[Archived] Arsenal V Blackburn Rovers 2 April 2011

[RibbleValleyRover]

Let's see what happens next game, Rovers are still in a dire situation despite signs of a possible turn around today. We now must go and beat Brum next week otherwise the result today will not mean anything.

[DE.]

Someone mentioned earlier about what did Kean say to Nzonzi he was like a diffrent player motivted,going on dribbles which we havent really seen before?

Why not trying to take anything away from Kean but I imagine he was extra motivated as his parents were in the crowd

Probably explains why he was in tears after being sent off.

[PAFELL]

For anyone not seen Olssons block or just want to watch it again

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZj2zRTYxEI

Someone mentioned earlier about what did Kean say to Nzonzi he was like a diffrent player motivted,going on dribbles which we havent really seen before?

Why not trying to take anything away from Kean but I imagine he was extra motivated as his parents were in the crowd

Kean impressed me today he proved he can set up a team more that one way, he noticed at the start we were sitting too far back and sitting off too much so intructed them to push up and pressure.

Holiett man of the match for me he terroised Arsenal all day and decision making was exceptional and hardly gave the ball away

Olsson best game he has had as a left back and looked like a proper left back today.

J.Jones- great game and has looked good in most games of the season he was driving the team forward.

P.Jones - really, really impressed me was that really his first start in 3 months!!, what an engine still chasing everthing in the dieing minutes.

Samba and Nelson expceptional won everthing looked really solid.

Salgado was really good too used all his experince and vital clear of the line

Robbo - Dare I say if he gets much better he will reach Friedal like levels?

Emerton - only weak link today in my opinon

Agreed - but he did play an international match mid week v germany.

No chances came RSC's way at all. I did not think he had much of a game, but that was maybe because of the lack of chances.

[RibbleValleyRover]

For anyone not seen Olssons block or just want to watch it again

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZj2zRTYxEI

One of the best blocks I've ever seen.

[Tom]

One of the best block I've ever seen.

It didn't exist on MOTD amazingly.

[bigbrandjohn]

Nobody has mentioned that maybe Jensen had a hand in the preparation

[DE.]

It didn't exist on MOTD amazingly.

They actually showed the block in the end of show highlights, but not during the main match recap

[deftangel]

It didn't exist on MOTD amazingly.

What?! That's outrageous. Must be on too good, too bad tomorrow surely.

[Tom]

What?! That's outrageous. Must be on too good, too bad tomorrow surely.

I know, it was one of those moments that has you out of your seat, brilliant stuff, although they do say never turn your back ha.

[robbojohnno]

We go to fulham and get robbed, we outplay blackpool and deserve all 3 and THEN we go to ARSENAL away and play superbly yet some pathetic fans belive this isnt enoought, I was a massive SAM fan but hes gone!we will keep it going, get the points required and in the summer we'll make it!!! x

[roverwhelmed]

Went for a few cheeky drinks in celebration of an unexpected but very welcome point. So proud to be a Rover tonight and really chuffed, mostly because my nonexistant belief is reignited with a vengeance.

Come on you Rovers. Can't wait for the Birmingham game now.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

The Hoilett penalty shout wasn't a penalty, but I've seen them given. It was more of a penalty than the one that Blackpool were awarded.

There was an interesting point in the game - when Hoilett had his wayward shot when clear in the area - he was taken out just after shooting (much in the same way Nelsen did last week) - strangely no penalty.

I am sure there is no conspiracy - but I hope we start to get the rub of the green soon - and some of these daft decisions start to go our way for once.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

To be completely honest i thought the red card was deserved. You go off your feet and two footed then you know what is coming. Harsh, but you shouldn't give the referee the option.

Hoilett. The kid is a star. His agility is frightening. He can glide past players so easily. He was the outlet today that we've been needing for years. genuine raw pace.

J.Jones was brilliant. Saw him at Fulham and was surprised with his pace and today he was everywhere. Vital that he stays fit.

Roque needs service. Only a Tevez esque player could have made a real influence playing in that role today.

Overall, feels like a win. The players know that they can play their way away from the relegation zone and that is the important thing. Two wins and two draws from our final games should just about be enough.

Kean: Cannot pretend that things have gone well, however I like what he's trying to do. Today we played on the deck and at times, played straight through Arsenal. The results havent come but we've deserved more then what we've got. Im optimistic for the future. Stay up this season, investment arriving in the summer and Hoilett staying will mean we should be in far better shape come August.

