Premier League - Preview: Blackburn Rovers vs. Arsenal
Blackburn Rovers, Sam Allardyce managed to use a much changed line up for the teams match in the Carling cup against Norwich, which Blackburn won with ease. It is expected that Mame BiramDiuof will be keeping his place in the squad, since the player did manage to score a hat trick in this first start for the team, on Tuesday night. However players like, David Dubb, Vince Grella, Pascal Chimbonda and Keith Andrews all sat out the game against Norwich. It is still quite unclear as to whether or not the manager will be looking to risk his more experienced players, in a game that is significantly much bigger than the teams match against Norwich.
Arsenal are also expected to go all out in the match. Their captain Cesc Fabregas and ace striker, Robin Van Persie are expected to make their first starts of the season. The duo had been on the bench for the first two games, due to the fact that their fitness was not up to mark after the conclusion of the World Cup. Laurent Koscielny is also expected to be making his come back from suspension, which means that their even newer signing Sebastien Squillaci is highly unlikely to be making an appearance in the first team right away.
Denilson has also made his return to the squad after recovering from an abdominal injury that, sidelined the player for a month. Alex Song and Johan Djourou have also managed to make their comebacks from injury and will be up for selection for today’s game. However there will be no Samir Nasri, Nicklas Bendtner, Emmanuel Frimpong or Aaron Ramsey who still have a long way to go before they gain full fitness and break back into the starting eleven.
Some notable key facts for the game are:
Arsenals Dutch striker, Robin Van Persie has managed to score ten goals in the nine times that he has faced Blackburn and will be a real threat to the side.
Sam Allardyce has not lost the last seven games that he has played against Arsenal at home. He has managed to win four of the last five games that he played against the side.
The last four times that the teams faced each other a total of nineteen goals were scored between them.
Arsenal have failed to win an away game since January. This record also includes a loss to a ten man Blackburn.
Arsenal dropped fifteen points from winning positions last season, including the three points they dropped against Blackburn after being one nil up, the team lost 1-2.
Arsenal have not managed to keep any clean sheets in the last ten games that the team played in all the away games that the team played.
Blackburn have the lowest pass completion rate in the league at fifty six percent, whereas Arsenal have the highest at eighty seven percent.
Experts believe that Arsenal will go away from this match with the three points that they need at this point in the league. After last week’s destruction of Blackpool, The Gunners will be full on energy and rearing to go. As long as the players don’t let their excitement get the better of them, this match should be easy pickings for the North London team. However Blackburn could manage a draw against the team, if the resort to their rugby tactics that they are famous for. Considering that Blackburn haven’t done as well as Arsenal have over the last two weeks, it seems more than likely that this match will be a blowout in favor of Arsenal.
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