[Archived] Arsenal V Blackburn Rovers 2 April 2011

[USABlue]

And that's precisely why your every opinion on this club should be disregarded.

Not at the time we did however. Can you honestly tell me you would have been happy to have THAT dross season in season out? Your statement is why your opinion should be disregarded

Getting off topic here aren't I?

[den]

That wasnt a typical Rovers team at the Emirates- obvious as we finally got a point!

We played further up the field, played with attacking players who wanted to get forward, this stiffled Arsenal for large periods, down to personnel and tactics but you're right Sam may have gotten the same result (oh yeah 10 games vs top 4 away Sam got ZERO points )

Again, ignoring how the two teams performed on the day. Can you acknolwledge that Arsenal struggling to reach their usual levels, wasn't all down to Rovers?

Arsenal on top form would demolish any current rovers side, no matter who the manager was. Find a balance imy. Arguing that results prove that Kean is doing a better job than Sam hardly works does it.

[Exiled in Toronto]

A key fact or for me was that by HOW we set about playing we had 45% possession compared to the usual 30% or worse at the Emirates, and thus Arsenal had a lot less of the ball than we used to let them. We didn't get that because Arsenal were poor and kept giving it to us, but because we a) played mostly for possession rather than position and had good midfield players that hustled for 94 mins. If Arsenal had had their usual 70% possession, I'm sure we would have lost the game.

[den]

A key fact or for me was that by HOW we set about playing we had 45% possession compared to the usual 30% or worse at the Emirates, and thus Arsenal had a lot less of the ball than we used to let them. We didn't get that because Arsenal were poor and kept giving it to us, but because we a) played mostly for possession rather than position and had good midfield players that hustled for 94 mins. If Arsenal had had their usual 70% possession, I'm sure we would have lost the game.

If Arsenal had been on song, they would have had the posession and won the game. I'll say it again, Kean eventually got the tactics right. Ditched the diamond, ditched 4-4-2, strung 5 across the park and stifled Arsenal on the day. Let's be honest though, we were aided tremendously by their inability to raise their tempo and their game.

[USABlue]

I NEVER said Kean was doing a better job, did someone say that? My remark was in response to someone saying that we only got a point because we played Allardyce type football. I simply pointed out that Allardyce type football ended in 4-1 and 6-2 defeats. JUst sort of spiraled from there but I don't recall seeing anyone state Kean's doing a better job. If if if.

[tony gale's mic]

Not at the time we did however. Can you honestly tell me you would have been happy to have THAT dross season in season out? Your statement is why your opinion should be disregarded

Getting off topic here aren't I?

I would've been delighted to see us finish top 10, season in, season out. I would also have been optimistic that we could have pushed on further if he was given a bit of money to spend, especially seeing what he did with Bolton.

[Exiled in Toronto]

If Arsenal had been on song, they would have had the posession and won the game. I'll say it again, Kean eventually got the tactics right. Ditched the diamond, ditched 4-4-2, strung 5 across the park and stifled Arsenal on the day. Let's be honest though, we were aided tremendously by their inability to raise their tempo and their game.

They were on song for the first 10 mins but then we changed how and where we were playing. Arsenal were under pressure because of the Man Yoo result but I feel at least as big a driver of the result was the different way we approached the game to in the past where we played almost exlcuively for position and surrendered too much possession.

[Gav]

Not at the time we did however. Can you honestly tell me you would have been happy to have THAT dross season in season out? Your statement is why your opinion should be disregarded

Getting off topic here aren't I?

Sparing with the good doctor ( ) I see, I'd give up if I was you

[imy9]

Again, ignoring how the two teams performed on the day. Can you acknolwledge that Arsenal struggling to reach their usual levels, wasn't all down to Rovers?

Arsenal on top form would demolish any current rovers side, no matter who the manager was. Find a balance imy. Arguing that results prove that Kean is doing a better job than Sam hardly works does it.

Arsenal on top form would demolish ANYONE In the PL and most in the world. I am providing a balance, a question:

1. Would Sam have gotten a point or more from Arsenal yesterday based on what you have seen in over two years of away games under him? Now look at your post where you state whose to say Sam may have gotten something here, balance you say lol

Where have I said results prove Kean is doing a better job than Kean? Your Allardyce tinted glasses may need changing.

[tony gale's mic]

Sparing with the good doctor ( ) I see, I'd give up if I was you

I think people used to say the same thing to Mohammed Ali's opponents too...

[FourLaneBlue]

Kean will get credit when or if we don't get relegated. Not before.

