Preview: Arsenal v. Blackpool

It's been thirty years since Blackpool was in the top flight. Pic via Arsenal Programmes.

Emirates Stadium, London

Saturday, August 21

15:00 BST, 10:00 a.m. EDT

• Referee: Mike Jones
• This Match, Last Time: Arsenal 1 - 0 Blackpool (March 20, 1971)
• All-Time in All Competitions: 42 Arsenal wins, 15 Blackpool wins, 24 draws
• Arsenal's Recent Form: L-L-D-L-W | D (Last Year | This Year)
• Blackpool's Recent Form: W-D | W-W-W | W (Last Year | Promotion Playoff | This Year)

Predicted Line-Up

Subs from: Fabianski, Gibbs, Eboue, Denilson, Wilshere, Walcott, Arshavin

Suspended: Koscielny (one match, two cautions)

Doubts: Denilson (abdominal), Djourou (hamstring)

Out: Bendtner (groin, to Sept. 11), Nasri (knee, to Sept. 22), Ramsey (broken leg, to Nov.), Frimpong (knee, season)

Arsenal News and Notes

• Arsenal might have only one natural center back available to play: Thomas Vermaelen. The Gunners only have three on the squad anyway and Laurent Koscielny is serving a one match ban for being sent off at Liverpool on Sunday, but perennially injured Johan Djourou, out with a hamstring injury, has returned to training and could be named in the squad Saturday.
• There are reports gaining steam that Arsene Wenger is looking to sign Sebastien Squillaci from Sevilla. He's French and slightly injury prone, which leads me to believe this deal is almost certainly done! This could also lead to a loan spell for Havard Nordtveit.
• Samir Nasri picked up an injury to the meniscus in his knee at Liverpool which required minor surgery. He'll be out until late September (i.e. a month) at the earliest. He might be back around the time of Arsenal's entry into the Carling Cup or perhaps West Brom at home on the 25th.
• Nicklas Bendtner and Aaron Ramsey remain out with long term injuries. Bendtner will likely not be back until after the next international break, perhaps when Arsenal hosts Bolton on September 11. Ramsey could be back by November.
• If Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie are still not yet ready to start, we could be in for a very strange looking Arsenal starting XI. Already. It's only August. You have got to be kidding me.
• Oh, you say there's more? What's that? Emmanuel Frimpong has torn cruciate ligaments in his knee and is done for the season? Well then, this just keeps going, doesn't it?
• Across all competitions, excluding friendlies, Arsenal has won only two of their last ten fixtures (four draws, 4 losses.)
• Arsenal has not lost a match at the Emirates Stadium since January 31, 3-1 to Manchester United (nine matches: seven wins, two draws.)

Blackpool News and Notes

• Last week, Marlon Harewood had a brace as the newly promoted Seasiders defeated Wigan Athletic 4-0 at the DW Stadium. The fixture was originally supposed to be at home for Blackpool, but renovations to Bloomfield Road are not yet complete.
• In terms of injuries, midfielder Keith Southern is out with a knee problem until mid-September, forward Louis Almond is out until October with a shoulder knock, and forward Billy Clarke could be out for the year with an ACL rupture.
• Wednesday, Blackpool completed a one-year loan deal for Israel international Dekel Keinan from Maccabi Haifa.
• But, also on Wednesday, club chairman Karl Oyston stepped down from his position, after a tumultuous summer building up to the club's return to the top flight.
• Blackpool sat at the top of the table on goal difference after their 4-0 win at Wigan last week, at least for two and a half hours before Chelsea completed their 6-0 win over West Brom.
• This is the first time Blackpool has sat at least second in the top flight after a round of matches since fall of 1964.
• Blackpool have lost only one of their last 13 competitive fixtures. Then again, 12 of those were in the Championship and the loss was to also promoted Newcastle United.

Match Facts

• Blackpool have only won twice is North London in league play and once more in the FA Cup. All three of those Blackpool wins were in the 1950's.
• Blackpool's most recent season in the top flight was Arsenal's first Double winning season of 1970/71. Arsenal beat the Tangerines 1-0 in both fixtures.
• The two sides have met in four fixtures since them, though technically only two domestic cup ties. The 1976/77 League Cup tie required two replays before Arsenal won. In December of 1999, Arsenal won an FA Cup tie 3-1 at Highbury.
• Arsenal's last league loss to Blackpool came at Bloomfield Road in 1965, a 5-3 Gunners' loss.
• Arsenal's last loss to Blackpool overall came in the FA Cup in January of 1970, a 3-2 loss at Bloomfield Road.

Referee

• The referee is Mike Jones.
• Mike Jones only worked two Arsenal matches last season, both were 4-0 wins at the Emirates. One was over Wigan in September, the other, the season finale against Fulham in May.
• He worked one Blackpool match in the Championship last year, a 0-0 draw at Preston North End.
• He found himself in the media spotlight for the wrong reasons last season for allowing Sunderland's beach ball deflection goal in their 1-0 win against Liverpool.

Around the League

• Saturday: Birmingham City v. Blackburn Rovers; St. Andrew's, Birmingham
• Saturday: Everton v. Wolverhampton Wanderers; Goodison Park, Liverpool
• Saturday: Stoke City v. Tottenham Hotspur; Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent
• Saturday: West Bromwich Albion v. Sunderland; The Hawthorns, West Bromwich
• Saturday: West Ham United v. Bolton Wanderers; Boleyn Ground, London
• Saturday: Wigan Athletic v. Chelsea; DW Stadium, Wigan
• Sunday: Newcastle United v. Aston Villa; St. James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne
• Sunday: Fulham v. Manchester United; Craven Cottage, London
• Monday: Manchester City v. Liverpool; City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester