I’m off to Blackburn, so here’s the preview before I go « Untold Arsenal: Arsenal News, supporting the club, the players and the manager

By Phil Gregory

I’ve always liked Blackburn away, mainly because I can get tickets. That aside, being a Northern-based Gooner I’ve a few of friends who are Blackburn fans, so I suppose there’s more riding on this game for me than just the three points being contested.

A few years ago, when some members of our first eleven were still hatching we struggled in these type of games, the tricky away days up north. In recent times however they’ve largely yielded three points, testament to the effectiveness of our style of play versus the “plonk a big lad in front of their goalkeeper and try and score from a corner” approach.

Anyway, having now moved back to Uni, Blackburn is only a short hop away on the train so I’m making my way over for this one. Thankfully I’m not expected to write any sort of match review or the like for this game: as it falls on the day that I become one year older, post-match pints will be had and I don’t like blogging with a sore head.

On the injury front, the numbers are on the way down. Aaron Ramsey will possibly be available, but if passed fit we’ll probably see him on the bench. Vermaelen is progressing well and is expected back after the next international break, which would mean he would miss Spurs away but be back for Sunderland on the 16^th October. There were no updates given on Squillaci, Diaby and Rosicky, so all three can safely be counted out of the reckoning for this tie.

Szcznesy

Sagna Koscielny Mertesacker Gibbs

Song Arteta

Benayoun

Walcott Van Persie Gervinho

I’m not quite as barmy as Billy, so the only really talking point from the above line-up is the midfield. While it’s too early to say for sure, Arteta seems to be operating in a Xabi Alonso type of role, playmaking from deep in the sort of territory Jack Wilshere used to occupy last season. It’s an interesting approach, allowing us to play the ball out from the back easier while leaving a forward playmaker free to move off the ball and seek out space. Whether it is a deliberate tactical ploy to get more out of Arteta or if Wenger is just short of someone to play that deep role in the absence of Jack and Diaby I’m not sure, but it’s certainly an interesting option to have.

Using the Dortmund game as my basis to predict from then, it seems likely that Gervinho and Benayoun will remain in the side, with Walcott on the right and Van Persie through the middle. Gervinho has looked like an exciting player when I’ve seen him, and he could’ve got us a priceless second goal if he hadn’t stumbled at an inopportune moment in Germany. Hopefully he’s learned to be a little more restrained in his confrontations and will avoid foolish red cards in future.

As for predictions, I’m fairly but not overly confident for this game. Blackburn are struggling so far, and the dodginess around their ownership/management structure is fairly well documented. From what I can recall from various articles from the excellent David Conn of the Guardian, Venkys took over, got an agent called Anderson in to “advise” and he promptly got a client of his with no management experience a Premier League job and his son was signed during the January window from a lowly SPL side for “his potential”. Clearly, this makes a mockery of the Premier League’s ownership “test” and will probably get Blackburn relegated. Frankly, Steve Kean is probably going to end up in the “Avram Grant” school of football managers – given a huge opportunity when the CV didn’t really deserve it by plonker owners. And of course, it’s the fans are the ones who lose out.

As you can probably guess, I’m fairly sympathetic to the plight of Blackburn fans, and I hope they can get the manager the boot and somebody competent in to steady the ship. That said, that would effectively bail out the owners of their mistake, and don’t they deserve to get their fingers burnt? Perhaps, but not at the expense of the fans for my money. Anyway, best of luck to those Blackburn fans protesting tomorrow, but as for the three points? They’re ours. 2-1 to the Arsenal.