Blackburn Preview

By: Martin | October 3rd, 2009

Blackburn

Last Season: 15th, 10-11-17 (41 points, -20 goal differential)

Recent Form: LDWLW

Away Form (last season): 4-4-11

Last Meeting: Arsenal 4-Blackburn 0 (3/14/09)

Back in league action early tomorrow against Blackburn. Coming off of a surprisingly strong 7th place finish in 2007-2008, Blackburn plummeted back to earth last season after Paul Ince replaced Mark Hughes as manager. Flirting with relegation for most of the season, Blackburn bounced back to safety once Ince was sacked and replaced by Sam Allardyce and his patented brand of anti-football.

So far this season, Blackburn have picked up right where they left off. Woeful away, tough at home, playing very ugly, but just tough enough to avoid the drop. They’re currently sitting 15th, but have struggled with 2 losses away to Sunderland and Everton.

Arsene Wenger has made no secret of his distaste for how Allardyce’s teams play over the years. There is no mystery about it–they will come out looking for the 0-0 draw. They’ll keep everyone behind the ball, kick Arsenal’s players up in the air, and kick the ball down the field when they do get the ball. Their goal is merely to frustrate.

But their mission will be made a bit more difficult due to injuries. Captain Ryan Nelson and Chris Samba, Blackburn’s two center backs, were both injured in their last game and face late fitness tests. Fullback Gael Givet is just returning from injury, and midfielder Steven Reid’s achilles may be healthy enough for him to make his first start of the season. Center midfielder Vince Grella is out through suspension after being sent off last week against Aston Villa.

Once again, this is a game from which we should definitely be taking 3 points. Spurs dropped points today against Bolton. Chelsea plays Liverpool and Aston Villa plays Manchester City tomorrow after we play, which means that there’s going to be a lot of teams at the top of the table dropping points, so we need to take advantage. I think it’s going to be all about pushing up and breaking down Blackburn’s defense and finding a way to put the ball into the net. As is always the case in these types of games, scoring the first goal will completely change the course of the game, because it will force Blackburn to come out of their shell and actually play football, which plays directly into our hands by opening things up a bit and allowing our guys to find space on the attack.

In injury news for us, Eduardo is out with a recurring thigh problem. And Almunia is still not fit with the world’s strangest injury–still that “chest infection,” apparently. So they join Denilson, Nasri, Fabianski, and Djourou in the trainer’s room. In better news, Walcott will be in the squad tomorrow, and Bendtner will be back after his car accident.

Wenger’s main lineup dilemmas, therefore, will be settling on a midfield and settling on a forward line. I have to think he’ll try to work Theo back in gradually, especially since Walcott will probably be able to get some rest over the international break to well and truly make sure he’s back and healthy for our fall and winter schedule. So I have to think he’ll probably start on the bench, and maybe come on in the 65-70th minute in the impact role in which he served so effectively in 2007-2008. I imagine Bendtner will get the start instead. As for the midfield, it’s probably wishful thinking, but given Diaby’s extraordinarily bad performance against Fulham, hopefully Rosicky will get the nod.

Mannone

Sagna-Gallas-Vermaelen-Clichy

Rosicky-Song-Fabregas

Bendtner-van Persie-Arshavin

Here’s to 3 points. Come on Arsenal.