[blue_and_white]

To be fair that was flipping brilliant, well done Steve. Maybe it'd be harsh to suggest we're not out of the woods yet but winning against Blackpool and losing today (as expected) would have given us 1 more precious point. Never the less we put in a performance worthy of a surviving team today and if we can show that level of spirit and quality for the rest of the season we have every chance. Again fantastic and bloody well done team and manager, Kean's most impressive result as Rovers manager.

[mattyc2422]

Proud to be a Rover. Gusty performance.

Special mention to Jermaine Jones - thought he was fantastic.

[modes98]

To be completely honest i thought the red card was deserved. You go off your feet and two footed then you know what is coming. Harsh, but you shouldn't give the referee the option.

It wasn't 2 footed for me. The one foot got the ball, the other foot came round in a scissor fashion. The panel didn't think it was a red, no one at the birmingham pub I was in thought it was either. Having seen some tackles in england ghana that were a lot like it go without a free kick it is a bit strange to suddenly see a red card against us, or not!

All in all a fantastic performance and a bonus point that could very well have been 3.

Just have to hope this is the spring board to beating birmingham and really finishing strongly.

[Miker]

This result will be a massive, massive boost to the entire team. The draw is great, but the clean sheet is fantastic. We've been shipping goals like there's no tomorrow, but our defence has finally picked up its game and put in a monolithic performance to ruin Arsenal's title chances. It's really great to see. Our defence is one of the best in the league when it's playing well, they just need to maintain that performance for the rest of the season.

[FourLaneBlue]

At half-time against Blackpool we were done. Someone should have stuck a fork in us.

Now, we might just stay up.

Make no bones about it though, we need to win against Birmingham. A point away at Arsenal is a good result but not worthy of the histrionics of some on here. The fact remains that we have not won in eight games. Kean has only ever beaten teams in decline/turmoil (Liverpool/WBA) or lower-league opponents (QPR).

We need to beat a team that have recently beat Arsenal in a Wembley final and beat Bolton today.

A good day today, no doubt. Just...let's not mess up against Brum.

[LeftWinger]

I've been a massive Kean hater - but fair play - he got it spot on today. We fully deserved the point and Jermaine Jones was sensational for me. I've never felt less optimistic before a game as I did today, but the lads really looked like they cared. If Emerton had have been half decent with his set pieces, we could have even won today. Well done Kean and the boys!

[deryck guyler's spoon]

There was an interesting point in the game - when Hoilett had his wayward shot when clear in the area - he was taken out just after shooting (much in the same way Nelsen did last week) - strangely no penalty.

I am sure there is no conspiracy - but I hope we start to get the rub of the green soon - and some of these daft decisions start to go our way for once.

I dont think there is a conspiracy but the facts point to the "big clubs" getting the decisions. We neither have the support, the manager or the status to intimidate referees and we have seen that there are plenty of weak refs out there.

I think we should ramp up the pressure on them and announce we are sending a dvd illustrating the disproportionate amount of shockingly poor decisions that have gone against us to the Premier League and whoever it is that administers refereeing.

It may have the desired effect on the lilly livered official against Brum. It dosn't seem to have harmed Stoke.

[BangkokRover]

Meanwhile back in reality

[cruz]

Meanwhile back in reality

Rather than pasting in an irrelevant table you could see the positives from yesterdays fine draw.

We are unbeaten in our last 2 games

We have increased the gap between us and the drop zone.

The team began to look like they can defend.

We can have a week without mass hysteria

[BangkokRover]

I am not saying yesterday was not a good result.

I am just pointing out were are not out of the woods yet.

Personally I think a draw against Blackpool was 2 points dropped.

[Stuart]

I am not saying yesterday was not a good result.

I am just pointing out were are not out of the woods yet.

Personally I think a draw against Blackpool was 2 points dropped.

It is a pretty irrelevant table BKR. Particularly when not all the teams have played the same number of games. It's also yet more negativity.

Right now it shows we are no longer bottom of the form table, and if Blackpool don't win today then we'll go above them in that table. A corner turned?

The lads have given us fans something to hang on to and, given how pessimistic everyone has been, we barely deserve that kind of performance. Let's roar them on next Saturday at Ewood. They've earned that much.

[joey_big_nose]

Fantastic performance! I didn't expect us to get a point but I said there were reasons to be hopeful. Great to see it so positive on here.

The whole team was brilliant - Cruz and Emerton aside who were lackluster - particularly Hoilett, P Jones, J Jones, Nelsen, Olsson, Samba.

The key for us are the two Jones and Hoilett who are not only sensational but to my mind also consistent. For so long we have been plagued by players who blow hot and cold which breaks the rhythm of the team. It is the first time we have had real dependability in midfield since the days of Savage, which gives us a real basis to build on.

Looking forward to Brum - I think we can win.