[Archived] Arsenal V Blackburn Rovers 2 April 2011

[47er]

Hopefully our defence will return from their 3 month holiday and play like organised professionals rather than kick and rush playground schoolchildren

Thus proving we don't need a manger I suppose?

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

In all likelihood we will lose, but if we keep it respectable I'm not bothered at all. Just don't get anyone injured.

If we got a point...

Let's not even imagine.

[Hughesy]

Van Persie just got a knee injury against hungary....

However reports say he is expected to be fit for saturday!!!

[AggyBlue]

Really surprised this sold out.

It's probably seen by many as the last chance to visit the best stadium (IMO) in the PL.

[Guest linganzi]

Overrated stadium. Good from, far far from good

[Ferrit]

Absolutely awesome pitch though. Could you imagine playing on it

[roversmum]

It's probably seen by many as the last chance to visit the best stadium (IMO) in the PL.

Not the best stadium imho. Just a heap of concrete and tin, the concrete is already failing if you look closer at it. The away concourse is like a shed. It does look very pretty lit up at night, I'll agree with that.

[AggyBlue]

Not the best stadium imho. Just a heap of concrete and tin, the concrete is already failing if you look closer at it. The away concourse is like a shed. It does look very pretty lit up at night, I'll agree with that.

Twice as much leg room as the BBE (and most other stadiums) and comfy seats.

That makes it the best stadium for me.

[joey_big_nose]

Christ, can people on here grow some balls? We managed a decent performance against Chelsea under Kean, and while the odds are against us what's the point in writing ourselves off before the game? We always have a chance.

We played better against Fulham, a lot better against Blackpool and we have nearly a fully fit squad to pick from including the huge addition of Phil Jones, the outstandingly in form Hoilett and a decent looking Jermaine Jones. Strap a pair on! All I want to see is organisation and fight on the pitch even if we lose, both of which are sadly lacking on here....

The time for panicking, moaning, recrimination, and - if you are so inclined - tantrums is after the game.

Great to see by the sell out that the fatalism of the majority of posters on here is not shared by the travelling support. As it stands we are 13th and have a very good chance to stay up no matter who is in charge.

[LeChuck]

We managed a decent performance against Chelsea under Kean

No we didn't! The score wasn't horrific, but the performance was terrible.

[PAFELL]

However reports say he is expected to be fit for saturday!!!

Hope they put lehman in goal.

Have a sneaky feeling we may get a draw tomorrow.

[92er]

Hope they put lehman in goal.

Have a sneaky feeling we may get a draw tomorrow.

Maybe tomorrow.

I doubt it on Saturday.

[Sparky Marky]

Have a sneaky feeling we may get a draw tomorrow.

Really? What makes you think that? Our outstanding record at the Emirates, or is it our current form?

4-1 arsenal.

[neophox]

The BIG problem is that our strikers can't score. Maybe its time to give Benjani a runout! He's played 4 games and scored 3. Santa Cruz has managed 0 goals in 5 starts.

[Hasta]

Hughes infamously packed the defence against Arsenal in the FA Cup a few years back and got the result he was after leading to Fabregas' "That's not Barcelona football" quote.

It was the kind of negative, backs to the wall, defend in numbers performance that would have had most people criticising Allardyce going Ape.

Kean has obviously tried to distance himself from that kind of tactics and performance since he has been in charge. However I hope he doesn't decide to take Arsenal on at their own game and does approach it with a degree of caution / negativity. It would be just like us to decide this is the game to go two up front with two wide men and get creamed.

Down the years there have been some great memories of Arsenal away , albeit at Highbury. Think of Yorke scoring the winner, Dunnys late equaliser and Flittys even later equaliser after Sutton had chased the ball down in the corner flag.

[onlyonejackwalker]

Christ, can people on here grow some balls? We managed a decent performance against Chelsea under Kean, and while the odds are against us what's the point in writing ourselves off before the game? We always have a chance.

We played better against Fulham, a lot better against Blackpool and we have nearly a fully fit squad to pick from including the huge addition of Phil Jones, the outstandingly in form Hoilett and a decent looking Jermaine Jones. Strap a pair on! All I want to see is organisation and fight on the pitch even if we lose, both of which are sadly lacking on here....

The time for panicking, moaning, recrimination, and - if you are so inclined - tantrums is after the game.

Great to see by the sell out that the fatalism of the majority of posters on here is not shared by the travelling support. As it stands we are 13th and have a very good chance to stay up no matter who is in charge.

