Rovers Reality Check For The Gunners?

There’s no doubt it’s been a fantastic start to the year, but tomorrow we visit Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park for a totally different test.

The games at Anfield were sensational and have given the boys huge confidence but it’s vital that we don’t let it go to our heads. The world of football changes quicker than Henry at full speed so even though we won at Liverpool twice that doesn’t mean we can’t come crashing down at Blackburn. Liverpool try to play football so the physical aspect of the game was never really and issue.

But tomorrow it is the main focus of the match.

Blackburn Rovers know Arsenal are firing on all cylinders, and they now have even more reason to be physical and stiffle our free-flowing passing game.

To our advantage, we are the away side which plays into our counter-attacking style but it will be nothing like the Anfield ties and Arsenal have to make sure Blackburn aren’t allowed to bully us off the ball.

Everyone is excited about Arsenal now but they will need to overcome another North West away day tomorrow to prove we can compete with the phyiscal teams in the league, which is something the kids seem to have no problem doing by winning at Everton and Liverpool in the Carling Cup.

But now it’s down to the first team.

When the game is tight and scrappy it is our forwards that suffer so Henry needs a big game tomorrow. Adebayor is back in the squad tomorrow so he’ll be fight with in form Robin Van Persie for the supporting role if Wenger goes with two up top. I have a feeling Adebayor will start if he’s fit enough because it’ll be a battle out there tomorrow.

Looks like Hoyte will keep his place at right back which is good news because the kid is improving all the time and looks like to have a far better attitude than Eboue who is not only annoying the oppositions fans but Arsenal’s as well.

Fabregas, Gilberto, Hleb and Rosicky look to come back into the team and Toure will either be partnered by Djourou or Senderos in defence.

The game will be nothing like the first game at the Emirates 20 days ago and the first goal will be vital!

Predictions?

Well I’ve predicted 2-1 for the last two games even though most people didn’t give us a chance for either game. And although the prediction wasn’t right we won both of the games convincingly – maybe it’s a good luck charm?

Anyway, I’m going to stick with my prediction of 2-1 from tomorrow as well!

 

8 thoughts on “Rovers Reality Check For The Gunners?

  1. I hope that Djourou starts as Nonda and McCarthy are both pacy. Will Hleb and Rosicky both start away from home? I hope that Aliadiere plays maybe in LM. He’s more direct and can take players and create chances. Adebayor is more suited to away games but I fancy Van Persie to come on and score as he always does against Rovers.

     
  2. Adebayor just came back from injury so I expect Wenger to start Henry and RvP upfront and bring on Adebayor in the 2nd half. Also I expect Wenger to play Sendoros alongside Toure though there is merit in starting the more pacy Djourou to counter the Blackburn forwards. Rest of the team shud remain unchanged with Hoyte at right back and I wonder if Lehmann will be ‘rested’ for this game. I hope to see Baptista and Aliadiere come in the 2nd half with 30mins left to prove themselves. Possibly replacing Rosicky and Helb respectively. These are the type of game that Arsenal used to falter – so a win at Ewood for our boys will go a long way.

     
  3. I think Wenger will start in a 4-5-1 formation because of the way Blackburn play, and with Henry upfront we’d have Fabregas, Hleb and Rosicky in support and catch them on the break. With both Rosicky & Hleb starting you would need some extra weight in midfield, and Adebayor has just come back from injury and I’m not sure Van Persie is up for a tough away game. He wasn’t very good against Sheffield United, but then again no-one was!

    Baptista might be worth playing up top with Henry, especially when his confidence is sky-high and the fact he’s in rich goalscoring run at the moment.

    Blackburn beat Liverpool at Ewood Park a few weeks ago and will be tough to beat.

     
  4. Ill go with

    Mad Jens
    Hoyte Kolo Djouru Clichy
    Hleb Fab Bert Mozart
    VanP Henry

    bench : Almunia, Senderos, Beast, Ali, Ade

     
  5. I definetely feel Wenger will start Senderos, as he did in the FA Cup tie which was obviously his priority. Hoyte at RB, Clichy at LB, with Phil and Kolo in the center. We should have enough pace and strength there to compete with Nonda and Benni, as well as Phils aerial prowess, which will no doubt be tested by the high balls thrown into our area.

    I know we won at ‘fortress’ Anfield with both Hleb and Rosicky, but with Cesc more or less guaranteed to start, I just wouldnt usually see all three starting. At the moment tho with Freddie out, I think RVP would be better up top, and I can’t see Walcott starting in this game at all.

    I think Wenger knows that with the Cesc/Hleb/Rosi three away from home against a physical team we are left short in that respect. That is, of course, if we play 4 in midfield. If we start with 5, it probably dosent matter. And after the little hint Wenger left yesterday, it probably will be 5.

    I’m going with

    Jens
    Hoyte Kolo Phil Gael
    Gilb
    Rosicky Cesc Flam/Diaby RVP
    Henry

    Subs: Almunia Djorou Beast Hleb Ade

    In truth, I have no idea. Isn’t it great when we’re full of options?

     
  6. My team for the Blackburn game.

    Almunia

    Hoyte Toure Senderos Clichy

    Eboue Fab Gilberto Henry

    Adebayor Baptista

    Almunia deserves a go following the last two matches and his kicking is excellent.

    The back four pick themselves. Djourou over Senderos but I would keep Djourou in cotton wool a week or two and let Senderos play tough.

    Eboue in the midfield where he belongs. He will cause havoc up and down that wing without needing to perform a flawless structural and positional defensive display. Moreover he adds steel to the midfield. Fab and Gilberto are standard. Henry to keep the moves going forward and to link up with the midfield and the attackers. He will have license to roam and thread balls through and have space in which to run. Two players will be on him. With the two on Eboue and the two on Fab we have taken 6 players out the game.

    The Beast deserves a shot and along with Adebayor they are both big and strong and physical as well as gifted.

    Overall it is the same Arsenal team but with some STEEL in it.

     

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