Goals from the inform Theo Walcott and Andrey Arshavin secured a crucial victory for Arsenal ending their long drought of away victories. iSporter Jigar Mehta reports on the action at Edwood Park.
The war of words had already begun off the field before the match with Arsene Wenger criticizing Sam Allardyce's tactics of stopping the goalkeeper catching the ball with no intention of playing the ball & that premier league matches are becoming more of a Rugby matches.
The Gunners went into the game high on spirits after 6-0 drubbing of Blackpool and with some good news that Captain Fabregas and Ace striker Robin Van persie were ready to start the game while new signing Laurent Koscielny returned after a one match ban.
Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce brought back his big guns after their midweek carling cup win over Norwich while Mame Diouf was handed his Premier League debut following his loan move from Manchester United.
The match started at a brisk pace with both teams looking sharp and the Gunners came close to scoring in as early as 3rd minute as Diaby's shot which seemed to be heading into the net was deflected off defender Vince Grella straight into the arms of the goalkeeper Robinson.
Rovers had started employing their tactical game of aerial attack and it nearly paid off in the 8th minute as a powerful header from defender Ryan Nelsen was cleared off the line by Cesc Fabregas which determined the importance of tactics of employing players defending at the goal post.
Meanwhile Arsenal were playing their patient passing game and were nearly rewarded for their passing play In the 10th minute When the boy in constant limelight Cesc Fabregas slid in a wonderful through ball to Walcott only to be superbly defended by Samba's long stretching tackle.
Rovers were creating chances with set play but it was Arsenal's attractive passing game that paid off in the 19th minute when Arshavin played the ball to Van Persie whose deft pass to the last match hero Walcott was splendidly put into the far corner net ; so ferociously that it required lengthy repair work during the half time.
Just when it looked that Arsenal were running away with the game the home side struck back in the 26th minute surprisingly not with their aerial tactics this time around when Brilliant ball by Samba released El-Hadji Diouf on the left who used his physicality to his fullest extent shrugging off Laurent Koscielny passing the ball to the hat-trick hero of the mid-week's carling cup game against Norwich Mame Diouf who had the simplest's of tasks of tapping it in.
Arsenal were dealt with another blow in the 34th minute as Robin van Persie limped off the field with an apparent knee injury; a sad end to his 200th Arsenal game but it wasn't a worry for the manager as he was replaced by the new summer signing Marouane Chamakh who in opinion of football pundits should have started the match taking into aspect the physical aspect of the game.
The first half saw both teams evenly matched; Walcott looked the liveliest player in the Arsenal side whereas Fabregas looked somewhat out of sorts for Blackburn Captain Samba made his presence felt with his extreme physicality!
The second half saw the game mostly dominated by the Gunners with Fabregas getting back to what he does best ''Accurate and clever passing'' and it paid off in the 51st minute as his pass released Sagna down the right who does ever so well to put in a low cross back to the Spanish Wizard inside the box whose effort on the goal was blocked but the ball fell nicely for Arshavin whose clinical finish from 12 yards beat all the sliding defenders into the net.
Arsenal continued their domination led by their inspiring captain Fabregas who looked to be a totally different player in the second half along with the ever talented and sharp Walcott.
Blackburn tried playing their cards by sending in its substitutes Dunn & Kalinic in the 56th and 60th minutes but it was Arsenal all the way enjoying lion's share of possession and with some eye catching one-touch passing.
It seemed as if the Arsenal manager was content with things going on the field as he took off the captain in the 67th minute just when it seemed he was getting to his best might be because he thought he was not ready for the full 90 minutes.
But it was Walcott who always looked the biggest threat as he came close to a second on 75 minutes when he lofted a long-range effort inches over the bar.
Rovers played the last throw of their dice by bringing on Steven Nzonzi in place of Mame Diouf and Arsenal brought on Young Jack Wilshere who missed a sitter in the dying minutes of the game created via a typical Arsenal break again in place of Andrey Arshavin.
It was a hard earned victory for the Gunners and a satisfying one too as it was a sweet revenge of the corresponding fixture last season.
Arsenal manager must be satisfied that they were able to overcome the difficulties of physicality of the game and overcoming the voodoo of away game results.
For the Blackburn manager he can take only positives out of the game as his players played a well fought battle and were left behind by just one goal!
Man of the Match: Bacary Sagna: This youngster had an excellent game both offensively as well as defensively as he was rock solid at the right back position putting in some brave tackles and also setting up the 2nd goal with a splendid run down the right flank.
Subscribe to this comment's feed
Show/hide comments
Show/hide comment form
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