We were terrible against Chelsea. Clearly you did not go to that game. They had 19 or so shots to our one. Our shot went wide anyway. The score remained respectable. The Rovers were pathetic. We could and should have lost by a cricket score. Is that what you are trying to say, but wrote 'decent performance' by mistake?

We conceded 3 away at Fulham and 2 at home to Blackpool. Hardly the best two teams in the league, so leaking 5 goals in those matches does not indicate we did well.

Selling out our allocation for Arsenal, although great, is most likely due to the fact that the travelling fans know the players need their support more than ever, are taking the opportunity to visit decent grounds that may not be ours to visit next season and the fact that the season is nearly over and few away days remain. It will have nothing to do with optimism about the result, as I do not know any Rovers fans that believe we will win this game easily.

My suggestion is Venky's grow some balls and admit their mistake and remove Kean. Or Kean grows some balls and admits he is not up to the task and leaves. And the players grow some balls and get us out of this mess that they have helped create. Telling worried fans on here, stating the obvious, many that have supported longer than the Venky's have been trading.....to grow some balls seems to me like you are totally missing the point.

[CAPT KAYOS]

Hope they put lehman in goal.

Have a sneaky feeling we may get a draw tomorrow.

ha ha - may be our only chance if they do and would be the only reason for us to put Samba up front imo -but looking unlikely he may play now.

LEHMAN IS BACK!!

As I posted earlier - play on the defence, go with strikers and not the stupid mentality of trying to hold them as we have previously as we all know the inevitable outcome

[savage8]

Down the years there have been some great memories of Arsenal away , albeit at Highbury. Think of Yorke scoring the winner, Dunnys late equaliser and Flittys even later equaliser after Sutton had chased the ball down in the corner flag.

Dunny's greatest game in a Rovers shirt - came of age massively then. God he was good.

[roversfan1]

We were terrible against Chelsea. Clearly you did not go to that game. They had 19 or so shots to our one. Our shot went wide anyway. The score remained respectable. The Rovers were pathetic. We could and should have lost by a cricket score. Is that what you are trying to say, but wrote 'decent performance' by mistake?

We conceded 3 away at Fulham and 2 at home to Blackpool. Hardly the best two teams in the league, so leaking 5 goals in those matches does not indicate we did well.

Selling out our allocation for Arsenal, although great, is most likely due to the fact that the travelling fans know the players need their support more than ever, are taking the opportunity to visit decent grounds that may not be ours to visit next season and the fact that the season is nearly over and few away days remain. It will have nothing to do with optimism about the result, as I do not know any Rovers fans that believe we will win this game easily.

My suggestion is Venky's grow some balls and admit their mistake and remove Kean. Or Kean grows some balls and admits he is not up to the task and leaves. And the players grow some balls and get us out of this mess that they have helped create. Telling worried fans on here, stating the obvious, many that have supported longer than the Venky's have been trading.....to grow some balls seems to me like you are totally missing the point.

Fantastic post, totally agree.

Heart would love to see a win but head says that this just isnt going to happen - 3-0 Arsenal.

[Nafe_rovers]

I am somewhat optimistic about this, however the more I think about it the worse I feel... looking forward to it though, sell out.... where is everyone drinking?

[Grabbi Graeme]

Twice as much leg room as the BBE (and most other stadiums) and comfy seats.

That makes it the best stadium for me.

Have to agree with you there, it is a great modern stadium, I have been there twice, seen us get stuffed twice there as well.

I'm not sure about Saturday I have taken the day off to watch it,I don't see it being a Man Utd type stuffing but it's going to be a battle to come away with a point, but football does sometimes throw up strange results.

There is a good pub right accross from the ground, I think it used to be the away pub when they played at Highbury, mix of home and away fans but never any problems.

[PAFELL]

I am somewhat optimistic about this, however the more I think about it the worse I feel... looking forward to it though, sell out.... where is everyone drinking?

If Samba gave the half time talk v Blackpool. I hope Kean lets him do it again, because it worked. But this time it has to be done prior to kick off. i am optomistic because of the second half v blackpool. That team fought for the result in that game - I hope that was a turning of the corner.

[Commondore]

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

Getting on the end of crosses is actually a quite advanced offensive skill, which I don't feel Samba possess. He's good for long punts though, where he doesn't have to time runs, avoid defenders etc.

2-1 Arsenal. Kalinic to come on late and pull one back, giving us some hope just to have it snuffed out at the whistle.

[Rovermatt]

We'll get turned over in this. Arsenal need the points to continue the con that they're capable of stopping United winning another title by default. We'll happily provide them.

[Majiball]

Arsenal always have some poor results against lower teams as the season progresses.