PL: Blackburn Rovers vs Arsenal | 19/08/07

[thegame24]

yea but the teams they played today, i expected them to drop points.

thats why im annoyed cause its not like a bonus imo, i really expected united to lose and chelsea liverpool to draw.

taking advantage now would have been great.

hopefully we can do city and united get done by Sp**s

 

[xcdude24]

This result is nothing to get freaked out about, really. Assuming we win our game at hand(whenever that is), we're level with Chelsea and a whopping 5 points ahead of Man Utd.

Looking at this year's premier league fixture list, this is arguably one of the top three "trickiest" fixtures on the list. Most other away matches we can actually show up and play football, not get jerked around the pitch for 90 minutes.

My initial reaction after the match today was, "oh no, end of the world". Now i'm not that worried about it. The only game equally as tricky as this one is newcastle.

There ARE going to be tricky away matches this year, mark my words. None of them will quite match this one, however.

 

[Smartly Dressed Morris]

Well we have man city next - at least they like to play football. :wink:

 

[thegame24]

this is possibly the hardest game ive seen live.

arsenal vs city cant wait

 

[mood]

Let's take into the consideration that apart from Jens' error we may well have won the game in terrible conditions.

There was no way we'd win a game like this last season, or even the seasons before. They were big time bullies, and very violent. But our team still stood strong, and all that was needed to make the result go against was Lehmanns error.

There were plenty positives in the game. The team wasnt allowed to play football whatsoever, but they kept it up and didnt let Blackburn outmuscle them. As Wenger said, Blackburn werent looking to play football, just to be violent.

Definitely the 'toughest' match to play in. And the boys handled it well.

 

[banduan]

only disappointments were theo and phil..

Which Phil was that then? :?

 

[invisibleman18]

I'd forgotten what an awful bunch of thugs Blackburn are. They really are pathetic. By half time it really was getting absolutely ridiculous. And Andy Todd, the dirtiest of the lot isn't even there anymore. In the past couple of seaons we would have rolled over and lost 3-1 from there so it was pleasing to see us take it and fight back. Another disappointingly horrendous error from Lehmann cost the points though.

And this game has now highlight the bizarre and unexplainable loaning out of Djourou without bringing in another central defender. Now Gallas is out, what happens if Toure or Senderos get injured or suspended? And you know it's going to happen right? Probably next week with our luck. With Eboue also out we're suddenly left with our third choice right back as the only defensive cover outside the starting 11.
It's almost getting to the point where in pre-match talk, it's more interesting to predict how many injuries we will have than it is to predict the result!

Eduardo was decent at times, although didn't offer a huge amount. But it was his first game in English football and not at the easiest place to have made a debut at so let's give him at least half the season before forming a proper opinion.

His start was encouraging though. Only took him a minute to have a one-on-one chance saved. He'll settle in nicely.

 

[cescthebest]

A point at Ewood Park is a decent result, but there is no denying it feels like two points lost simply because of the manner in which the equaliser came for the home side. Wenger needs to sit down Jens for a couple of matches to shake him up a little bit and pave the way for a focused return. It was a simple lack of concentration from the German which cost us the three points today, and despite the fact we're in the early stages of the season it must be stressed that every point counts and could ultimately prove costly come May.

Amongst our best today were Sagna, Toure ...which indicates defensive resilience, especially in the second period. I was disappointed with Hleb and Walcott, we didn't really produce much going forward (not helped by the sickening over-physical attitude enforced by Mark Hughes) and Van Persie looked pretty much isolated. Eduardo was making his debut in difficult conditions and was- for the most part- largely a spectator. It's disappointing on the whole, but I can just about live with this result in the larger context of the weekend- United losing, Chelsea and Liverpool sharing the points

 

[True Gooner]

