Arsenal Vs Blackburn | Premiership 11/02/08

[Good_Eye_Sniper]

Well Toure will be fully rested, so that's a big plus

Senderos put in a good performance today, all credit to him, but I can't wait to have King Kolo back.

Sagna---Toure---Gallas---Clichy


Be afraid

[Gunflash]

Pretty efficient performance from what I gather. It's good to see Senderos on the scoresheet. I'm still not sure about him as a defender but at least he got us off to a good start. I've been one of Adebayor's biggest critics but he's totally caning my ass with his brilliant performances. It looks like he's matured into a complete striker. He can lead the line with power and intelligence. He's good in the air and with both feet and can link well with other players. He's the first striker we've had since Alan Smith who can dominate in the air and on the ground. That's 9 successive games in which he's scored. That is unbelievable. I wonder if the pundits would care to extract their heads from the ass of Cristiano "the best player in the world" Ronaldo and see what a consistent performer really looks like.

We didn't lose anything with the African Nations Cup, which is brilliant. Five points clear, twelve games left. I'll put my hand up and say that I didn't expect us to be in this position. I expected us to challenge but not to be the pace-setters. We've got ourselves some elbow room which is important. How many more games can Man Utd afford to lose? How many more draws can Chelsea afford? But let's just take it one game at a time. We've still got to go to OT and the Bridge. I'd take a point at those two games, as long as we win the other ten!

[Fabrestuta]

You're never gonna believe it

you're never gonna believe it


you're never gonna believe iiiitttttt......



.........we have a pretty decent chance of winning the league

[Swifty]

You're never gonna believe it

you're never gonna believe it


you're never gonna believe iiiitttttt......



.........we have a pretty decent chance of winning the league

In the words of Will Smith "This sh*t just got real" we need to be more focused than ever, we are in a fantastic possition obviously, but if we don't keep it up, all our hard work will count for nothing.

[Fabrestuta]

You're never gonna believe it

you're never gonna believe it


you're never gonna believe iiiitttttt......



.........we have a pretty decent chance of winning the league

In the words of Will Smith "This sh*t just got real" we need to be more focused than ever, we are in a fantastic possition obviously, but if we don't keep it up, all our hard work will count for nothing.

Exactly! Whoever goes on to win the league is going to be the team that wants it more and is focused. Its ours to lose but, theres 12 games left and realistically thats almost a third of the season.

[Swifty]

You're never gonna believe it

you're never gonna believe it


you're never gonna believe iiiitttttt......



.........we have a pretty decent chance of winning the league

In the words of Will Smith "This sh*t just got real" we need to be more focused than ever, we are in a fantastic possition obviously, but if we don't keep it up, all our hard work will count for nothing.

Exactly! Whoever goes on to win the league is going to be the team that wants it more and is focused. Its ours to lose but, theres 12 games left and realistically thats almost a third of the season.

I hate that phrase.

[rodney]

That was one of the best games I have been to in a long time. We were not at our best tonight and should certainly have sealed the game long before Ade did, but I was so nervous throughout and just couldn't believe that we couldn't kill Blackburn off. The atmosphere was brilliant tonight, as we really got behind the team in order to get that second goal and kill them off. I can not explain the amazement of when Ade scored the second goal. Emirates was absolutely rocking there was mixture of joy and so much relief that we had ensured that we would move five points above United. Outside the ground Ade was hailed as the God he is. Tonight sumed up why being at the game and watching your team is so great. The nerves, the passion, singing, excitement and pure joy when the ball hit the back of the net.

I was suprised at the line up as there was no Theo or Diaby and the bench showed how deep are injuries were with Gilbert, Traore and Hoyte all on the bench. With two defensive midfielders in the centre and Cesc on the right I was very worried about our formation. I thought we would lack creativity and would lose our usual attacking endeavour. However, we started off very brightly a storming run from Sagna down the right hand side going past two Rovers players and a great ball in for Cesc whose control let him down just as he seemed through on goal. Only minutes later Eduardo was sent through and I thought he was fouled, but the ball went out for a corner. Cesc delivered a great ball into the box and there was big Phil to fire home. I've given him a fair bit of praise since Kolo has been gone and he has been very impressive alongside Gallas and sealed a perfect run of form with a thumping header.

A magnificent start to what looked like being a very tough game and would still turn out to be. Ade and Eduardo both had the ball in dangerous positions, but we couldn't get a decent chance off. A nice lay off from Sagna set up Flamini for what looked like another screamer, but he sent it miles over and from that point the first half seemed to become a very scrappy affair. Flamini had another effort where he was sent through on goal and Friedel did well to make the save, the first of many to come.

Blackburn slowed the game down and finally started to come out of their shell. They won a few corners and Bentley produced some dangerous deliveries which Blackburn came close to putting away a number of times. Their best chance though came after a good cross from Emerton and how McCarthy or Santa Cruz didn't get anything on it which would surely have resulted in the equaliser I don't know. After a great start we were stuttering and Blackburn certainly looked capable of getting back into the match. Santa cruz had another half chance before the end of the first half and had looked dangerous thoughout the first half.

We needed to come out in the second half and take control of the game and go out and get the second goal which would have surely sealed the win. Instead Blackburn won an early free kick and corner and it had similar reminders of the Birmingham game where a lack of concentration at the beginning of the first half cost us. We saw through it though and came so close to the second goal. Eduardo gathered the ball on the left hand side and played it across for Hleb who took a touch and to the shock of everyone fired a shot at goal that smacked the post.

