The Mighty Arsenal

R.I.P ROCKY. A TRIBUTE TO THE BIG MAN.

noreply@blogger.com (Gooner Chris) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 17:29:00 +0000

From The World of Arsenal Blog:

Tomorrow is the 31st of March and it marks the 7th year anniversary of the great man’s passing. For those of you old enough to remember the tricks, skills and flair of such a talented player, it’s a day that you’ll always remember. For those of you too young to know or see Rocky in action, he was a truly naturally gifted player and someone who can only be described as “Arsenal through and through”. His love for the game was immense and played the way that Arsenal have always been affiliated with.

All About David Rocastle

In association with www.rocky7.co.uk

Aron Lazarus and Marc Levy are two Arsenal fans and Rocastle fans who have set up the site, here’s an insight to what the site is all about and a bit of a history about Rocastle.

Who is David Rocastle?

Rocastle, or ‘Rocky’ as he became known, made his Arsenal debut in a goalless draw against Newcastle on 28 September 1985 and soon became a regular member of the first team. In 1987, just before his 20th birthday, he helped Arsenal to a famous League Cup Final victory over Liverpool, and their first trophy in 8 years. This was followed up by another League Cup Final appearance a year later, but this time Arsenal surrendered a 2-1 lead to lose 3-2 to a last minute Luton Town winner. Despite that defeat, Arsenal were on the up and, along with other starlets like Tony Adams, Paul Merson and Michael Thomas, Rocky was part of a young Arsenal team that were destined for greatness.

When did Rocky win his first league medal?

In 1989, Rocky and his teammates tasted major glory, winning the clubs first League Championship since 1971 and in dramatic fashion, with a goal in the last minute of the last game of the season, against their nearest rivals Liverpool. It remains the most exciting finish to a league season ever and will probably never be matched.

This success was followed up 2 years later when Arsenal once again were crowned champions, this time in even more convincing fashion, losing just one game all season. Unfortunately, injury meant that Rocky’s contribution was limited to 18 appearances that season.

Did Rocky have International honors?

By the age of 24, Rocky had been an integral part of a team that had picked up 3 trophies in 4 years. His huge contributions were well documented and on 14th September 1988, Rocky was selected to play for England for the first time, in a 1-0 victory over Denmark, which as provided debuts for England greats Paul Gascoigne and Des Walker.

Then what happened?

Rocky was destined for a long and successful career on both the domestic and international stages. However, in the early 1990s, he suffered a series of injuries which began to hamper his game and in 1992 he was transferred to Leeds, much to the dismay of all Arsenal fans, by whom he was adored.

What happened after Rocky left Arsenal?

After leaving Arsenal, Rocky played for a number of other clubs, including Leeds, Manchester City and Chelsea, however, the fans of these clubs only saw the Rocky magic in fits and starts as his career continued to be blighted by injury. In 1999, after further short term spells at Norwich City, Hull City and Malaysian outfit Sabah, Rocky succumbed to his injuries and was forced to retire.

What did Rocky mean to Arsenal?

In all Rocky made 14 appearances for his country, a staggeringly low total for a man with his talent. Despite leaving Arsenal in 1992, Rocky forever remained a part of the Arsenal family. The fans loved him not only because of his brilliance on the pitch, but because he played the game with a smile on face and his heart on his sleeve, and more than that, he always conducted himself as a gentleman.

Tell us more about Rocky’s illness

In February 2001, Rocky announced that he was suffering from Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, an aggressive form of cancer that attacks the immune system. He underwent a course of chemotherapy and thousands of fans prayed for his recovery, but this was a battle that was too much, even for David Rocastle. Rocky passed away on 31st March 2001, aged just 33.

What did David Rocastle represent to you?

David Rocastle represented everything that was good about football. Honesty, passion, teamwork, commitment, and of course, sheer brilliance, and we believe that this is why he remains in the hearts and minds of all Gooners who were privileged to see him play and who continue to sing his name, even today.

How did www.rocky7.co.uk come about?

The ongoing love for Rocky amongst Arsenal fans is what inspired us to create this website, so that people could have a place to share their memories and stories about Rocky. However, we also felt that it would be great to create an opportunity for everyone to do something really worthwhile in Rocky’s honour.

Charities have been setup to raise money for cancer. Tell us about ways of raising money?

We are delighted to have teamed up with Arseshirts.com to produce 3 limited edition t-shirts in honour of Rocky. These t-shirts will only be on sale from 25th March to 30th April 2008 and every single penny of profit from their sale will go straight to TreeHouse, a charity that supports children with Autism. Rocky did endless work with children’s charities himself, so we feel that this is the perfect way to honour his memory.

For more info and for details on how to purchase shirts and see tributes to Rocastle from family and friends, visit the site, http://www.rocky7.co.uk

Before I leave you, take a look at this video, some of you might of seen it before, for me, it brings a tear to the eye.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udxBpMt2Y8Y

Spurs 5-1 Arsenal - late, late review...

noreply@blogger.com (Gooner Chris) — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 01:34:00 +0000

Gooners Was it a tragedy those few weeks ago? No. Downright embarrassing maybe? A little. Sinking ship as many suggested? Someone is having a laugh. The scoreline was surprising but the result was not unexpected for me. It was one of those games where every shot by the opposition would be on target and chances are it will end in the back of the net. I still remember Lee Sharpe’s League Cup exploits against us many moons ago.

This is no different. Only thing is it came against Spurs. Not many Gooners can take it, even if it is the CC. For me, I look at the bigger picture and what is ahead of us.Carling CupPainful as it may seem for some, we have to remember that this is Wenger’s breeding cup, where young and new players get a soft introduction to English football without the risk of dropped points in the Premiership. I see lots of Gooners in various sites and comments saying Wenger should have fielded a stronger squad or maybe even put out the first team. Why? If he did put out his first team, should he stick to the same policy for the final then?

The CL match against AC Milan is on 20/2 whereas the CC final is on 24/2. If we put out the first team for the semi final and use a mixed squad for the final, what difference does it make? I know which match I would rather have my first team.It may still be silverware to some but let us not get over ourselves and clamour for anything that comes our way just because we have not won anything for 2 seasons. The one thing I realise is that if we do play our first team, we would have won it.