All said and done a point is a good result because as many have pointed out this would be exactly the kind of game we would have ended up losing a season ago. Ewood Park is by no means and easy place to come to. And of course Blackburn are thugs but the sad thing is that their thugs with quality. Pedersen, Bentley, Mccarthy, Santa Cruz, Friedel are all really good players. What disappoints me is that we let Blackburn into the game thanks to another howler from Lehmann. Specially after Blackburn were reduced to 10 men towards the end. It would have been easy to mentain the lead.
Credit to our side for fighting it out although like Kel said we almost let our selves get sucked into playing their style of football. Anyway Im happy with the overall performance of the players including Lehmann uptil the point he screwed up. I thought he did realitvely well up till then.
As for player performances - Sagna, Senderos, Toure, Flamini, Fabregas, van Persie were really good playing wise and at playing "dirty"
Hleb and Clichy were decent and put up a fight
Eduardo put up a fight and thats always good to see, little rash at times but had a normal debut.
Walcott was average.
Next up Manchester City at home - another tricky fixture but if we take our chances we should win, Man City like to play attacking football but dont forget that they have some really good defenders

 

[Lancelot]

btw, we played 4-4-2, yet we didn't really play that well at all. maybe some will realize that playing with two forwards isn't the be all of everything. there is far more to it than just having two forwards up front...

I'm beginning to think that, either a 4-5-1 or a 4-4-2, we need to have at least 4 natural attackers in the field in order for both tactics to work properly.

We took Eduardo off early in the second half and decided to go with 2 wingers plus 3 CMs and it was clearly not enough to deal with Blackburn as well.

The 4-5-1 is at its best when we have 1 AMC, 2 wingers and 2 CMs, me thinks.

Once Bendtner came in, we became a little more aggressive going forward even though it still couldn't be compared to the first half where we have 2 FWs and 2 wingers since it was Walcott who made way for the big Dane and so we were left with 2 FWs, 1 AMC/winger and 3 CMs.

So all in all, personally, my current preference for our formation would simply be 4-4-2 with 2 FWs, 2 wingers, 1 CM and 1 DMC > 4-4-2 with 2 FWs, 2 wingers and 2 CMs > 4-5-1 with 1 FW, 1 AMC, 2 wingers and 2 CMs > 4-4-2 with 2 FWs, 1 AMC/winger and 3 CMs > 4-5-1 with 1 FW, 2 wingers and 3 CMs > Song any where on the pitch in any sort of formation. (Just kidding for the last part though )

 

[Gunner Ossie]

though knowing you I don't think I've ever seen you positive!

Its a measure of just how low our expectations have dropped in the last few years when a draw with blackburn should be viewed POSITIVELY. Let me just clarify that a draw with blackburn where we played them off the park and hit the bar 3 times is different from the kind of draw we got yesterday, which demonstrated that our team cant play tough and still play football. Even if blackburn aint **** Arsenal are supposed to be a hell of a lot Better.

you mentioned the injuries as excuses so are you implying that wenger has not built a squad that can cope?

 

[Biggus]

you mentioned the injuries as excuses so are you implying that wenger has not built a squad that can cope?

I wouldn't imply it.....I've been screaming it for ages. :|

 

[Rohit]

though knowing you I don't think I've ever seen you positive!

Its a measure of just how low our expectations have dropped in the last few years when a draw with blackburn should be viewed POSITIVELY. Let me just clarify that a draw with blackburn where we played them off the park and hit the bar 3 times is different from the kind of draw we got yesterday, which demonstrated that our team cant play tough and still play football. Even if blackburn aint s**t Arsenal are supposed to be a hell of a lot Better.

you mentioned the injuries as excuses so are you implying that wenger has not built a squad that can cope?

Not too long ago everyone was crying for us to learn how to grind out results and abandon our flowing football when its not working for us, show some heart and determination and steel and win such games. We can hit the posts 20 times and still come away with a draw and we can play like we did yesterday with a very young team and come away with a draw. The end result is the same, its a point.

Our performance was certainly encouraging, if only for a horrendous error, we'd have been celebrating victory and giving credit to our players for a fighting performance.

