please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Arsenal face Blackburn Rovers at the Emirates this Saturday afternoon in the fifth round of the FA Cup. The Gunners overcame Brighton & Hove Albion at the AMEX stadium in the previous round, in what proved to be a tight contest in the end. Blackburn cruised to the fifth round after dispatching Derby County in a comfortable 3-0 win. Arsenal have won their previous three games as they look to build a run of form, while Blackburn have also been on a good run of form. Blackburn have won three of their last four games, and that form has brought them closer to the one of the promotion places in the Championship. Santi Cazorla got the only goal of the game, as Arsenal defeated Sunderland in their last game. Blackburn had to settle for a point against Brighton in the Championship at the AMEX in their previous game. Blackburn fans won’t have fond memories of their last visit to the Emirates. Their team got thumped as Arsenal ran out 7-1 winners and it was a defeat that summed up Blackburn’s last season in the Premier League. But, Blackburn got the last laugh when these two teams last met in the FA Cup after Benni Mccarthy’s goal at Ewood Park dumped Arsenal out of the competition in 2007. Both Arsenal and Blackburn have a great record in the FA Cup and between them, they have won the competition sixteen times, with Arsenal winning ten and Blackburn winning six. This competition is still the last trophy that Arsenal won and that was back in 2005. Arsene Wenger has recognised the importance of ending that win less run and has played stronger teams in this season’s FA Cup, but with the Champions League games against Bayern Munich taking place only three days after this FA Cup tie, Wenger might be tempted to rotate his players and use his squad players. Since getting relegated from the Premier League last season, Blackburn Rovers have sacked two different managers. Steve Kean to the surprise of many did not get sacked straight after Blackburn were relegated last season, but got sacked seven games into the new season, and at the time, Blackburn were not doing too badly. After sacking Kean, they waited a month or two before appointing Henning Berg as their new manager. A former Blackburn player who had helped them win the Premiership in 1995. But Berg’s spell as manager proved to be disastrous as he only managed to win one of the ten games he was in charge of. So he was sacked a mere 57 days after he was appointed and once again, Blackburn proved to be the laughing stock of English football with the Venky’s at the helm. Their third manager of the season is Michael Appleton who left Blackpool to join Blackburn. The win over Derby in the previous round of the Cup, was Appleton’s first game in charge of his new club, so he could not have got off to a better start. Blackburn are currently six points of the last promotion place and with fifteen games to go, it’s a gap that could easily be overturned. In their FA Cup run, Blackburn have yet to face a Premier League side, so the game against Arsenal is going to be their first major test in this competition and should they beat the Gunners, it could prove to be a massive moment in their season. Jordan Rhodes has been Blackburn’s star player this season and the forward has been lethal in front of goal. He has 21 goals to his name in the Championship and he is the man that the Gunners defence has to keep a close eye on. Signed for £8 Million, he came with a reputation as a clinical goal scorer and so far he has lived up to that billing for Blackburn. Against Arsenal, he has the chance to prove his qualities against a higher level of opposition and should he catch the eye against the Gunners, then he could easily attract interest from various different Premier League clubs, who might already be interested in the Scottish forward. Rhodes is going to be against an Arsenal side that might not be fully focused on the game against Blackburn. With the huge game against Bayern Munich looming, you could forgive the Arsenal players that have one eye on that tie. But, Wenger could yet rotate his team and give his squad players so much needed game time. Against Brighton, Wenger rested the likes of Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott, although he had to call upon Walcott and Wilshere in the second half to help Arsenal progress to the fifth round of the Cup. So, the Frenchmen could easily go down the route of keeping his star players on the bench again. If he does do that, then the likes of Thomas Rosicky, Abou Diaby and Alex Oxlade Chamberlain are expected to start against Blackburn. Alex Oxlade Chamerlain has had a disappointing season in many ways and his progress has certainly stalled this season. Chamberlain scored his first ever Premier League goal against Blackburn last season and he was playing with a lot more confidence back then. Without a run of games, he has been unable to find any sort of form this season and with Theo Walcott shining on the right hand side, his opportunities have been limited. Chamberlain will have good memories of playing Blackburn, so hopefully he can recapture some of that form he was showing last season. The defence remains a worry ahead of the game against Blackburn. Laurent Koscielny and Thomas