Our mix and match team can bring us so far. The first team will bring us all the way. But do we need to exert the first team over this? I would rather we do Newcastle in over the next 2 games. Which brings us to….NewcastleArsenal have a chance to burst Newcastle’s bubble even before it gets pumped up. What is dangerous is the Keegan bandwagon gaining momentum. By beating them in the next 2 meetings, we have the opportunity to uncover the so-called ‘Messiah’ and make him human again.Second string playersWenger must have said something to Diaby. His game has improved slightly.

His is passing more but when the chips are down didn’t trust his team mates enough. His decision making is still suspect as many a time he could have laid an easy ball to the left but opted to shoot. Pretty much says it all why he is not the first choice even with all that talent and hype as the next Paddy.Walcott must learn to take more responsibility.

Confidence is one thing but what worries me is that he looks scared to receive the ball or play the wrong pass. He should go into matches by grabbing it by the scruff of the neck. He was anonymous last night. His game is so English (kick and rush) that it is taking him longer to flourish at Arsenal because the game there is so instinctive. A total change from what he is used to. We know he is a good finisher. But all credit to Wenger for developing his other technical skills. A good player to learn from would be Eduardo. He does not have the pace but he uses his guile and that takes a player’s career further.

Gilberto looks like a player playing out the season and moving on thereafter. He looked lost and disinterested. Would I still use him after this? Maybe. But I would rather use Denilson (assuming he is fit) and Diaby as central pairings for the FA Cup. This would allow Wenger to use Walcott/Randall/Lansbury in one of the wings with Rosicky/Hleb on the other.EndWenger has always insisted this is a youth cup for Arsenal.

When we win, no one screams for the senior players. When we lose, Wenger is a prick for gambling with the cup. Get a grip. We know how the cup would be treated every season. This is not the first time he has done it.Thing is, it was the youth (sprinkled with some experienced but not or no longer first teamers) who got us to where we were. Congratulate them. Take heart they are miles ahead of the majority of the Premiership sides. Look at Manure, their kids got dumped by Coventry.Appreciate what we have.

Man City v Arsenal preview

noreply@blogger.com (Gooner Chris) — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 01:30:00 +0000

Manchester City away was a far trickier tie towards the start of the season, but come Saturday Arsenal will still have a hell of a game on their hands. As Manchester United found out, the City of Manchester Stadium has been a bit of a fortress for the blue half of Manchester. City are unbeaten at home in the Premier League this season and they have played United and Liverpool there so far.

Sven has done brilliantly with his side and he knew home form would determine what they achieved this season. At the start they won 9 games in a row on their own turf but since then, Blackburn, Liverpool and West Ham have drawn there. In the first two of those games, City were lucky to win and we are playing them at the best time. Their form has dipped an awful lot and the draw at Derby this week highlighted this.

The form of Elano has fallen and they are relying on the quality of Martin Petrov to get goals. Michael Johnson, although so young, has been a big influence on the side and his absence has coincided with the first real hiccup for "Mr Blue Eyes". City have looked a bit more shaky at the back and Micah Richards and Dunne have looked vulnerable at times. Joe Hart has played extremely well between the posts and has become a real player for the future.

After back to back victories and a slow rise back to form, we have a good opportunity to inflict City’s first defeat at home in the League. The squad is unchanged from Tuesday night and I think it could be the same starting line up. Why change it if its not broken? As long as we see none of the silly passing from Senderos, similar to the last 10 minutes in midweek, we should be ok at the back. Daniel Sturridge will be a pest but I feel Gallas’ experience will prevail here.

The best battle will be Martin Petrov vs Bakary Sagna. These two have definitely been two of the best signings this season and it will be a great tussle as they come head to head. Sagna has made our defence a far tighter and secure unit this season, but crucially he has provided a great attacking outlet, fitting right into out style of play. Martin Petrov has been brilliant this season for City, he has pace, skill and one of the best left foots in the business. His crosses are accurate more often than not and his set pieces could trouble us.

Flamini will be confident of doing a job on Elano as he is the other main attacking threat to us. Otherwise we should be able to cope with City and try and dominate the game. If we play the way we did against Newcastle we really should win this game. We have Adebayor in brilliant form and he will want to score for the 8th game running. We are making chances and when you do that, you score goals and I feel it may take more than one to take the three points on Saturday

Wenger could go with Theo for this game in place of Diaby. This would mean Hleb moving to left midfield where he plays better than the right in my opinion. However, Diaby looked better on Tuesday; he passed the ball earlier and used his strength in ways we expect from him. It may take patience and retention of the ball for this game; Theo really can be a loose cannon. Yet his pace could cause trouble to Ball/Garrido.

=============Almunia============
Sagna===Senderos===Gallas===Clichy
Hleb====Fabregas====Flamini===Diaby
========Adebayor===Eduardo=======

We have come through some difficult away ties this season and this will be another one. We are against a team that are good at home as mentioned and we need to keep our focus and the eye on the prize: the Premier League trophy. From here on in, every game counts!

Josh
http://thegoonereye.wordpress.com/

Future Star: Benik Afobe

noreply@blogger.com (Gooner Chris) — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 01:27:00 +0000

Benik In Action During The Nike Cup [Picture From Nike Photographer]

Article From Young Guns:

An out and out striker, Benik is already top scorer for the Under 16s, despite being only 14 years old, strong, and an excellent finisher he is blessed with blistering pace.

Benik is also full of tricks and posses a high level of technique for such a young player, to complete the list of his qualities, he is a threat in the air, and can handle the physical side of the game, this season as he grows up, his power and upper body straight have significantly developed.

Straight out of the very top draw of the latest crop of Academy talent. Despite being of Congo descent Afobe was born in England and will look to push on next season for a place in the England Youth team’s next season.