 

[Rohit]

Even with the our 01/02 team and our 03/04 team we didn't exactly bang goals in every game. We didn't play beautiful football every game. We lost our 2nd game in 01/02 to Leeds, we were very poor against Portsmouth in 03/04 and if not for a Pires dive we'd have lost that game too. Titles are won by playing good football and by grinding out results like we almost did yesterday.

 

[Clrnc]

disagree.

in the past, we finds it easier to score goals. remember the times when within 20 mins we put mancity to bed?

now, its impossible. its been ages since i have seen those kind of football from arsenal plus the results

btw, did anybody see the savage's dive. pathetic faggard. he charged into the box, toure THANKFULLY pulled his legs away but savage fell all of a sudden. thud brains

 

[zerofeel]

Its just a howler im sure Jens is feeling very down at the moment as Wenger has publicly spoken.

Goalies are humans too they make mistakes as well just like any other players but i dont think dropping him immediately will do his confidence any good.This is the second error from Jens but i am sure he is under tight surveillance from Wenger.

I am sure Jens will bounce back.Come on lads take it easy on Lemon!

 

[RockyRocastle]

Blackburn are a ****ing disgrace to football, the most ugly, unpleasant team I think I have ever seen.

But they are **** all, they have THE most clueless small time fans I think I have ever seen. 200 quid for a ST and they still cant sell out, but I wouldnt pay to watch that excuse for football every week. That mong drinking tea out of his flask all game needs his ****ing head kicking in. Shame I couldnt see him after the game, mouthy ****.

I am wound up because I have just read an article by some fat ugly ****** in the Mirror who is obviously a nobody as I have forgotten his name already. Bleating on about how soft we are and how Wenger was moaning all during the game. ****.

Either I am going blind or that utter, utter muppet Hughes was never off his feet moaning to that other utter, utter muppet the ref about EVERY single decision, even things as trivial as we took a throw 2 yards away from where it should have been.

I am proud of the lads that they stood up to the kicking they took yesterday, even if it meant that we didnt play well, we played ****e in fact. I really hope Savage collides with Bentley (bitter ****) and they both rupture the ligaments in their knees never to play again.

Positives were Sagna who looks an immense player, another goal for Van Persie and Silva showed glimpes of quality. I like the look of Bendtner aswell.

Negatives are obviously Lehmann - time to go I think. Walcott who imo is no where near ready to play for us, no footbal brain and the second game running Cesc has given him a bollocking for being useless. Cesc himself needs to step up his game soon, but I will let him off yesterday as he had that **** Savage to put up with.

 

[RocktheCasbah]

Is that the same Mirror article that reckons Savage should have had a penalty when he actually ran away from the ball to run into Kolo and wrap his leg around Kolo's quickly withdrawing leg?

That was a disgrace to journalism quite frankly.

 

[phenn]

Negatives are obviously Lehmann - time to go I think. Walcott who imo is no where near ready to play for us, no footbal brain and the second game running Cesc has given him a bollocking for being useless. Cesc himself needs to step up his game soon, but I will let him off yesterday as he had that c**t Savage to put up with.

I think the town of Blackburn has a population of roughly 30 so maybe that's why they don't sell out.

Where and when did Cesc give Walcott a bollocking for being useless?

 

[DC Gunner]

btw, we played 4-4-2, yet we didn't really play that well at all. maybe some will realize that playing with two forwards isn't the be all of everything. there is far more to it than just having two forwards up front...

I'm beginning to think that, either a 4-5-1 or a 4-4-2, we need to have at least 4 natural attackers in the field in order for both tactics to work properly.

We took Eduardo off early in the second half and decided to go with 2 wingers plus 3 CMs and it was clearly not enough to deal with Black burn as well.

The 4-5-1 is at its best when we have 1 AMC, 2 wingers and 2 CMs, me thinks.

True, but let's not forget that Denilson offered nothing, a case can be made that it was the player introduced as opposed to the formation switch .