Vermaelen remain doubts for this game and with Carl Jenkinson suspended, Wenger might have not that many options to pick from on Saturday. Barcary Sagna played at centre-back against Sunderland and the Frenchmen put in an impressive performance, but he is still a right back playing out of position. Nacho Monreal is cup tied in the Champions League, so he should start against Blackburn and the left back has made a fairly steady start to life at Arsenal and with him in the team, Arsenal have yet to concede a goal. The FA Cup is Arsenal’s most realistic shot at a trophy this season so this game is of the utmost importance. Having avoided the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea in the cup draw, Arsenal have the easier task of getting past Blackburn at the Emirates Stadium. Despite their recent improvement in form, Blackburn are a team that Arsenal should be dispatching. Arsenal are only two games away from reaching the semi-finals of the cup and that means a trip to Wembley. With some of the doom and gloom that has surrounded the club this season, a successful trip or two to Wembley might be just thing Arsenal need this season. Team News: Arsene Wenger: Three Key Match-ups: please log in to view this image - Jordan Rhodes please log in to view this image - Bradley Orr please log in to view this image - Scott Dann Overall Record vs Blackburn Rovers: Played: 119 Wins: 58 Draws: 31 Losses: 30 For: 222 Against: 150 GD: 72 Last 6 Meetings: Arsenal 7 - 1 Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Rovers 4 - 3 Arsenal Arsenal 0 - 0 Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Rovers 1 - 2 Arsenal Blackburn Rovers 2 - 1 Arsenal Arsenal 6 - 2 Blackburn Rovers please log in to view this image Manager's Views: Arsene Wenger on facing lower league opposition: My Team: please log in to view this image Final Score: please log in to view this image
We have thumped Blackburn on previous occasions, but I think this game will be different. Blackburn will come to the Emirates with a nothing to lose mentality, so I think they'll be freed from the pressure of this game, whereas it's all on us to win. That said I think we will, but I don't think it will be a mauling.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/team-news-vermaelen-wilshere-and-more Wilshere and Koscielny are doubts for this game, and to be honest I won't risk them ahead of the Bayern game, especially Jack. Good news is that Vermaelen is likely to be back.
I am looking forward to that middle 3 (if Wenger chooses it) and I think Diaby, Ramsey and Rosicky will complement themselves well, offering work rate, tackling and physicality, with good passing, attacking threat together with Rosicky's eye for a pass and ability to spread the ball. Many will think I'm crazy but I'd like to see Gervinho play on the right of the attack, I think this could be a good game for us to see if he can bring his ACONs form to us, and whether he can find some consistency and composure to go along with his dribbling and crossing (and thus maybe a more potent goal threat). Otherwise I like that defence (though I do worry about anything happening to Mert) and the fact that we should be able to rest Kos, Verm, Wilshere, Santi and Walcott with out looking weak.
From today's press conference, it's sounds like Vermaelen has more of a chance to play against Blackburn then Kos. But, I would be really wary of playing Vermaelen, because for Tuesday he is the only guy that can play at LB, with Monreal cup tied, Gibbs injured and Santos shipped backed to Brazil.
Completely forgot about Gervinho. Seeing as Podolski did not play last week, he does not need a rest. Or maybe we can Podolski through the middle and play Gerv on the wing. That way we can give Giroud a rest.
David Bentley has gone to Blackburn on loan. Hope he can't play tomorrow, he'd score against us for sure
I heard that David Bentley has re-signed with Blackburn on loan - it's funny as I remember all those articles about Wenger ignoring great young English players when Bentley was with us, and how he was going to be amazing. So I looked on Google and found this article - http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...-bentley-the-man-who-left-arsenal-436686.html Such a load of rubbish - and reminds me about all the cr@p that's been written about Wenger over the years - I mean we had Flamini, Fab, Clichy, Ade, nasri, song and the rest and BENTLEY will be the one considered 'the one that got away'?!? classic...
Well, I had a right good laugh reading that article. David Bentely's career has been on a tragic decline and let's not forget how much Spurs paid for him.
Just met a guy on the Train. Recognised his North London accent so asked him if he was Arsenal or Spurs: Arsenal was his reply in under a second. We chatted, he's been in Ireland for the last 4 months & said he was massively looking forward to getting home. All got a little awkward when I pointed out he was on the wrong Train and we were headed to Cardiff. But the moral of the story is: Arsenal brings people together. Without us talking, he could have ended up...in South Wales :'(
[video=dailymotion;xofgku]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xofgku_arsenal-blackburn-7-1-all-goals_sport#.UR6XqqW9Dng[/video] Last time we met Blackburn.