Read More About The Young Players In Our Player Profiles Section

Name: Benik Afobe

Age: 14

Nationality: English

Height: 178

Position: Striker

Previous Clubs: –

Contract : Scholarship

Premier League: West Ham v Arsenal - Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Gooner Chris) — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 20:47:00 +0000

There were many reasons why Arsenal failed to mount a significant title bid last season. But surely the most significant factor was the amount of points left behind at places like Upton Park.
A struggling West Ham took all three against Arsène Wenger’s men in a fractious affair on November 5, 2006. A struggling Fulham, Manchester City and Sheffield United did exactly the same thing over the course of the campaign.
It was Arsenal’s Achilles’ heel. Leaving all the other factors aside, that 12 points alone would have put them on the coat-tails of second-place Manchester United in the final reckoning and given them much more say in the destination of the Premiership title.
Arsenal return to the East End of London on Saturday as English football’s free-flowing force. They are top of the table right now and at the top of their game. But although Arsenal have put may wrongs right this season — winning not drawing early on at Emirates, keeping their discipline at places like Blackburn and Sparta — this game represents a different kind of challenge.
“Yes, it is another test for us,” said Wenger at his pre-match press conference. “And don’t forget we have not played many games away yet. We played at Blackburn, we played at Tottenham but this game is another test.
“We can show that we are stronger than last year if we can make a result at West Ham and do it in a more convincing way. For me, we were not convincing at all last year at West Ham.
"I am not surprised we are up there this year. I expected us to do well and fight for the championship. But the games so far were tight and everything went for us. We have won many in the last 10 minutes so we have to keep our feet on the ground and continue to focus on what we do well. And we know we have to fight on Saturday because a huge commitment will be needed at West Ham.”
There was mixed news from the training ground at Friday’s press conference. Alex Hleb came through tests on his knee but Eduardo dropped out with a groin problem. The manager had already ruled out Jens Lehmann (elbow), Alex Song (calf), William Gallas (groin) and Tomas Rosicky (hamstring).
West Ham’s victory over Arsenal last season was pretty much a blip in a difficult early campaign. They rallied under new boss Alan Curbishley and hauled themselves clear of the dropzone in the final few games. The absence of Dean Ashton with a broken ankle was said to be one of the main reasons.
The fit-again 23-year-old has been well-known to Wenger for some time. The Frenchman made concerted attempts to sign the burly frontman early in his career.
"When he was at Crewe, they played against us in the Youth Cup and he was outstanding,” said the Arsenal manager. “I tried to get him here after that but they had an agreement with Liverpool.
"He is an intelligent player and uses his body well and is good in the air. We were looking at the time for someone who could give us something a bit different and help us play slightly more direct if needed. We felt he could develop into that sort of player. After, he went to Norwich and that was a surprise because suddenly he would not join us. My understanding was that there was a gentleman's agreement that Crewe would not sell him to any other Premier League club than Liverpool.
“Yes in my opinion he is good enough for England now. Certainly he will be involved now because you have Owen and Heskey out. And I wouldn’t be surprised to see Steve McClaren in the stand on Saturday.”

Silence of The Rams: Arsenal 5-0 Derby

noreply@blogger.com (Gooner Chris) — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 15:52:00 +0000

10′ [1 - 0] A. Diaby View25′ [2 - 0] E.S. Adebayor View50′ [3 - 0] E.S. Adebayor (pen.) View70′ [4 - 0] C. Fabregas View79′ [5 - 0] E.S. Adebayor View

Last year this match might’ve had a chance of ending up in a 1-1 draw but this year we’ve shown we can put away teams that deserve putting away. A 5-0 manslaughter of Derby County where the class of Fabregas was front and center and Abou Diaby showed why he’s on his way to replace Vieira and Adebayor, well Adebayor deserve a new sentence. He can score goals, nobody’s doubted that, it’s just the goals that he misses really stick with you. After today’s hatrick where he scored from the penalty spot, on a breakaway and made something out of a completely harmless Denilson pass, even the staunchest of Adebayor critics must concede that he looked very close to replacing Thierry Henry. Then again, this is Derby County. But that takes little away from Adebayor’s dazzling performance where it wasn’t just that he scored goals, his dribbling was pristine and his control perfect.

The lineup wasn’t our strongest with RVP, Gallas, Hleb, Rosicky and Eboue all resting or injured:

Adebayor Eduardo
Diaby Flamini Fabregas Walcott
Clichy Senderos Toure Sagna
Almunia
You saw all that is good and bad about Walcott today, his pace is unstoppable and the defender is always at his mercy when he’s streaming down the right side but once he’s in the box either his shot is either lacking quality or the final pass lets the original run down. In his two chances to score today, he was first overpowered by a defender after outpacing two others and then his shot was blocked. He does create half-chances when he’s in the game, by the end of this year he should create real ones.

Watching Fabregas operate in the midfield is like watching John Stockton play the point guard. Now everybody who reads this blog will completely miss that reference but for those who get it they know it speaks of high praise for Arsenal’s general. When he laced in the fourth goal - another blistering long-range strike - I was just thinking, “Man, is this guy in the zone”. His sense of when to pick off Eduardo and Adebayor and when to lay it off on the right for Sagna or Walcott never seems to be wrong. Billy Davies, the Derby County boss alluded to him being the best midfielder in Europe, he might not be wrong.

Looking at Eduardo’s play you get the sense that he’s still finding his place on the team. The glimpses of skill that he displays are right now being offset by him getting tangled in the box and not finding the space he needs (and was used to in Zagreb) but he’s already looking more comfortable than he did earlier in the season and as things progress, so will he. Like Walcott, he has no problem beating the defender on the wing, it’s just when you get past that he’s still figuring out what his options are. Perfectly natural. Time will fix that.
Liverpool was frustrated into a scoreless draw by Birmingham and Chelsea/Man Utd play today at Old Trafford. On a completely different note, I thought it was somewhat classless of Benitez to not even say a word or two about Mourinho. I’m pretty sure I hate Benitez more than I ever did Mourinho.

Arsenal v Derby - The Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Gooner Chris) — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 10:51:00 +0000

Sorry the blog hasn't been updated recently. We were planning to move to wordpress but i have decided that it would be better to stay at Blogger. So here we are!!!

Alexander Hleb has joined Arsenal's growing injury list, which also includes Tomas Rosicky, William Gallas, Jens Lehmann and Emmanuel Eboue.

Hleb has a knee injury, but on a more positive note the Gunners can call on Philippe Senderos after a hip problem.

Derby are set to be unchanged from the team that notched their first win of the campaign against Newcastle.

Kenny Miler's hamstring held up to the test, and while Darren Moore and Giles Barnes are fit, the match is too soon.

Arsenal will look to strengthen their position at the top of the table as they face a Derby side fresh from their first win of the season.
Though they were always going to challenge for a UEFA Champions League spot, The Gunners could be considered one of the Premier League's surprise packages for the way they have flourished since Thierry Henry's departure in the summer.
They are unbeaten in all competitions this season and appear to be going from strength to strength after following up their victory over Tottenham with an impressive 3-0 win against Sevilla in midweek.

