This Sunday we will play a good Blackburn side that have picked a lot of good form and are looking very confident. Blackburn have a good record at Highbury and last year they were the only team in the Premiership to give us a double defeat by beating us home and away. I still remember the Highbury match when we totally outplayed as well as dominated the game from the start and Friedel had one of his best games in the Blackburn kit and he basically one Blackburn all three points on his own. We let in a dodgy own goal by Mr Edu, who later made up for it, but then some slack defending let in Yorke who made no mistake with his finish. I also remember the season when we won the double when we drew 3–3 to them at home, although Richard Wright was a clown that day and he should have saved the last goal from Blackburn. Much has been said about Blackburn have desperately been missing Damien Duff as well as David Dunn. From selling their best two assets they bought other players such as Barry Ferguson, Brett Emerton and Steven Reid.
I don’t know if Blackburn made a good choice signing Barry Ferguson for £10 million, especially as he from the Scottish league, and in my opinion it must be the most one sides championship ever between Rangers and Celtic. I ain’t showing off or anything but I reckon if I was in the Scottish league, I could score 20 goals a season with no problems, that is how poor the standard of the Scottish league is, although I am a quite good striker. Barry Ferguson is getting to grips with the Premiership though and he is showing some good signs.
Blackburn has such a crap start to the season that there was talk of Souness getting the sack but he has got a pit bull spirit and that is exactly the way Blackburn will come to Arsenal with a pit bull spirit. I also thought I should give a quick mention to the young Blackburn striker called Paul Gallagher, who has looked very good. He through ball to Emerton for that goal against Man Utd was brilliant and Blackburn deserved a draw that match, and last week he scored his first Premiership goal.
Below is the list of who I think will be Blackburn’s key men:
Yorke + Cole – Key Men 1
Ferguson + Flitcroft – Key Men 2
Tugay + Emerton – Key Men 3
Amuruso + Neill – Key Men 4
Everyone thinks that this will be an easy game, but I can Blackburn filling their midfield up and making it very difficult for us to make any chances. Whoever scores the first goal will be crucial to the outcome of the game. This is the best team line up I would go with:
Lehmann
Toure Campbell Keown Cole
Ljungberg Vieira Parlour Pires
Bergkamp Henry
The reason why I would play Parlour in the centre with Vieira is because we will need someone like him against their hard men of Flitcroft and Ferguson. I can see wenger playing:
Lehmann
Toure Campbell Cygan Cole
Ljungberg Viera Gilberto Pires
Bergkamp Henry
I think this will be a tough match and I hope the Arsenal players are desperate as I am to beat Blackburn as they are a very irritating side. Wenger said the players mind haven’t been in the right frame of mind in the Premiership especially as they had to win against Moscow at home and it was playing on their minds well now they have done I hope we get back to winning ways in the Premiership, and what a great way to begin this Sunday by beating the team that done a double over us last season.
Come on you Gunners!