[Archived] Arsenal V Blackburn Rovers 2 April 2011

[BangkokRover]

My first report so be gentle.

V

Both teams come in to this game not in the best of form. Arsenal's last 6 games at home have resulted in 4 wins and 2 draw only conceding one goal and scoring a total of 8. While Arsenal have recently lost in the Champions League and were surprisingly defeated in the Carling Cup final to Birmingham. Blackburn have 1 win and 5 defeats conceding 17 goals and scoring 9 the only win was against WBA.

Despite the recent poor form Arsenal find themselves in 2nd position in the league while Rovers are down in 13th league

Interestingly the HT league table is a very different story.

So there is a minus 12 point difference for Blackburn between between Half Time and Full Time but for Arsenal there is a 4 point increase.

At home Arsenal are sitting pretty in 3rd position in the league and only Man U have collected more points at home.

Blackburn on the other hand are pretty terrible on the road with only Wolves and Aston Villa with lower points taken from their travels.

While all the stats point to Rovers getting a hammering it's not that simple. I trust the Rovers coaching staff and manager were watching the Carling Cup Final and Birmingham showed exactly out how to play against Arsenal.

More to follow soon

[cloggyjimmybrfc]

Im going down to this with a sneaky point IF we can at least play as a unit and robbo as a blinder....oh well i can at least dream ....reality?....2-0 damage limitation done.

[adopted scouser]

Nice colouful preview but we're gonna get bummed.

4-0, hello Doncaster.

[Ferrit]

I'd be amazed if we got a point, it literally would be a miracle. A few fans seem to be touting Arsenals recent record as a potential chance for us, but let's not forget, we're hardly on the best run of form either.

4-0 Arsenal. That's being conservative/optimistic as well.

[neophox]

I would play this team at Arsenal:

Emerton, Samba, Nelsen, Givet

J.Jones, P.Jones,

Dunn or Formica

Holiett, Kalinic/Santa Cruz, Olsson

I would use our pace in this game.

Hoilett and Olsson as two very offensive midfelders and one target man in the middle and Dunn or Formica behind the front two as the one to pass the balls and J.Jones and P.Jones helping the defence. I would then swap Salgado for Emerton who got more pace.

Then I think that we should use Benjani more, he haven't played much but HE has scored against Both Chelsea and Liverpool this year and he is a clinical finisher and I would prefer him to Roberts.

[BangkokRover]

I would play this team at Arsenal:

Emerton, Samba, Nelsen, Givet

J.Jones, P.Jones,

Dunn or Formica

Holiett, Kalinic/Santa Cruz, Olsson

I would use our pace in this game.

Hoilett and Olsson as two very offensive midfelders and one target man in the middle and Dunn or Formica behind the front two as the one to pass the balls and J.Jones and P.Jones helping the defence. I would then swap Salgado for Emerton who got more pace.

Then I think that we should use Benjani more, he haven't played much but HE has scored against Both Chelsea and Liverpool this year and he is a clinical finisher and I would prefer him to Roberts.

Got to play big stronge Center Forwards as Arsenal don't like direct BFS football as was shown by Birmingham.

[Mercer]

Always preferred illustrations to words ! Congrats B.R. on your preview.

Would love to think that we can sneak something, however, Arsenal have one focus only now for the rest of the season, so every league match for them will be a cup final. Given this, I am expecting nothing less than a 3-0 defeat. If we conceded an early goal or two, then I really think that the roof will cave-in and we could be looking at 6, 7 or even 8 - at least that might 'do' for Kean !

[broadsword]

"Gerlla" sounds about right.

[gumboots]

Im going down to this with a sneaky point IF we can at least play as a unit and robbo as a blinder....oh well i can at least dream ....reality?....2-0 damage limitation done.

The thing is, he doesn't have blinders. I think he's a good keeper but this would need to be a blinder of Friedelesque proportions, and that's Friedel at his best too. Robinson is steady and usually makes the saves he has to make without too much fuss and without too many real howlers, but someone who just really does the spectacular on the day when you really need it? Well, I haven't seen that from him so far.

[cloggyjimmybrfc]

With sambas pre match war cry (kean obviously sat twindling his thumbs).....robbos ears will be ringing and the blinder might happen......

[Wilky]

if we don't pull something out now we are as good as down, we have a really tough end to an almighty @#/? season...

we will struggle against arsenal as we always do

[BangkokRover]

if we don't pull something out now we are as good as down, we have a really tough end to an almighty @#/? season...

we will struggle against arsenal as we always do

Anything we get at Arsenal will be a bonus, Birmingham is where with out fail we have to pick up 3 points.

[joey_big_nose]

I would play this team at Arsenal:

Emerton, Samba, Nelsen, Givet

J.Jones, P.Jones,

Dunn or Formica

Holiett, Kalinic/Santa Cruz, Olsson

I would use our pace in this game.

Hoilett and Olsson as two very offensive midfelders and one target man in the middle and Dunn or Formica behind the front two as the one to pass the balls and J.Jones and P.Jones helping the defence. I would then swap Salgado for Emerton who got more pace.