The Mighty Arsenal's verdict:

We reckon this will be a comfortbale win for Arsenal but we need to watch out for Derby who could take advantage of a tired Arsenal side.

Prediction: Arsenal 3-1 Derby

Arsenal go top of the League!

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Harvey AFC) — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 15:39:00 +0000

Cesc: The Wonder Boy gets a Wonder Goal!

I can sing it now... We are top of the league, say we are top of the league! Man, that felt good!

Although Monkey boy, Bale scored a free kick - against a wall which looked as if Titus Bramble organised it - after 16 minutes. Arsenal kept plugging away, the highlight being Diaby hitting the bar from a tight angle but on another day, he would of scored. It stayed goalless until the 65th minute when Adebayor took advantage of Paul Robinsons' 11th...(or is it 12th?) blunder of the season by flicking on a free header into the empty net.

The game went on and it really seemed that the Gunners were going to win it and in the 81st minute, Rosicky laid it off to Fabregas, to hit a screamer from 25 yards into the top left hand corner of the net. Although, England's number 2 (Could still drop if things don't change) got a touch on it, he could only help it on into the goal. It was one of those goals where once he hit it, you knew it was in!

For the last 10 minutes of the game, it was all Arsenal - well, apart from the desperate HOOFS into the box which Almunia and his rock-like defence had all day. There was however a chance for Spurs to get back into the game when Darren 'The Gooner' Bent was put through with a one-on-one with Almunia. Judging by his effort, which has to be featured on Soccer AM this weekend as a 'Taxi!', proved that he is Gooner. I mean, my great grandma could of scored that - And she's dead... Yes, it was that bad!

Then things got EVEN better when Denilson played the ball up to Adebayor to flick it up for himself and volley it past Robinson and make it 3 - 1 to the Arsenal. I hate to say it but it was like 'The Dog'ba's goal at Everton last season - Unstoppable!

Then Denilson had the chance to make it 4 but maybe a lack in confidence, made him put it strait at the keeper. Seconds later, referee Mark Clattenburg - who had a good game - blew his whistle and confirmed that Arsenal went top of the league, but more importantly, beat the Scum - with a far from First Team squad!

Next Games: Sevilla - Champions League Group Stage (Wednesday 18th September)

Derby - Premiership (This Saturday: 22nd September)

The Scum vs Arsenal - Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 23:02:00 +0000

I can't believe it I mean have you seen Spuds' predictions,some of them have us getting beaten 3-0, bloody hell every season, EVERY F****** year its the same thing, don't they ever f****** learn? Every bloody year its the same thing about how 'this year it will be Tottenham's year', 'this year we'll beat Arsenal'. I expect that the Spuds will get soundly beaten, no way they can beat our full 11. Last year had it not been for the woodwork THREE times the tossers would have been smashed in their backyard.

Come on Arsenal, F**k Tottenham.

Arsenal in Europe

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Harvey AFC) — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 11:11:00 +0000

Dudu got 2

6 of the Arsenal squad played last night in the EURO 2008 Qualifying matches. Jens Lehmann, Lassana Diarra, Alex Hleb, Tomas Rosicky, Eduardo & Robin Van Persie all played for their countries. Rosicky continued his goalscoring spree by getting 1 during his 3- 0 win over the mighty San Marino. Meanwhile, Eduardo Da Silva scored both of the goals as Croatia beat Estonia 2 - 0. Both of them being rather spectacular.

So I can say an Englishman played for us, I have to mention the Under 21's beat Montenegro 2- 0. Although young Theo did not score, he did start and play the majority of the game - before being replaced by former Gunner, Fabrice Muamba after 63 minutes.

Surprisingly, not one Gunner picked up an injury so we should have a full squad for when we play the much anticipated North London Derby this coming Saturday lunchtime against Spurs.

Wenger signs new deal

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 10:23:00 +0000

Yes! Finally the news the Gooners have been looking for. I am elated, now all the distraction is finished and this will help the focus of the team in a big way. We NEEDED Wenger with us, after Henry we couldn't afford to lose him. Thank You Arsene. In you we trust.

Why Arsenal Should be Happy to Stay Out of the Limelight

noreply@blogger.com (EmiratesGallastico) — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 19:23:00 +0000

While the Gunners are currently second in the table, level on points with leaders Liverpool albeit with an inferior goal difference, nearly no one apart from their fans have even mentioned their names with regards to who will be competing for the title come May 2008. Liverpool will finally do it is the cry, or that Manchester United and Chelsea will both recover from their shaky starts to reclaim their places at the top. The young Arsenal side is written off as being too youthful, too experienced- how can they do it when the average age of their first team is so low?

Although many Arsenal fans may be irritated with this, the reality is they should be happy- the Arsenal team always thrives as the underdog. This was best shown in the run to the Champions League final during the 2005/06 season- the Gunners outclassed and outplayed all opponents that neutrals and football pundits alike thought would destroy them; first relying on a magnificent Thierry Henry goal and some brilliant defending to beat Spanish giants Real Madrid, then running rings around an ageing Juventus side. In fact, in the first knockout round that Arsenal were expected to comfortably dispatch their opponents they had problems- while they won the first leg by a single goal against Villareal, the second leg was a tense, nervous affair that could have gone either way. However, luck stayed with the Gunners as Riquelme missed his penalty, and although they were thwarted in the final by a star studded Barcelona side, they were arguably the better team for large spells of the game- despite having a man less for all but the first eighteen minutes.

So, why exactly should the Arsenal side be happy to stay out of the limelight? Well, being in the limelight means all eyes are on you, and although that is great when you are winning games, it provides unwanted pressure when you are not doing as well. Expectations will rise, as they are for Liverpool- a team that has not won the title for the last seventeen years is expected to lead the title race, just because of their large win over a side bound for relegation. All I ask for is this, fellow Gooners; don’t have any expectations of the title at this moment in time, just hope for an improvement on last season. With ten points in four games (we had half the amount at this stage last season) we have certainly started off better, and for that all those that sport red and white around the world can rejoice.

Jason Pereira
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am a new contributer for this site- this piece and more can be found on my blog site, A View of the Arse.

Mourinho predicts ''open title race''

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 18:53:00 +0000

Being a tad being unrealistic Maureen. All right it can be said the other teams outside the Top 4 have some quality players but they lack sufficient depth and consistency but then again we all know Maureen and Chelski anyway, this is just his way of taking attention away from the sh*t performances of the Chelsea team and making excuses.

