[Archived] Arsenal V Blackburn Rovers 2 April 2011

[neophox]

Have to say the referee was very poor todat giving the decisions in Arsenal favour all the time.

I have to praise Martin Olsson, when he managed to block the shot in the end, World Class!!! The lad is great but I would have liked him on the left wing.

[Jimmy612]

Brilliant performance today, and it isn't a shock that it came when we played 4-5-1!! That is the right tactic for us, and i don't think anyone can argue with that (i'm sure some will).

Does anyone know where Pedersen was today? Arsenals main weakness is defending from set pieces, and our set piece taker wasn't in the squad Cast your minds back to the last home game of the season last year.

What a pathetic red card that was! Players can't make so much as a block tackle anymore, his feet were on the floor. Song should have been s/o for two yellows when he made a deliberate block when we were countering towards the end. Dowd is such a prick.

Unless RSC couldnt manage 90 minutes today, i couldnt fathom why he was taken off. He was just starting to come into the game. A lovely little flick to JJ to run on to and then a nice knock down for Emerton two minutes later. Roberts was a typical waste of space, he is not a lone striker. (questionable substitution)

I am struggling to work out what Emerton offered to the team today. It would have been ideal to take him off and put Ped on, he wouldnt have done any worse, and his corners would have caused more problems.

Delighted to see that Robinson was able to launch the ball forward again, with Nzonzi almost scoring in the first half from it. I think we are starting to see Allardyce tactics sneaking back in, due to our precarious position.

JJ was absolutely superb in the middle, now wonder he had cramp! Ran his ###### off. Nelsen and Samba were awesome! Hoillet is a great outlet on that left hand side. I could go through the whole side but I need a beer.

Much much much much much more confident for the Birmingham game now. Play 4-5-1, use SA tactics, e.g. Robbo long balls, Ped long throws and we'll win it.

Lets have a beer!! COME ON ROVERS

[neophox]

Pedersen was ill and withdrawn but where's Kalinic? Rochina ahead of him on the bench today and no Formica yet.

[Jimmy612]

Pedersen was ill and withdrawn but where's Kalinic? Rochina ahead of him on the bench today and no Formica yet.

Ahhh there we go, fair enough on Ped part. Unfortunately we don't have anyone else to take set pieces in that team.

[danielwhite813]

Just got back. What a great performance. We were rock solid at the back. The centre mids were immense. JJ had a great game and Nzonzi had his best game in a rovers shirt. What can I say about Robbo, never lets us down. Great keeper. I thought Roque was quite poor and doesn't look the same player. Hoilett is looking a top top player. Lets hope we can hold onto him. Bring on Birmingham.

[Roversi]

a vital vital point and not just for the table but for the players,staff and fans. this result will give players the belief that when we play Man U, Man City and everton away that they can get results vs the tough teams. looking at our run in with the arsenal point on the board looks half decent.

(H) Birmingham - Winnable

(A) Everton - Drawable

(H) Man City - Drawable (away it would be a diffrent story)

(H) Bolton - Winnable

(A) West Ham - Drawable

(H) Man United - lose (title winning game)

(A) Wolves - Winnable

there is a good 7-12 points out there for us.

p.s. sorry any to any english perfectionist's for the "able's"

[DE.]

Just a note on the sending off... this is the same ref that didn't send off Carragher for ripping Nani's shin apart with a horrendous lunge.

Respect? Earn it first.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

a vital vital point and not just for the table but for the players,staff and fans. this result will give players the belief that when we play Man U, Man City and everton away that they can get results vs the tough teams. looking at our run in with the arsenal point on the board looks half decent.

(H) Birmingham - Winnable

(A) Everton - Drawable

(H) Man City - Drawable (away it would be a diffrent story)

(H) Bolton - Winnable

(A) West Ham - Drawable

(H) Man United - lose (title winning game)

(A) Wolves - Winnable

there is a good 7-12 points out there for us.

p.s. sorry any to any english perfectionist's for the "able's"

I would have thought after todays results that Utd will have already won the trophy by then. That game could then be Winnable/Drawable.

[gumboots]

Pedersen was ill and withdrawn but where's Kalinic? Rochina ahead of him on the bench today and no Formica yet.

I've told you - heard from someone who should know that he can't hit a barndoor with a banjo, or at least that's the clean version of it. I also told you that whatever we think of the manager, and most agree that we wish he wasn't the manager, the players like playing for him and think he's good. Whether that's true or not they certainly seem to be playing for each other and therefore for him. Not like against Wigan with Ince where you knew the players wanted rid.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

A brilliant result,superb rock solid performance from the lads!

Off to eat some humble pie.

[Mozzer]

this is more like it ...the defending was brilliant - we looked like we wanted it soo bad , and nzonzi looked distraught when he got sent off

whats that people have been saying about jermaine jones ? hes not good enough - well id like you to watch this game ..i said it before and il say it again- if we stay up this guy is a must , must buy

overall proud of the lads

[Roversi]

I would have thought after todays results that Utd will have already won the trophy by then. That game could then be Winnable/Drawable.

id doubt it, they still have chelsea and i think man city. the game with us will be the championship game.

