[Archived] Arsenal V Blackburn Rovers

[Eddie]

Apologies for this being a day or two late.

So this Sunday sees our first clash against one of the "big four" and also our first trip to London for the season. In recent seasons we haven't fared particularly well against the top sides or the London clubs and when it comes to Chelsea and Arsenal our record is pretty appalling. We haven't won in the league against Arsenal since the 1-0 under Hughes when we were chasing 4th spot and we haven't won against them away from home since as far back as the 26th October 2002 when we beat them 2-1 at Highbury thanks to a masterclass in goalkeeping from Brad Friedel. I would suppose that this makes the Emirates the only premier league ground that we haven't won at (of the sides currently in the premier league), although that could be incorrect. Since their move to the new ground our record against them reads:

2006/2007: L 2-6

2007/2008: L 0-2

2008/2009: L 0-4

To call them our bogey side would probably be ignoring the fact that they are simply a quality football team, but they possess the qualities I most fear when it comes to our opposition: pace and quick passing.

When looking over all of our fixtures against them and trying to think of memories of Arsenal games it struck me that matches against them have often turned into great characterisations of our club in particular seasons or eras; in fact, Arsenal's emergence under Wenger as a serious title threat developed as our position at the top of English football went into a swift decline.

Under Souness our record against Arsenal was probably about as good as it has ever been. In the years in which he had us playing good football with Dunn, Duff, Jansen and Tugay we actually managed reasonably well against them, including doing the double over them in the 2002/2003 season.

Perhaps the most important of those wins against Arsenal under Souness came in the quarterfinals of the League Cup as a Jansen hat-trick helped us into the next round and, of course, we ended up winning the thing.

Under Hughes three fixtures stick out for me against Arsenal: the first being the FA Cup Semi-Final clash with the infamous Van Persie decking, the Benni McCarthy goal and then the win at home against them (our last victory in this fixture) when we got a goal after some wonderful work on the wing from Bellamy and for a while it seemed possible, really quite possible, that we might actually have a chance at finish 4th.

Ince's reign was short-lived, but he did managed to get a thumping against Arsenal in there. We lost 4-0 to them at Ewood Park last season on the back of a 4-1 defeat to West Ham. Things were pretty grim and probably best to keep this part of it short.

Rovers under Allardyce against Arsenal...well there's only one thing that comes to mind:

According to most in football it was the worst attempt at cheating any sport had ever seen. It's surprising that Pedersen wasn't banned for life as a result.

It's been a few years since we've had a good result against them, hopefully we'll put up a fight this time and maybe pull off a bit of a shock. I have to admit that I'm a bit worried about Allardyce's policy of choosing which games are worth turning up for, but it would be nice if we had a bit of a go.

Here's a quick league form guide:

Blackburn :

LLDWLW

Arsenal :

WWLLWW

Difficult to see us getting anything out of this, my prediction would be Arsenal 3-1 Rovers.

And just to add a bit of news to this preview, American businessman Stan Kroenke has increased his stake in the club to 28.7%

A preview with Sam the Arsenal fan will be added tomorrow evening.

[T4E]

Hope Sam plays the reserves.

3-0 Arsenal.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Good preview Eddie.

3-0 Arsenal though it could be 4 or 5 if we don't get our tactics right.

Can't see us getting anything from this match and Sam will have written this game off already going into the game, not surprising considering that Arsenal are on a completely different level to us. A damage limitation exercise, pack the midfield and try and reduce the amount of goals we concede, but Arsenal's quality will put a few past us.

[gumboots]

Good preview Eddie.

3-0 Arsenal though it could be 4 or 5 if we don't get our tactics right.

Can't see us getting anything from this match and Sam will have written this game off already going into the game, not surprising considering that Arsenal are on a completely different level to us. A damage limitation exercise, pack the midfield and try and reduce the amount of goals we concede, but Arsenal's quality will put a few past us.

I was pessimistic before i read this. Now I'm almost suicidal!

[Steve Moss]

If Sam plays the same players as last week, its Rovers 2-1 Arsenal. Go Rovers!

[RibbleValleyRover]

I was pessimistic before i read this. Now I'm almost suicidal!

Just trying to be realistic Gumboots. They are at Home and they are a great counter attacking side that should be too much for us. The gulf in class between the top four and Rovers is huge.

I'd love to sneak a win as i hate Arsenal after that bs Wenger & Mourinho started (the bully boy tag- that still haunts us) but i can't see us getting anything from this game.

[philipl]

Test for Sam. Will he go all surrender like he did at Anfield last season or will he set up his side to look for something. After the Villa game he said he would change his personnel and his system for this one.

I suspect we will see Keith Andrews come in for Grella- about as much use as a traffic cone against the fluidity in this Arsenal side which will see Walcott back from injury and the ever improving Rosicky.

Even if we keep it 0-0 for a very long time as Olympiakos did, Arsenal frequently score late on in a game so no sense of job done even if we are in contention with 80 minutes gone. In that 6-2 defeat we came within a whisker of making it 3-3 in the 85th minute so be warned!

Arsenal to win 3-1, I fancy we will score this time.

[rebelmswar]

Good preview Eddie.

I think we should play like nutters in this one. Tell the lads to go out an enjoy themselves.

Throw on the young un, throw on Kali, tell Dunn to run the show and bomb balls into the box.

Have the players mark them tight and not let them move, frustrate the hell out of them and generally have a good time.

[Iceman]

1-0 to Rovers. Im going into every game, feeling confident about getting a positive result.

[tony gale's mic]

Will be trying to find a bar in Mexico City open around breakfast time so I can watch this one!

3-1 Arsenal.