Another thing riling and pi*sing me off is the way Arsenal are STILL being written off. All the pundits seem to be glossing and drooling over Liverpoo while forgetting we have the same points as them and had it not been due to a Lehmann blunder we would have been on top. We took 11/18 points off the other 3 rivals last year compared to Chelsea's 7, Man Ure's 8 and Liverpoo's 6 so with a bit more consistency SURELY we can win the title.

Come on Arsenal.

p.s. I am also writing the same stuff on my other blog (Shakeel) just so if I am accused of leaching.

http://themightyarsenal.feedbeat.net/

I Had To Leave Chelsea - Diarra

noreply@blogger.com (Gooner Chris) — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 09:35:00 +0000

New Arsenal signing Lassana Diarra says he joined the Gunners because he could not force his way past the big names in Chelsea’s midfield.

Frenchman Lassana Diarra, 22, completed a £5 million move to Arsenal from Chelsea just 10 minutes before the transfer window closed on Friday.

And he admitted: “I needed to play and get more time on the pitch and I don’t think it would be possible at Chelsea. That’s the main reason why I left.

“At Chelsea, we had Michael Ballack, Frank Lampard, Claude Makelele and Michael Essien in midfield.
“I know it will be tough to make it at Arsenal as well.
"I have no guarantee from Arsene Wenger I will play all the time but I am sure that it will be OK.
“I know I will play big matches in the league and even in the Champions League.”

Diarra would have been out of contract at Stamford Bridge next summer. He had already turned down possible moves to Tottenham Hotspur, Portsmouth, Newcastle United and AS Monaco.

He added: “I knew for some time Mr Wenger was interested in me.
"He watched me with Chelsea and the France national team. They were my first choice and my first priority.
“I also spoke to William Gallas, a former Chelsea player who left in the same way last season.”

Southampton to land Gibbs on Loan

noreply@blogger.com (Gooner Chris) — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 18:24:00 +0000

Southampton are plotting to land Arsenal youngster Kieran Gibbs on loan in order to fast-track the winger's development.

The 16-year-old wide player has already earned rave reviews at reserve team level b, triggering interest from several clubs.

But Southampton boss George Burley, who blooded both Tom Huddlestone and Giles Barnes at Derby, is confident of landing the teenager until January.

The loan market becomes active again in a week's time and Gibbs has become Southampton's number one target.

Arsenal 3-1 Portsmouth

noreply@blogger.com (Gooner Chris) — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 14:34:00 +0000

Emmanuel Adebayor, Cesc Fabregas and Tomas Rosicky all scored as Arsenal trumphed 3-1 over Portsmouth.

The Gunners started brightly and were ahead after eight minutes when Emmanuel Adebayor netted his first of the season from the penalty spot after David James had floored the fleet-footed Robin van Persie.

And they doubled their lead on 35 minutes when Pompey made hard work of clearing a corner and Cesc Fabregas reacted fastest to turn a loose ball in the six-yard box past James.

Philippe Senderos was shown a straight red card four minutes into the second half for a clumsy challenge on Kanu.

But Arsenal extended their lead when Fabregas rolled a quickly-taken free-kick into Tomas Rosicky's path and he drilled in a low shot.

Kanu netted a fortunate consolation soon after but The Mighty Arsenal looked comfotable with even 10 men on the pitch.

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Higlights:

http://www.arsenalist.com/

Next up.....Tottenham at Shi*e Hart Lane! That will be a gooden

Diarra signs for the Gunners - we told you so...

noreply@blogger.com (Gooner Chris) — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 16:58:00 +0000

Well, as AW said he would not go out and buy anyone Diarra's move was a bit of a suprise to most Gooners. The versatile French international is only 22 and his move from the Blues to the Reds will surely mean the end for our other versatile French Midfielder Mathieu Flamini. I have seen Diarra play before for his old team Le Havre and he was a very good player.

Chelsea spotted his talent and here is now at the best club for him. I would love to see Diarra play further up the pitch in a midfield spot. He has great offensive passing and is good on the ball. If people had watched his performances for France you would be much more convinced of his talent and potential further forward if you hadn't seen it from his play at Chelsea.

A lot of matches for Chelsea he came on as a substitute and played for 15-20 minutes. He was very impressive when came on and added more bite and urgency to Chelsea's play.

So overall i believe Diarra's signing could prove to be a bargain for Arsenal.

This guy is Arsenal's new Mini Gilberto.

We will soon see anyway...

Unknown Russian buys Dein's Arsenal stake

noreply@blogger.com (Gooner Chris) — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 17:09:00 +0000

Ex-Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein has sold his 14.5% stake in the club to a firm co-owned by a Russian billionare.

The involvement of Alisher Usmanov, who paid £75m for the holding, adds to pressure on the club's board to give in to a takeover.

Mr Dein has been named chairman of the firm, Red & White Holdings, allowing him a way back into Arsenal.

He left the board after it failed to back his plan for the club to be taken over by American Stanley Kroenke.

Red & White said it felt it crucial that manager Arsene Wenger stayed at Arsenal as he was "vital to the future success of the club".
Mr Dein, a close ally of Mr Wenger, said the club needed people or consortia "prepared to invest previously unimaginable sums aimed at winning the game's biggest prizes".
He added was "delighted" to have found investors who shared his vision for the club.
"I have always had the best interests of Arsenal at heart. I've had a love affair with the club since I was six," he said.

WHO IS FARHAD MOSHIRI?

*Majority shareholder in Metalloinvest, a Russian mining and metallurgy firm

*Share portfolio includes holdings in Russian business newspaper Kommersant and mobile phone firm Megafon

*General Director of Gazprominvestholding, investment arm of Gazprom

*Heads the Russian and European Fencing Federations

So a rich russian wants to take over Arsenal with David Dein.

Good idea or bad idea - im still undecided?

Arsenal to play Steaua, Slavia Prague and Sevilla or AEK

noreply@blogger.com (Gooner Chris) — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 16:59:00 +0000

Another fairly easy draw. The only team that should be a threat is Sevilla, Other than that i'm quite happy with the draw.