Kean will get credit when he starts taking the club forward and not before. Not sure why he would deserve credit for taking a comfortably midtable side and getting them in a relegation battle, before perhaps getting us safe by the skin of our teeth.

Make no bones about it. Overall, Kean's time in charge of the club was nothing but disastrous until half time against the Donkey Botherers.

Since then, we have showed signs we are getting some belief back.

[otto man]

I think people used to say the same thing to Mohammed Ali's opponents too...

Yeah but Ali was a genius in the ring, where as you..........

[rebelmswar]

I think people used to say the same thing to Mohammed Ali's opponents too...

People also say the same about the demented wino on the corner.

[FourLaneBlue]

Can't we leave Allardyce out of it for once?

Whatever my thoughts about Kean, he has to be applauded for setting his team out well yesterday and making us hard to break down. The players responded well and battled away. Other than perhaps Wilshire's early miss, I think for all of Arsenal's chances we had players putting them under pressure.

A good day at the office for Kean and the lads.

Is Kalinic injured? If anyone was likely to snatch a lucky late winner, it would have been him.

[Bred]

I don't think this has been mentioned here, or was spotted by anyone, but did anyone else at the stadium notice Samba shoving Salgado in the last few minutes? It was pretty heated between the two in the last few minutes. I'm not entirely sure what may have been the cause. Was it shown on TV?

[Stuart]

Yeah but Ali was a genius in the ring, where as you..........

That's not fair Otto, I'm sure the Doc can work wonders with haemorrhoids!

[tony gale's mic]

That's not fair Otto, I'm sure the Doc can work wonders with haemorrhoids!

I'm a bit better with cardiac arrests to be honest, but each to their own..

[den]

Arsenal on top form would demolish ANYONE In the PL and most in the world. I am providing a balance, a question:

1. Would Sam have gotten a point or more from Arsenal yesterday based on what you have seen in over two years of away games under him? Now look at your post where you state whose to say Sam may have gotten something here, balance you say lol

Where have I said results prove Kean is doing a better job than Kean? Your Allardyce tinted glasses may need changing.

1. Well my view is that we don't know. You're view is that because we didn't do for the last two years, we wouldn't have done yesterday. You form opinions based on that? Balance imy? Tinted glasses? Yeah.

[jim mk2]

Can't we leave Allardyce out of it for once?

Whatever my thoughts about Kean, he has to be applauded for setting his team out well yesterday and making us hard to break down.

Yesterday was good but the only time to praise Kean is if / when we are safe from relegation because he inherited a team in a comfortable mid-table position.

And then Kean has to keep us in this league again next season.

We aren't going to win trophies so that is Kean's task.

[Tom]

I don't think this has been mentioned here, or was spotted by anyone, but did anyone else at the stadium notice Samba shoving Salgado in the last few minutes? It was pretty heated between the two in the last few minutes. I'm not entirely sure what may have been the cause. Was it shown on TV?

On TV it looked as though Salgado was the one who was more riled up, he really wanted to get to Samba after he had to clear off the line.

Happy to see some passion there though

[John]

Few thoughts below.

Nelsen had a good game, not only that however as ever his character/leadership was top class. He genuinely cares about the club.

Junior is looking very confident with the ball at his feet at the moment - whilst we are utlising him well at the moment could perhaps look to have him in space, more often, in wider areas.

Jermaine Jones was full of energy and looks more assured on the ball.

Thought Phil Jones was immense also taking into account he has just come back from long term injury - the players look like they are really up for the fight which is pleasing.

We know this however in relation to attacking we still really lack quality where it matters, deliveries of set plays/free kicks were particularly poor yesterday too.

[Rovermatt]

I predicted us to get badly beaten in this but fortunately the increasingly success-shy Arsenal team that Wenger has spent so much time constructing turned up to prove to everybody that there's not a championship-deserving individual amongst them. We kept it tight for the most part and got stuck in, a rather basic tactic when playing superior opposition yet something which Wenger has consistently failed to deal with since he deconstructed his last great team. A well earned point in an increasingly tight relegation battle. Onwards and upwards.

[den]

Where have I said results prove Kean is doing a better job than Kean?

That wasnt a typical Rovers team at the Emirates- obvious as we finally got a point!

We played further up the field, played with attacking players who wanted to get forward, this stiffled Arsenal for large periods, down to personnel and tactics but you're right Sam may have gotten the same result (oh yeah 10 games vs top 4 away Sam got ZERO points )

[Athlete]

that was a very well earned point a pleasent surprise one of the best performances man for man since Kean took over...Birmingham next week is the big one a win a must...

[Stuart]

I'm a bit better with cardiac arrests to be honest, but each to their own..

You support the right club then!