[joey_big_nose]

Test for Sam. Will he go all surrender like he did at Anfield last season or will he set up his side to look for something. After the Villa game he said he would change his personnel and his system for this one.

I suspect we will see Keith Andrews come in for Grella- about as much use as a traffic cone against the fluidity in this Arsenal side which will see Walcott back from injury and the ever improving Rosicky.

Didn't realise Sam said he would change things. I would be suprised if he did personally, I thought the only person who could be dropped would be Pedersen with Hoilett coming in.

As for the Grella suspension - please can Sam play Emerton there! He would offer the best protection in the squad as he would at least be able to keep up with the Arsenal kids. Andrews would be suicidal against that pace. Is is a yard behind the average Premiership footballer, let alon the gooners.

[gumboots]

Just trying to be realistic Gumboots. They are at Home and they are a great counter attacking side that should be too much for us. The gulf in class between the top four and Rovers is huge.

I'd love to sneak a win as i hate Arsenal after that bs Wenger & Mourinho started (the bully boy tag- that still haunts us) but i can't see us getting anything from this game.

Me neither as I said i am a pessimist generally but usually when you look on here there's at least one eternal optimist who thinks we just might get something very unlikely out of it. You can at least laugh at their ridiculous optimism, but this time it was doom and gloom straight away.

[CAPT KAYOS]

'We only need ten men......

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

v

.... More!!'

[RovertheHill]

Probably be labelled a surrender monkey by some but I tend to write this fixture off at the start of each season. I will be happy if we make them think they've been in a game by the end.

[rebelmswar]

Probably be labelled a surrender monkey by some but I tend to write this fixture off at the start of each season. I will be happy if we make them think they've been in a game by the end.

Throw some tackles in?

Have Diouf talk nonstop smack to the young Arsenal players? Maybe pinch their buns in the box. Anything to rile them up.

Hopefully Samba can convince one of them to dive in the box and get a red card.

[Big Fat Sam]

All I want from this game is a decent performance and us not to get hit for 4 again. My best mates a gunner and we have an on going bet each game and I haven't won for ages, this time I'm keen not to have him asking for his winnings at half time.

As long as we try to have a go and have a plan a & b I'll be happy. I get the draw so I'll take that as well lads!! They've played mid week so if we can start brightly you never know?

[speeeeeeedie]

This will be our usual beating at their hands with van Persie scoring at least 1.

[1864roverite]

Nice pleasant read and some good memories.

I was there on the occasions when Rovers won at Highbury, 1-0 2-1 and 3-1 I think I recall the scorelines (might be mistaken tho).

The Emirates is a different ball game.

Rovers have the inane ability to concede early goals and this Sunday, an early goal conceded will lead to a heavy defeat, possibly the heaviest of the season.

Arsenal have mobility, skill and work ethic in abundance and they have the capability to score at will.

Rovers to adopt a defensive strategy but still expect a 3-0 defeat at worst.

[T4E]

Throw some tackles in?

Have Diouf talk nonstop smack to the young Arsenal players? Maybe pinch their buns in the box. Anything to rile them up.

Hopefully Samba can convince one of them to dive in the box and get a red card.

No, no tackling, no injuries, lets just take the defeat without losing anyone for the Dingles.

[Presty On Tour]

The players should be playing for their shirts against the dingles imo.

Great win against Villa, let's carry it on here.

[Steve Moss]

Other than Everton, the Rovers I've seen play are a very solid squad with loads of talent. I am with Rebelmswar on this one. Shake up the squad some, playsome of the kids, and change the instructions a tad so they can run wild. The conventional wisdom is that we will be slaughtered. A defeat is a defeat, whether its by one point or 5 points (and leaving aside the bean counters and their point differential arguments). With those assumptions, this game should be liberating as we really have nothing to lose based on past history. So let's put on samurai bandanas and go for broke.

[test]

Sadly I would be happy with a two goal deficit............but if we got a snakey draw I would be flying!!

I hope we at at least push them a bit more than we have in previous seasons.

Fingers crossed.

[Kelbo]

As Greavsie has always said, football is a funny old game, who can tell which Rovers turn upon the day?

if we play keith andrews, we are stuffed, he is nowhwere near premiership class and the likes of Fabrigas and Arshvin will expose him more than ever!!

My game would be two holding midfielders, hopefully Givet with Samba cntre of defence and Jacobsen and Chimbonda at full back, we must start using Hoilett, he has some pace and ability and along with Dunny can open things up for us, as for up top, well Di Santo looks the best bet and Sam wont drop Ped or Diouf.

[joey_big_nose]

Other than Everton, the Rovers I've seen play are a very solid squad with loads of talent. I am with Rebelmswar on this one. Shake up the squad some, playsome of the kids, and change the instructions a tad so they can run wild. The conventional wisdom is that we will be slaughtered. A defeat is a defeat, whether its by one point or 5 points (and leaving aside the bean counters and their point differential arguments). With those assumptions, this game should be liberating as we really have nothing to lose based on past history. So let's put on samurai bandanas and go for broke.

I appreciate your from the other side of the pond and getting used to the game and all that but you could at least call goals goals!

My flat mate and one of my best mates is American and loves football, but consistently whoever he talks to about it will just switch off as soon as he calls extra time "overtime" or referees "umpires" or transfers "trades". Part of that is a British prejudice that Americans know nothing about football (I don't personally share that), but most of it is you don't take anybody seriously about anything who doesn't get the terms right.

It may seem like details but honestly you won't get any credibility. In any field getting the terminology right is always the first battle!

[Steve Moss]

Terminology such as referring to 'football' as "socc*r"? Sorry for the *, but for some reason the system will not allow me to spell the full word so let's see if a cheat works.