Champions League draw:

Group A: Liverpool, FC Porto, Marseille, Besiktas

Group B: Chelsea, Valencia, Schalke, Rosenborg

Group C: Real Madrid, Werder Bremen, Lazio, Olympiacos

Group D: AC Milan, Benfica, Celtic, Shakhtar Donetsk

Group E: Barcelona, Lyon, VfB Stuttgart, Rangers

Group F: Manchester United, AS Roma, Sporting Lisbon, Dynamo Kyiv

Group G: Internazionale, PSV Eindhoven, CSKA Moscow, Fenerbahçe

Group H: Arsenal, Sevilla/AEK Athens, Steaua Bucharest, Slavia Prague

Arsenal 3-0 Sparta Prague (5-0 on Aggregate)

noreply@blogger.com (Gooner Chris) — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 09:23:00 +0000

JUST because last night was incredibly dull at times, it doesn’t make a 5-0 aggregate beating of Sparta Prague a bad result.

We were calm and measured in the face of hostility in the first leg and always in control in the second leg. Last night’s ease of victory, and the early opening goal in particular, may have been completely out of keeping with the new norm of dramatic late comebacks, but the fact is you can’t have it both ways.

The team selection at least made interesting reading. Hoyte came in at right-back, Senderos was fit to partner Kolo, allowing Gilberto and Diaby to replace Cesc and Flamini in midfield. Walcott came in for Hleb and Eduardo for Adebayor.

Our start was crisp and professional. Everyone seemed to know their roles and everyone looked comfortable in them. And our early dominance was rewarded with a fine goal on seven minutes. Hoyte showed just how much he has improved on the ball in the last year. He linked up with Walcott, who sped to the byline and then pulled across a ball that was both pacey and accurate.

It was met by Tom Rosicky who swept it home in top David Platt style.
The rest of the half was fairly dull truth be told, but at least we were doing the simple things right. Diaby was on the whole putting himself about, Senderos looked assured, Walcott was clearing at least some of the mental cob-webs that seem to have built up and Eduardo was full of running. A rare error came from the slightly below par Gael Clichy, who allowed his man to get completely the wrong side of him.

The resulting shot flew inches wide.
It was no more interesting after the break, except Sparta began to have more of the play and we started to muck around.

I haven’t read Arsene’s quotes but I imagine when asked about the start of the second half he said something like:

“I feel that physically and mentally our levels dropped a bit. But still, we were professional.”
And that pretty much sums it up. You never felt as if Sparta were about to spring an upset but you still got frustrated with frequent dawdling all round the pitch.
Besides being a fairly decent player, Cesc Fabregas is an exceptional substitute so it was no surprise that when he replaced the (understandably) tiring Diaby, things picked up. The other change was Adebayor for RVP. Now Adebayor is an interesting one. I know he was poor on Saturday but I was still shocked by the number of people who seem to have suddenly turned against him.

From being a deserving cult-hero, some are now seeing him like they did Kevin Campbell in 1994 and I think that’s rather unfair frankly.
Anyway, the last ten minutes came and once again Arsenal made a mockery of those who insist on leaving early. It’s funny, because so often you can’t see these goals coming in the sense of turning to your mate and saying: “We’re going to score in a minute”, but at the same time they seem to arrive with such regularity that not even Fergie could feign surprise if we did what we did to them last season this season.

It was the lively Eduardo who burst down the left, beat his man and pulled the ball back for Cesc. He took a touch and then hit it early from around 16 yards, Frank Lampard stylee. And sure enough, if flew in Lampard style - a thumping finish but had it been your own keeper you might have asked a few questions. The value of taking it early I guess.
Then the crowd were sent home happy when Denilson (who had replaced Rosicky) dilly-dallied in true Arsenal style with Adebayor before eventually sending in a cross that Eduardo kind of skewered home with an outstretched foot. There looked a hint of offside about it a la Rosicky against Wigan last season (except without the chip factory on shoulder Paul Jewell standing on the touchline), but it was deserved reward for Eduardo’s industrious performance.

He and RVP (or any of our forward pairings for that matter), still look a million miles away from Henry and Bergkamp at their best. But the point is that in Henry and Bergkamp you had two of the most sublime touches ever to grace these shores. Neither RVP or Eduardo or any of our strikers will ever be better at being Henry and Bergkamp than Henry and Bergkamp were.

But that does not mean you can’t be just as effective.

Some of you will be annoyed I’ve given so many 7s in the playa ratings. I’m afraid it is deliberate. This was a solid, professional performance where almost everyone did their job well without being spectacular.

To say anything else would be to over analyse.

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Thanks for reading. Please don't hesitate to pop a comment.

The Mighty Arsenal TV will only be avaliable for Match Day's.

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Cheers.

R.I.P Antonio Puerta

noreply@blogger.com (Gooner Chris) — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 20:58:00 +0000

This is shocking news and terrible for the game, UEFA have postponed Tuesday night's Champions League qualifier between AEK Athens and Sevilla after the death on Tuesday of the Spanish club's defender Antonio Puerta. The 22-year-old Spain international collapsed on the pitch during the weekend game against Getafe and, though he was able to walk off, suffered a relapse in the dressing room and required cardiac resuscitation. It is believed the first-team squad is currently flying back to Spain from Greece.

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Puerta has been a member of the Sevilla first team for three seasons and spent 14 years in total with the Andalusian club he joined as a boy. Earlier in the day, doctors confirmed Puerta's condition had deteriorated. Dr Francisco Murillo, head of the intensive care unit at the hospital, said: "The condition of patient Antonio Puerta is not favourable due to the progression of the postanoxic brain injury and the multiple organic dysfunction caused by the prolonged cardiac arrest that led to his admission to hospital."

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Puerta, whose girlfriend is pregnant, had been a member of the Sevilla first team for three seasons and spent 14 years in total with the Andalusian club he joined as a boy. A later statement from Dr Murillo confirmed the death. It read: "We regret to announce that the patient Antonio Puerta died at 14.30 (local time) as a consequence of postpanoxic encephalopathy and multiorganic dysfunction provoked by the cardiac arrest."

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ANTONIO PUERTA FACTFILE:

1984: November 26 - Born Seville, Spain.

2002: Joins Sevilla 'B' team.

2004: September 19 - Makes his Primera Liga debut as a substitute in 3-0 win over Levante. November - Starts his first match for Sevilla senior side and scores opening goal in 2-1 defeat to Numancia.

2006: Became a regular in Sevilla side, playing over 25 games in all competitions. April - Scores extra-time winning goal in UEFA Cup semi-final victory over Schalke. May - Picks up UEFA Cup winner's medal despite missing out on 4-0 final win over Middlesbrough.

