Arsenal vs Blackburn Match Thread

[Mario]

Kick off 1pm.

For anyone going, the club are doing things post-match to stagger the crowd as the Victoria Line is down. http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/important-travel-info-for-blackburn-h-

Probably a bit redundant to say it's a 'must win game' as they pretty much all are now. Our form is terrible and despite Blackburn's poor league position, it will be difficult to break them down. They've already beaten us this season and they've turned a bit of a corner in the last month or so, at least they have away from home. Still, if we can't beat them at home then a Europa League place is probably beyond us, never mind the Champions League.

Blackburn recent results:
BLACKBURN 0-2 Newcastle
Everton 1-1 BLACKBURN
BLACKBURN 3-1 Fulham
Newcastle 2-1 BLACKBURN (FA Cup)
BLACKBURN 1-2 Stoke
Man Utd 2-3 BLACKBURN
Liverpool 1-1 BLACKBURN

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

- Arsenal had won seven successive home league games against Blackburn - scoring 25 goals - prior to their goalless draw last season..
- Blackburn's last won at the Gunners in October 2002, a 2-1 victory at Highbury. That was the last season in which Rovers won this fixture home and away.

Arsenal

- Arsenal have yet to win a league match in 2012, but they avoided their first four-match losing streak during Arsene Wenger's tenure by drawing at Bolton on Wednesday night.
- They are nine points and five places worse off than at the same stage last season.
- The Gunners have lost three matches from winning positions - the joint-worst record in the division with Wolves and West Brom.
- Robin van Persie has scored 19 league goals this season, including 18 in his last 18 appearances. He has a career-high eight league goals against Blackburn.
- If selected, Tomas Rosicky will be making his 150th Arsenal appearance. Johan Djourou awaits his 150th club career appearance.

Blackburn

- Blackburn are unbeaten in their last three away matches, having beaten Manchester United either side of draws with Liverpool and Everton.
- They are the only top-flight team yet to keep a clean sheet this season. Only Wigan have conceded more goals.
- Steve Kean's side have lost a league-high 14 points from winning positions.
- Rovers and Liverpool have failed to score the most penalties in the Premier League this season (3).


Trivia: Paul Robinson has conceded 53 league goals against Arsenal, more than any other goalkeeper has shipped against any opposition in the Premier League era.

Stats: Blackburn's last clean sheet away from the home in the Premier League was against Arsenal, 14 matches and nine months ago in last April's 0-0 draw at Emirates Stadium.


TEAM NEWS:
Blackburn: Yakubu is still suspended and Samba is not in the right frame of mind to play. Ryan Nelsen has joined Tottenham.


As for us, The Ox has a knock and will have a fitness test. Wenger also mentions that he may rotate. The back 5 won't be rotated and neither will RVP and Arteta who just returned. The others though... problem is we have no real options on the bench, apart from Rosicky for Ramsey. Walcott deserves to be dropped but for who, Arshavin? Park? We'll see, I do get the feeling Wenger will try and mix it up because something needs to be done.

Szczesny
Sagna Koscielny Mertesacker Vermaelen
Song Rosicky Arteta
Benayoun RVP The Ox

... maybe.

[Jenson Pais]

Playing against side which is in the relegation zone is tricky. But with our current form the Blackburn team will be the best side to play against and get back some confidence and maybe score more than a single goal. WE have been unable to convert. It's time to score as many as possible !!

[Alex Hadjicharalampous]

''They are the only top-flight team yet to keep a clean sheet this season.''

This is the kind of thing that points to another 0-0 draw.

[Jenks1981]

Maybe there is more positive news about Blackburn currently then looking within at ourselves, Yakubu bitch slapped us last time, Nelson and Samba have been the backbone of their defence for a while, those three not playing will help us no doubt.

I think we could see Coquelin, Henry and Rosicky featuring...Wenger said in his press conference he is considering some rotation after the Villa and Bolton "efforts".

For this game I REALLY WOULD like to see Walcott and Ramsey benched.

[Mike York]

Don't want Ramsey to suffer the same fate as Wilshere and play too many games this season so Rosicky, who has been good recently, on for him makes sense. Also agree with Benayoun on for Theo, though if the Ox is injured Theo will probably start. I've read in a few places Wenger may rest RvP as this would be his third game in a week but hope that doesn't happen. He loves scoring against Blackburn and we struggle to win without him. It'd leave Park or Henry? Not overly convinced by either at this point.

After this game Arsenal have a pretty tricky run of fixtures so three points here for the confidence would be big. If we can't beat a Blackburn without Yak/Samba at the Emirates then it's ridiculous.

