind numbingly stupid to ask him to mark Senderos at corners?!

[Manchester Blue]

In which case why were we so mind numbingly stupid to ask him to mark Senderos at corners?!

Exactly it's one of main gripes at present with out setup. Basic silly errors being repeated time and again. Things that I would expect any club to sort out considering the amount if staff we have who should be watching for these things. I wouldn't have Benni in the top 3 players at heading the ball so would never have him marking one of the best opposition players.

The question has been asked many times but it clearly isn't being answered, just what do they do in training?

[modes98]

In which case why were we so mind numbingly stupid to ask him to mark Senderos at corners?!

God knows. Benni has never struck me as a good header of the ball and given the chance that fell to him at Arsenal that kind of confirmed it.

We have 2 centre backs, Emerton, MGP and Rocky. Our 5 best headers of the ball and these should be marking the opposition centre backs and forwards(unless its Defoe, then put warnock on him). We have enough there to stop players getting easy headers, which is what is happening at the moment. Benni just doesn't know the defensive tricks and seems very worried when given an important player to mark.

[CAPT KAYOS]

We have 2 centre backs, Emerton, MGP and Rocky. Our 5 best headers of the ball and these should be marking the opposition centre backs and forwards(unless its Defoe, then put warnock on him).

mmmm... not in my book - Emerton is absolutely useless at heading a ball - he shouldn't be for the size of him though.

Manchester Blue Posted Yesterday, 18:02

just what do they do in training?

....

you are beginning to sound like me MB

[modes98]

mmmm... not in my book - Emerton is absolutely useless at heading a ball - he shouldn't be for the size of him though.

Emerton is massive and should be able to head the ball or at least cause a player to have to try harder than benni.

He does alright heading the ball at right back, but i suppose he is up against small, nippy left wingers.

[CAPT KAYOS]

Emerton is massive and should be able to head the ball or at least cause a player to have to try harder than benni.

Totally agree... which is why it should be questioned

[Yorick]

Emerton is massive and should be able to head the ball or at least cause a player to have to try harder than benni.

He does alright heading the ball at right back, but i suppose he is up against small, nippy left wingers.

It's not as much about size as timing. Emerton is useless in the air and Pederson wasnt playing. RSC should have gone with Senderos as he did for the rest of the match.