[martmitch]

just back from the emirates, after 5 minutes I gave us no chance of keeping them out they started very dangerously, typical arsenal tho tap-tap-tap football no end product. some outstanding performances from our team today, samba, nelson, jones, olsson, they really couldn't handle junior either. Had to keep myself from laughing in the tube hearing all the arse fans theories on 'wengers philosophy is now outdated' etc. A pal went to this who is an arse fan, I asked him if he knew who junior hoilett was, he had never heard of him, at half time his exact words were he 'couldnt believe how he was tearing through the arsenal defence'

Cant believe it ended 0-0, it was arsenals to win esp after the red card and as usual their fans go home disappointed, the are not worthy champions, performances like utd's comeback today as much as I hate to say it, is the hallmark of a team worthy of winning the prem league

[ChesterRover]

Amazing performance from the lads today, had nothing for us at all yet we easily deserved a point. Great work ethic, solid defence, and the centre midfield put in a very strong shift. Highlight for me was the performances of Hoilett and Olsson against the likes of Clichy and Walcott and finally JJ ran midfield.

Its going to be one hell of a run in!

[funny-old-game]

Build on this performance, treat every game like a cup final and we could be safe!!!

JJ had a fantastic game, keep it up boys!

Come on Rovers!!

[bazza]

Watched the game in the pub. Fingernails have nearly gone. If we hadn't have got something out of the game it would have been a ruddy shame.

At last I saw a Rovers team playing like a team; all for one and one for all; winning second balls in midfield; can we keep up the momentum against Brum?

Everyone played their hearts and guts out for the cause. No complaints. No criticisms. And Steven Nzonzi; what has Steve Kean said to the lad? He played as an ATTACKING midfielder. He was distraught having been sent off (harshly IMO).

IF, IF only Rovers can keep up this momentum of play, we are going to be safe.

I'll bet those fans that went to the Emirates are buzzing on the way home.

WELL DONE !!!

[bastionRover]

What a game! Brilliant performance by the boys today. I was extremely proud to wear my shirt in a predominantly supported Arsen-hole pub. Hats off to Olssen, Hoilett, both Jones', Nelson, Samba, Robbo and N-zonzi who was sent off unfairly.

Keep it up boys, please....

[booth]

Dodgy refereeing decisions are random unless you're a brfc fan. For example just watching ac vs inter and Zanetti has just given away a penalty. Exactly the same as what Sagna did to Hoillet when he brought him down in the box.

Inter concede penalty, yellow card and another goal.

Sagna doesn't and doesn't end up with a red.

Exactly the same amount of contact.

[grizfoot]

Best away performance of the season? has got to be in my view.

To easily we often roll over and almost admit defeat before the game away at the big sides. But today we stepped up to the occassion and put in brilliant hard-working performance. After the first five minutes I'll be honest I was thinking let's keep the score down here. But after thoose first ten minutes or so had past I thought we grew into the game and had some good moves in the later parts of the first half and could have easily got a goal. Never really got going in the second half but we defended really well. The sending off was harsh in my opinion and this ended our attacking threat but we kept it solid at the back. Funnily enough Arsenal looked more dangerous when they put crosses in late on. Overall we played the perfect away game against one of the top side, the midfield five worked their socks off and the defense put in blocks and tackles where it mattered. Robinson pulled off a few decent saves but he wasn't overly tested in my view. Santa Cruz showed some good touches and held the ball up well when he got it, then Roberts came on and didn't do a lot then again we did only have ten men at that stage. Funnily enough today Kean successfully put into practise the sort of tactics that Big Sma has been unsuccessful in adopting away from home against the big boys over the past couple of seasons. Incidentally enough I thought we played decent against Chelsea also under Kean, only poor defending from set-pieces cost us that dat.

All of sudden things don't seem to look as bleak, play to anything like that level in the remaining games we should be fine. Man of the Match for me is a hard one as almost everyone played well, the energy of the young guns mixed with the experienced heads. Although Olsson and Holiett stood out once again for me, these two keep getting better and better. Would love to see them operate on opposite flanks for the remainder of the season, which is a distinct possibility with Givet returning from suspension.

[Commondore]

I've told you - heard from someone who should know that he can't hit a barndoor with a banjo, or at least that's the clean version of it. I also told you that whatever we think of the manager, and most agree that we wish he wasn't the manager, the players like playing for him and think he's good. Whether that's true or not they certainly seem to be playing for each other and therefore for him. Not like against Wigan with Ince where you knew the players wanted rid.

You mean he's bad in training? Strange, strikers tend to be judged on their statistics more than their actual performances. Especially when it comes to scoring goals.

[Tom]

We may only have 2 points from 2 games but the difference in feeling from half time against the lashers to now is huge, the players must be buzzing after that.

[bigbrandjohn]

Trouble in Paradise

shut your big mouth you idiot.You said you believed in this team and athough we had doubts becoz of the deficiencies that were there for all to see,we believed you...but once again we are found lacking at the most crucial of times..Another trophiless campaign looms and there is no one to blame but you..Please just do us all a favour and resign as Arsenal FC manager

[tmap]

I was following the Cricket world cup instead as my last two visits to Highbury have seen us play OK but still ship 10 goals, while being sneered at by tens of thousands of tossers, egged on by the most unpleasant stewards I've seen.

So I'm delighted to think of all of them heading home disappointed and very much now knowing who Junior Hoilett is. Heh heh!

[booth]

I see the anorak botherer has decided to deny us any credit

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11670_6849624,00.html

[jonv]

too many bandwagon/dingle fans on this forum. this place represents one percent of the true blue and whites - a shame

thank you rovers