2007: May - Plays full 120 minutes as club clinch second consecutive UEFA Cup with win on penalties in final against Espanyol. June - Helps Sevilla finish third in La Liga, making 46 appearances during season. August 25 - Collapses on pitch 35 minutes into first match of 2007/08 campaign against Getafe. Though able to walk off, he suffers a relapse in the dressing room and requires cardiac resuscitation after being rushed to hospital. August 28 - After three days in intensive care, passes away aged 22.

Our Champions League Hopes

noreply@blogger.com (Mike Harvey AFC) — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 21:05:00 +0000

Can we do it again?

So as we approach our game against Sparta Prague - In a game where we could but more so, should go through to the Group Stage of the Champions League - the media are already questioning our hopes of progressing to the knockout stage, let alone winning the competition. They must have a memory of a fish if they can't remember our inspirational European run in the 2005/06 campaign where we reached the final in Paris and on a another day, we would of won that game at the Stade De France - If it hadn't been down to a crazy German, a shattered Frenchman, a dodgy Spaniard and a Graham Poll-esque referee to cap it all off. But now I can safely say that we are over it and now we will look to go one step further this year.

As you are aware, most if not, all the media is very much anti-Arsenal and will slag off the team at any opportunity they can get so I'd thought that I should write my thoughts on our Champions League ambitions without the anti-Arsenal crap and tell you like it is from a fans point of view.

I'm going to take it that we will win, or at least progress on Wednesday and I will look further ahead to the group stage and beyond because unless we have a big shock on the cards - which I hope we don't - then I could probably put my life on that we will go proceed and be in the draw come Friday.

I believe the main thing to do well in this competition is luck. I know we deserved to get to Paris and our performances were truly breathtaking but to be honest, in 2006 we were a tad fortunate along the way: The group stage draw, who you get in the knockout stage, your ability to avoid injuries and how your players play on the day are just to name a few things we were fortunate in and will need to happen again this year. The other important factor you need to suceed in is a large squad size with alot of depth - how many positions you have experienced cover in. Take a look at the other 'big' teams in the competition: Real Madrid, Barcelona, AC Milan, Inter, Chelsea and Man United. They all each have huge squads and have spent millions this summer to try and add depth to their squad and it has seemed to of worked but only time will tell whether their money has been well spent or not. We now have to compete with these teams and I for one, think we can handle it - Assuming that we have a defence by then. By this rate, we'll be lucky if we have 2 natural defenders playing at the back.

Although we have only added to our squad with the likes of Eduardo, Sagna and I suppose Bendtner counts as another. That is nothing compared to what the other teams have done - Well mostly Real Madrid - Robben, Heinze, Emerson, Henry, Drenthe, Sneijder. But now we know what we are up against and need to get ready for one of the biggest challenges for us in years - Compete with the teams with the best squads with the best players from around the globe and compete in the most protegious competition is Europe.

In my unbiased, but none the less honest opinion, our squad is good enough to win it. Although we have lost the likes of Henry, Campbell, Pires and Bergkamp since Paris '06, players like Toure, van Persie, Eboue, Clichy, Fabregas, Hleb and Adebayor have all improved dramatically and with the likes of Sagna, Rosicky and Eduardo coming in since then, we have a real chance of impressing in this competition and shutting up all the Mark Lawrenson's in the world and proving our critics wrong. We just need to keep that 'togetherness' in the team and get a tad luckier with the injuries - especially in our defence.

So, I ask all Arsenal fans to keep the support going, keep the faith up and cheer on the team all the way on our long journey where we should end in Moscow come the end of May.

Arsenal 1-0 Svenchester City

noreply@blogger.com (Gooner Chris) — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 12:59:00 +0000

It's funny how a goal and a win can change the perception of a match. For 80 minutes yesterday, Arsenal built pressure and had shots on goals without scoring and flattered to deceive. A 0-0, perhaps worse, seemed on the cards.

And then the little Catalan steps up, works his magic, and a game we might have drawn last year is three points. A win is a win, but its games like these that we should be winning more comfortably, and the team still seems to lack a little coherency and balance.

Credit where it's due though: City have improved massively.

Richards and Dunne are as good a centre-back partnership that exists in the premiership, and with better players in front of him, Elano would have had an assist. One thing does need to be cleared up: Schmeichel did not have a good game.

He was protected by a superb defence, and when he was tested he flapped and parried. His penalty save was illegal (he was about five metres off his line when it was taken) and not very difficult (RvP hit it straight at him). Just because his dad was good doesn't mean he was 'impressive'; he wasn't.

A few things in particular need to be said about our performance. Firstly, the Djourou loan is increasingly looking like madness.

We have, at current, one fit centre-back at the club. Gilberto is not a centre-back and looked uncomfortable there.Secondly, while he can 'do-a-job' there, Flamini is not a right-back. He was particularly guilty of allowing Petrov acres of space which a better played would have punished.Hleb was our man of the match. Cesc may have scored, but Hleb won a penalty, got an assist., and caused all sorts of trouble.

Finally, I think, people are starting to give him some credit, and he's been outstanding so far this year. Yes, Hleb can lose the ball; but at times he looks like the only one of our players who wants to make something happen. His continued unwillingness to shoot remains my major criticism of him, but this seems to be gradually changing.

Almunia was solid, yet only had two real saves to make. The jury remains out, but he didn't put a foot wrong yesterday.Rosicky is becoming a worry. He's not scoring, even though he's been afforded chances.

Personally, I don't think a right-footed central midfielder should be playing on the left. We so clearly need a left-winger, I would almost see it as wilfully negligent of Arsene not to go for broke and try to sign one in the next few days.Bendtner should have come on after an hour. Adebayor didn't look fit and struggled badly at times.

Bendtner looks like a player who can change a game from the bench, and Arsene needs to make this substitution earlier in future.van Persie was effectively nullified by the City centre-backs and started acting petulantly.

He had a visible fall out with Rosicky, and also was unhappy at a final ball from Eduardo. Lets hope he can keep these primadonna tendencies in check.

Overall, 3 games, 2 wins, 1 draw. I can't help but feel that last year, we would have drawn this match, and possibly that against Fulham. When Mark Lawrenson even begins to visibly hedge his bets regarding us and a title challenge, perhaps our status as dark-horse contenders is not wholly unjustified.

