Arsenal vs Blackburn Rovers 26th Nov 95

Arsenal (0) 0 - 0 (0) Blackburn Rovers

Highbury, Sunday 26th November 1995. (Quarter to bloody one in the afternoon)

Teams
Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Adams, Bould, Winterburn, Keown, Platt,
         Hillier, Merson, Bergkamp, Hartson
         Subs: Helder (Keown 31)Dickov (Hartson 79), Jensen 

Blackburn: Flowers, Kenna, Berg, Hendry, Le Saux, Sherwood, Bohinen,
           Batty, Ripley, Newell, Shearer
           Subs:  Sutton, McKinlay, Mimms

Result  : Arsenal               (0) 0    Blackburn Rovers      (0) 0
Scorers:

Bookings: Bould, Adams, Platt            Hendry, Berg, Bohinen, Sherwood
                                     
Att     : 37695
Referee : G Poll (Tring)

A stark contrast to the previous game at Highbury, perhaps to be expected given that the previous 3 league games against Blackburn at Highbury have only produced 2 goals. It was still rather disappointing, even allowing for Blackburn's approach and the absence of Wright. Rioch took the slightly bizarre decision to leave Helder on the bench and start with Hillier on the right side of midfield. Perhaps it was some sort of attempt to match Blackburn who also started with 3 central midfielders, with Batty playing on the left.

Perhaps it was an attempt again to stiffen Arsenal's left, with Merson more likely to give Winterburn support than Helder. Early on it again looked as though Nutty might need it, because Ripley threatened briefly. Blackburn had the best early chance after about 15 minutes, when Ripley was left clear down the right, and from his ball in to the near post Newell looked certain to score before Dixon flew across to effect a superb block.

Can't really remember much else in the way of goalmouth incident at either end in the remainder of the first half. Keown eventually went off having injured himself in a collision with Merson, to be replaced by Helder. With Hillier moving into the middle this provided Arsenal with better balance, and they looked more likely to score during the rest of the half.

However the main interest was provided by the ref who made the spectacle even worse by constantly blowing his whistle for the slightest contact and waving his yellow card any time there was anything that looked like a foul. He even booked Bohinen for a trip on Helder which had in fact been perpetrated by Sherwood, who was later booked for another foul on the Dutchman. So the ref deprived himself the opportunity of waving his red card.

We nearly witnessed an Arsenal goal just before halftime. Helder went down the left, then passed inside to Merson, who struck a tremendous first time shot with the outside of his foot. It was heading for the top corner before Flowers made a great save, leaping to fingertip it over the bar.

Arsenal's second half performance was a distinct improvement, though there were still long periods where the fluency we've become more accustomed to recently was lacking. However, in the end it was only Flowers who stopped us scoring with at least 3 great saves.

Early on a good break down the right, ended with Dixon on the overlap finding Hartson running into the area, and his shot from an angle about 12 yards out forced Flowers into a sharp save at his near post, beating the ball away for a corner. Helder also brought a good save from the keeper, breaking from the halfway line and cutting in towards the edge of the area before producing an astonishingly good cross-shot which was heading just inside the far post before Flowers just got a hand to it to turn it round the post.

Arsenal's dominance for the first 20 minutes was interrupted by a spell of 5 minutes or more during which Blackburn kept possession and frustrated the Gunners' attempts to win it back. The only shot at goal worthy of note I can recall though was a Shearer effort from just inside the box which Seaman parried and then nonchalantly caught with one hand above his head, and Arsenal eventually regained the upper hand.

Flowers for once was beaten, but Hartson's header from a right wing Merson cross went just the wrong side of the post when he should perhaps have done better. Hartson later hit the outside of a post following a good Arsenal move involving Bergkamp and Merson, though the offside flag had already gone up. Bergkamp also went close, striking a tapped Merse free kick beautifully from 30 yards, but it curled a few feet wide of the post.

With about 5 minutes left Seaman was forced into his only difficult save of the match. A free kick to the far post from the left was nodded back by Shearer and found Newell unmarked about 8 yards out, and Seaman reacted superbly to tip his header over the bar. Soon afterwards at the other end Platt had an equally good chance when another Merson cross from the right found him unmarked about 12 yards out, but his header went straight at the keeper.

In the final minute there was a short heart-in-mouth moment when Newell had the ball in the net after Shearer had nodded it through to him, but the flag was already up for offside.

Overall a somewhat disappointing performance from Arsenal. The defence at least looked a bit more solid than in the previous two games, but with Blackburn smothering midfield, creative play was at more of a premium. With Hartson in the team there still seems to be more of a tendency to lump it forward and see what happens, so it will be a relief when Wrighty returns. I thought Merson had a pretty good game, Bergkamp again looked quite good and worked fairly hard, and Helder had some good runs down the wing without ever quite getting free or producing a dangerous final ball.

report by Derek Brownjohn

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