Then I think that we should use Benjani more, he haven't played much but HE has scored against Both Chelsea and Liverpool this year and he is a clinical finisher and I would prefer him to Roberts.

I think Givet is sadly still unavailable isn't he?

I would slightly change your team to:-

--------------------Robinson

Salgado-----Nelsen----Samba---Olsson

--------------P Jones----Nzonzi

----Hoilett--------J Jones-------Pedersen

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

Tactics should be "give the ball to Hoilett". Dunn to make a cameo last 30 mins. Maybe give Rochina a run down the left at some point as he has been pulling up trees for the reserves.

We could possibly surprise them if we can keep our shape and then hurt them on the break. But I think frankly their quality out wide will find ways to isolate and hurt our full backs. Olsson needs to keep his discipline and limit his forward runs.\

Hate saying this sort of thing, but a narrow loss would be acceptable providing the spirit is there.

[RibbleValleyRover]

6-0 Arsenal.

[LeChuck]

I think Givet is sadly still unavailable isn't he?

I would slightly change your team to:-

--------------------Robinson

Salgado-----Nelsen----Samba---Olsson

--------------P Jones----Nzonzi

----Hoilett--------J Jones-------Pedersen

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

I'd make a slight change and go with this...

--------------------Robinson

Salgado-----Nelsen----Samba---Olsson

--------------P Jones----J Jones

----M. Diouf--------Hoilett-------Pedersen

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

Diouf played that position away at Chelsea and put in a really good shift. Playing Hoilett in that role should give him almost complete freedom. I'd consider playing Emerton right back instead of Salgado as well.

[Hughesy]

4-1 Arsenal.

Expected - however no doubt this forum will be like a suicide watch on saturday night.

A draw - MASSIVE lift

A win - unthinkable

[True Blue & White]

Really worried about this one, may have to sleep through Saturday I think.

[dr_awol]

Time for Samba upfront me thinks, only way we will get anything out of this one is by getting the ball out wide for crosses for samba and cruz, also playing for corners and some hard tackles.... i think Fabregas said it best to Hughes

--------------------Robinson

Salgado-----Nelsen----P Jones-----Olsson

Hoilett-----Nzonzi----J Jones-----Pedersen

Samba---Cruz

[CAPT KAYOS]

Have we been practicing and concentrating on this game for 2 weeks - then if so its safe to say we will get stuffed

As always - Arsenal for the past numerous seasons seem to save their best performance for against us and their goal of the season.

Seriously though, if we go with the usual idea to 'stifle' them - them it will be the 'same old same old' as that is what it has always been when we try and do this - go with the intention to at least compete (with strikers), and although a tall order, with their fragile defence we have the chance of getting a surprise(? ) victory.

[Kelbo]

Time for Samba upfront me thinks, only way we will get anything out of this one is by getting the ball out wide for crosses for samba and cruz, also playing for corners and some hard tackles.... i think Fabregas said it best to Hughes

--------------------Robinson

Salgado-----Nelsen----P Jones-----Olsson

Hoilett-----Nzonzi----J Jones-----Pedersen

Samba---Cruz

That would personally be my game plan against them, most of their keepers are dodgy and likely to make errors so they need to be pressurised as much as possible, their back four can be inconsistant too so I feel you may have called this one right here as we will never football Arsenal in midfield!!

[roversmum]

Well, that's a surprise - Mr Roversmum and I have been talking about using Samba as a striker, now I see that others are thinking the same, bring it on. He can make more mistakes without costing us as a striker, too.

Don't worry, capt, they have been on internationals so they won't have been practising for this match so therefore we should be okay.

[Athlete]

Anything we get at Arsenal will be a bonus, Birmingham is where with out fail we have to pick up 3 points.

Really need to go all out at the Emirates to nick something to give them confidence going into the Birmingham game as you can bet your life on it Alex McCleish will have Rovers away as a must win game for Birmingham

[John]

Well, that's a surprise - Mr Roversmum and I have been talking about using Samba as a striker, now I see that others are thinking the same, bring it on. He can make more mistakes without costing us as a striker, too.

Was thinking that recently too, perhaps deploying Samba as striker - it does not have to be for the whole match but should consider it as he can prove to be a handful.

Generally, think we need to look at more streetwise tactics, we are in a scrap now.

[robbo_rovers]

Already down in London for the weekend to watch Carlisle in the JPT Final with the other half so making the trip to this one too. Looking forward to the experience of the stadium more than the match!

Can't see us getting anything really, will be happy as long as we show some pride. Hopefully the last gasp equaliser may have given us a lift.

On another note, which tube station is closest to the ground? Arsenal? Will this be pretty packed after the game then? Would it be better the go to one of the others, Finsbury Park or Holloway Road I think they are.

Also, how many do we usually take down? Our allocation is 1,500ish I think, will we sell out?

[TimmyJimmy]

Bend over and unclench, that's the only sensible advice for this one. I expect a loss but please don't let us take a proper d!cking again a la ManU. Just to think I actually used to look forward to these big match ups once upon a time but now it just feels like we are dead man walking down death row. Come on lads make a worried man very happy and grab a point - PLEASE.