Arsenal v Man City - The Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Gooner Chris) — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 09:16:00 +0000

I haven't had time to do a preview so Courtesy of Arsenal.com here is Richard Clarke's preview of today's game.

Arsène Wenger has paid tribute to Sven-Goran Eriksson’s survival instincts ahead of Manchester City’s trip to Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

The Swede was left battered and bruised by his five years in charge of England so eyebrows were raised after he took over at Eastlands in the summer. Most expected that resilience would be needed early in the campaign as Eriksson’s numerous new arrivals attempted to pull the Citizens away from their perennial flirtation with the Premier League drop zone.

However, in the words of Wenger, Manchester City have ‘super-clicked, super-quickly’. They arrive in North London as League leaders and only the 11th team in the history of the English top-flight to win their first three games without conceding a goal.

“When you buy more than three players I feel you take a technical risk to destabilise the unity,” said the Arsenal manager at his pre-match press conference on Thursday. “It can take six months to click. But they have super clicked, super quickly. They are top of the league with three wins from three games. You cannot do better than that. It could last, it could not but we will know after a few more games.”

Saturday’s match will mean Eriksson has managed five different teams against Arsenal during his career — Gothenburg, Sampdoria, Lazio, Benfica and Manchester City — surely some kind of record.

“There is no secret there,” said Wenger. “Those who survive are the good ones. Consistency is always linked with quality.
“Maybe he wants to show people how good he is. For me, he is a very good manager and his record with England was very good.

Arsenal have Jens Lehmann sidelined for at least two weeks with an Achilles injury so Manuel Almunia takes the keeper’s gloves. William Gallas is out with a groin problem picked up at Blackburn last weekend so Kolo Toure takes the captaincy. Emmanuel Eboue (ankle) is still absent but Gilberto (fatigue) and Emmanuel Adebayor (groin) are available for the first time this season.

The Manchester City side is a shadow of last term’s version. In the summer the following players went out: Joey Barton (Newcastle); Sylvain Distin (Portsmouth); Nicky Weaver (Charlton); Trevor Sinclair (released), Stephen Jordan (released) and Hatem Trabelsi (released). While these came in: Rolando Bianchi (Reggina), Gelson Fernandes (FC Sion), Geovanni (Cruzeiro), Elano (Shakhtar Donetsk), Javi Garrido (Real Socidedad), Vedran Corluka (Dinamo Zagreb) and Valeri Bojinov (Fiorentina).

The arrivals were unknowns to most but not Wenger. "I knew all the ones who came in,” he said. “Corluka, Elano and Petrov are all good talents in my opinion. And yes they did very well but don't forget the players that have done extremely well this season are Michael Johnson, Micah Richards and Richard Dunne. They've been outstanding. Of course you talk about the players they bought but these three players were outstanding on the reports I got.”
Of those three, Richards is the one who had caught Wenger’s eye. “He can be a great player,” he said. I'm convinced of that when you look at how he plays at his age. He has no inhibitions and such power too. Certainly he has the potential.”

Despite having moved on from the national side, the emergance of Richards and Johnson this season could well mean Eriksson's spell in this country still leaves a positive legacy for English football.

My Prediction: 2-1 Arsenal, Ade to get back on the score sheet with a brace.

C'MON YOU GUNNERS!

Oh no! Not Again!

noreply@blogger.com (Gooner Chris) — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 16:20:00 +0000

NOT AGAIN!!!!

Arsenal were left to rue a moment of carelessness by goalkeeper Jens Lehmann which gifted Blackburn a 1-1 draw at Ewood Park.

He allowed Blackburn to secure a point when he flapped at a shot from David Dunn and watched in disbelief as it nestled in the net.

It was the second time this season the German has been punished for a lack of concentration. On the opening day of the season he allowed Fulham's David Healy to score from close range.

Arsenal went on to secure a victory against their London neighbours but were not so fortunate in Lancashire after Robin van Persie had given them the lead.

The only sour note for Blackburn was the dismissal of skipper Ryan Nelsen for two yellow cards.
Arsenal took the lead in the 18th minute when Van Persie took advantage of some sloppy defending to score.

Goalkeeper Brad Friedel failed to deal with Eduardo Da Silva's shot after Theo Walcott had headed the ball on.

Nelsen and David Dunn both had chances to clear but failed to do so and Van Persie took advantage his second goal of the season

It was just the start Arsenal wanted after their Champions League victory against Sparta Prague in midweek.

However manager Arsene Wenger was forced to make a change in the 25th minute with William Gallas limping off and replaced by Philippe Senderos.

Blackburn almost drew level in the 34th minute following a free-kick from David Bentley.

He picked out Christopher Samba at the back post and the towering defender headed the ball back across the area.

Nelsen was the first to react and powered the ball forward only to see his effort come back off the post.

Blackburn, though, were still looking vulnerable at the back and a mistake by Stephen Warnock let in Walcott with Nelsen dragged out of position.

Walcott was in two minds whether to shoot or cross and failed to trouble Friedel in the home goal.

The Arsenal youngster sent a harmless ball across the face of the area and Van Persie was unable to get a touch.

Then Senderos delivered a goal-bound header a minute before the break only to see Samba make the clearance.

Bentley then tried to curl a free-kick beyond Lehmann in the 53rd minute but his effort fail to trouble the goalkeeper.

This was a good spell by Blackburn and Roque Santa Cruz sent a header narrowly wide of the post in the 57th minute following a free-kick from Bentley.

Derbyshire then almost equalised three minutes later when he got on the end of a cross from

Bentley but Toure made a vital interception.

There was controversy in the 62nd minute when Cesc Fabregas handled Samba's effort on the line but referee Alan Wiley awarded Arsenal a free-kick for an infringement.

Lehmann had to look lively in the 66th minute to push away an inswinging free-kick driven at pace from Morten Gamst Pedersen.

Then came his howler which allowed Dunn to score his first goal in his second spell for the club.
Blackburn were growing in confidence and Pedersen made space down the left only to find the side-netting with his shot.

However they were reduced to 10 men in the 83rd minute when Nelsen picked up his second yellow card of the game for a challenge on Van Persie.
Blackburn, though, kept their shape to take a point and continue their good start to the season whereas The Gunners will feel they lost 2 points thanks to their German keeper.

Next up: Manchester City at the Emirates next Saturday