[Jenks1981]

Benching Van Persie may actually help our over reliance on him a tiny bit, I would be willing to give it a shot given the games we have ahead, just saying.

[Sami Rockfeller]

Song also needs to be rested his performances have been below par this last month and we need him back at his bet for the future fixtures.
I think RVP will also be rested, possibly brought on late in the game if we need a little push towards the end.
Apart from that Rosicky for Ramsey and I think we're good to go. Would love to Theo also benched but we don't have anybody to take his place unless TH decides to give it a go.

[Jenks1981]

SCHEZNEY
SAGNA-MERTESACKER-KOSCIELNY-VERMAELEN
ARTETA-COQUELIN-ROSICKY
CHAMBERLAIN-PARK/CHAMAKH-HENRY

So with a fair amount of rotation we could line up like this? I dont see it personally but there you go, Chamakh is back from AFCON but dont know whether he would step right in, Chamberlain does have a good cross on him though so he would suit Chamakh more than Walcott would.

[Michael Foster]

Benching Van Persie may actually help our over reliance on him a tiny bit, I would be willing to give it a shot given the games we have ahead, just saying.

Completly with that idea too jenks...
As far as looking around a good few of the squad need a fucking rocket where the sun don't shine...

[Steve Dawson]

Am going to this tomorrow, and given our recent form I can't remember being this unexcited to be going to a match. Sad really, but fingers crossed they can get a win.

[ralph avedikian]

Think we should rest RVP and Song. Depending on Ox I'd go with :

Back 5

Arteta -- Rosicky -- Coquelin

Theo -- Park/Henry -- Ox/Benayoun

I really want to see Park playing, I actually feel sorry for him having not really playing for us and people already criticizing him.
If Wenger doesn't start him against blackburn at home then I wonder when will he start a game for us. ( Same goes for Henry I think )

[Alex Hadjicharalampous]

Does anyone know why this game is on at 1pm but not on TV?

[Mario]

Does anyone know why this game is on at 1pm but not on TV?

Because there's no Victoria Line this weekend. I guess to avoid the 3pm rush with all the other games in London, they made it an earlier KO.

[Ravneet Singh]

Arsene on the latest team news.-
We have a little problem with Oxlade-Chamberlain that we have to check today [Friday] because his knee jarred a little bit and we will see how he has recovered from it. All of the other players look alright.

I hope he is fit enough to start.I dont wanna see idontcare Arshavin anywhere near the starting line up.

[FroddickGranson]

If the Ox isn't fit...

Can Henry handle starting the game, let alone playing on the wing? As hesitant I am to say rest RVP, it would be interesting to see a front three of Theo - Park - Henry. Who knows..

[Justin Chew]

I would love to see rvp on the right. Yeah I know he is our best cf but he could do a job there and help the team more if that makes sense. He was the one and only creative spark we had going versus Bolton and if not for wasted chances would had gotten two assists too.

And who's to say he can't score from there.

But of cos knowing wenger and his stubbornness he will play arshavin or Walcott instead of changing things up.

[Michael Foster]

Well as I am moving house today..yeaahhhhh-not I prob won't get time for the first time this season get to watch the game...gonna kinda save it for when motd comes on in the evening...just hope to god we win....the catching up HAS to start now...

[Samritpal Singh]

Samba out, Yakubu banned. Keith Andrews sold.

We should do this easy. Eager to see how many times will Steve Kean give interviews this time. Fucker wasn't tired giving interviews when he beat us.

[Jenks1981]

The picture gallery on arsenal.com has Chambo training with the others so im sure he will be fine.

[ChippyBrady]

4-0 Arsenal.

[Samritpal Singh]

4-0 Arsenal.

Yes, that'll do my friend. Time to bounce up and fuck those bin bags up!

[Jenson Pais]

Wenger talking about resting Van Persie

Wenger will not field Marouane Chamakh against Blackburn after the striker returned from the Africa Cup of Nations, but he could use Theo Walcott up front if Van Persie is rested.

“We have [Ju Young] Park, Thierry Henry, we have Walcott who wants to play through the middle - he has not done it,” he said.

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/wenger-i-m-considering-resting-van-persie

Will be interesting to see if Walcott plays through the centre. I think we should try to utilize his pace through the centre. Walcott himself has spoken numerous times about his chances of playing through the middle. Let's see what he is made up of

[ralph avedikian]

I want a thrashing, but I doubt we'll get one with Rvp rested. Still, I am going 5-0 Arsenal.

[Jenks1981]

4-0 and 5-0 Arsenal, like it guys

[Dan Hakim]

Wow. These predictions are... optimistic. And these are with the thought that RVP will be rested.

I'm gonna go with the more conservative 2-1 win.

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