Ade who until that point had been very quiet gathered a ball in from Eduardo and went past the Blackburn defender with ease only for Friedel to make another good save. With Ade being in such superb form lately I thought he would have put it away, but we seemed determined to make this a nerve racking night. The game was opening up and we seemed dangerous on the break and we had a long sustained period of pressure, but there was a lack of energy and movement in our attack which is very unusual. Whenever Blackburn got the ball it felt like they were going to score, even though they didn't really create a good chance in the second half, but it just felt like they would make us pay for all these missed chances.

Ade who in the second half held the ball up so well and attacked a very slow Blackburn defence whenever he could, just turning and running at them seemed to cause them all kind of troubles. This time he took in a long pass on the chest and layed the ball off for Cesc who hit his shot so well and how it didn't go in I don't know. It was so ridiculously close and from behind the goal I was sure it was in. Cesc then had another great chance when put basically clean through and someone how managed to mis-cue and send his shot over the bar.

With time running out Steve Bennet seemed determined to give Blackburn every opportunity to get back into the match. Numerous times we should have had free kicks that he didn't give and he booked Cesc for an absolute nothing tackle. Despite this we sealed the win after Hleb broke away and went on one of his runs, he played the ball to Ade who took a touch inside the defender and put the ball past Friedel. Was probably one of the most celebrated goals at the Emirates this season, only Gallas against Chelsea's was probably better. A great goal and sealed a five point gap above United.

This was not a superb performance, but it was a superb result and we won a game that we desperately needed to. United and Chelsea are still very much in the title race and there are still some very tough games to come, but we've given ourselves a great advantage and as long as we keep winning we will end the season as champions.

Well done you Gunners

[Fabrestuta]

You're never gonna believe it

you're never gonna believe it


you're never gonna believe iiiitttttt......



.........we have a pretty decent chance of winning the league

In the words of Will Smith "This sh*t just got real" we need to be more focused than ever, we are in a fantastic possition obviously, but if we don't keep it up, all our hard work will count for nothing.

Exactly! Whoever goes on to win the league is going to be the team that wants it more and is focused. Its ours to lose but, theres 12 games left and realistically thats almost a third of the season.

I hate that phrase.

I hate the phrase "head them off at the pass" but you don't hear me moaning about it.

[Windass10]

Good win.

[bigben]

http://www.dailymotion.com/search/arsenal/video/x4cld0_hleb-and-ade-show_news

watch until the end notice that sparkle on Hleb's eyes

[She_Gunner_Wales]

Once again an excellent account of the match Rodney

Eduardo gathered the ball on the left hand side and played it across for Hleb who took a touch and to the shock of everyone fired a shot at goal that smacked the post.

How unlucky was that!? i swear i saw the post shake with the force that Hleb smacked it!

Anyway on the game, Blackburn played very defensively, and most of the time it felt like they had parked a bus in front of goal, they made it difficult for us, and tbh i didnt expect anything less, i still cant believe that Senderos scored!

http://www.dailymotion.com/search/arsenal/video/x4cld0_hleb-and-ade-show_news

watch until the end notice that sparkle on Hleb's eyes

Hleb deservedly got MOTM i watched the interview last night, but its great to see it again!

Gotta laugh at Ade though 'And...and..and!' then when he handed the bottle of plonk to Helb telling him not to drink alot cos we have manchester utd on saturday...that was hilarious!!!

Got to be one of the best Arsenal post match player interview ive seen in a while!

[Inchpräctice]

Yeah I loved that interview.
How often do you see any players having a laugh in front of the camera?

It's rarer still that anyone actually expresses smugness at being ahead of their rivals. They're always so damned modest and they say things like "Well we know we've got a lot of hard work ahead of us" etc.
Not Hleb though.
"Yeah Man Utd and Chelsea dropped points yesterday and that was fantastic" (big smug grin)

[arseman]

I've said it before, and will say it again

How d'you think United and their fans will be feeling now about that late late goal scored against them by Gallas in November?

If we do win the title, I'll never get tired of bringing it up, or reminding their fans of it

[Cheese]

Thats it... 5 points clear!!!

Wow what a game?

In the first 20 minutes i thought the game could end up being a high score but fairplay to Blackburn they dragged themselves back into the game.

Lovely goal by Senderos in the 4th minute, is it me or did Senderos really look up for last night? He was shouting at players, getting forward and looked very confident. Now im not saying Toure shouldn't get his place back but Senderos and put in a good case for Arsene to at least think twice about it, maybe we will see Senderos against Utd on saturday?

Adebayor once again had a great game and rounded it off with a great goal at the end, anyone think Real Madrid might be tempted with a £100m bid? LOL!!!

If they was i wouldn't take it at the moment, not while Ade is in this form.

I have just seen the Managers interviews after the game and Arsene was trying his hardest to hide that smile but it came through loud and clear. I can't believe what Hughes said, "Not many teams can come to the Emirates and play aswell as we have, iwe didn't deserve to lose two-nil".

Hold up a minute Hughes, yes you played well but i don't remember seeing Lehmann make a save plus Freidel was my man-of-the-match because he kept Blackburn in the game as long as he could.

Watching Ade and Hleb in the interview after the game was great, how happy do they look? It really felt like theres a togetherness within the team and no one can break it.

We need to step up a gear next week at Old Trafford but im sure we can get a result.

Don't you just love it?

21-23.JPG

[She_Gunner_Wales]

".

Hold up a minute Hughes, yes you played well but i don't remember seeing Lehmann make a save plus Freidel was my man-of-the-match because he kept Blackburn in the game as long as he could.

Ive always rated Brad, i know Blackburn are good defensively but if he were at a more succesful club maybe bigger club, i think he'd get alot more credit than he actually does.