Preview: Blackburn Rovers v. Arsenal

 Fabianski's positioning here is clearly excellent. Pic via Daily Mail.

Ewood Park, Blackburn

Saturday, August 28

12:45 BST, 7:45 a.m. EDT

• Referee: Chris Foy
• This Match, Last Year: Blackburn Rovers 2 - 1 Arsenal
• All-Time in All Competitions: 56 Arsenal wins, 29 Blackburn wins, 30 draws
• Arsenal's Recent Form: L-D-L-W | D-W (Last Year | This Year)
• Blackburn's Recent Form: L-D-W-W | W-L (Last Year | This Year)

Predicted Line-Up

guesses in red

Almunia

Sagna - Koscielny - Vermaelen - Clichy

Song - Fabregas - Diaby

    Walcott - Chamakh - Van Persie

Subs from: Fabianski, Gibbs, Djourou, Denilson, Rosicky, Arshavin, Eboue

Out: Nasri (knee), Bendtner (groin), Ramsey (broken leg), Frimpong (knee)

Arsenal News and Notes

• Arsenal have no new injury concerns with which to contend this week. Nasri remains out until the end of September after knee surgery last week and Ramsey's return from his horror leg break remains set for November.
• It does appear that Nicklas Bendtner will be out for longer than I had originally heard. Earlier this month, Arsene Wenger had mentioned he was four weeks away. In an interview this week, however, Bendtner himself put the time table at six weeks from now. This puts him back in mid-October.
• Arsenal have completed their signing of Sevilla center back Sebastien Squillaci, though he will not be available for this match. He is, however, not cup-tied in Europe, and will be able to play for Arsenal in the Champions League.
• Laurent Koscielny returns from his one match suspension this week. This week, against Blackburn Rovers, we'll really see if he's ready for the physical side of the Premier League. Let's all hope and pray he is.
• Arsenal are unbeaten in their last three competitive fixtures dating back to last season. It's their longest such streak since a nine match run that was snapped by Barcelona at Camp Nou in the Champions League. Including that loss, Arsenal lost four and drew once between this current streak and the last streak. Just 46 more to tie their record!

Blackburn News and Notes

• David Dunn (groin) may return to action. Vince Grella (calf) returned midweek as Blackburn defeated Norwich City 3-1 in the second round of the Carling Cup.
• Pascal Chimbonda (broken nose) played all 90 minutes on Tuesday.
• Keith Andrews (groin) was pulled from the line-up on Saturday, did not play Tuesday, and has been dropped from Ireland's line-up for their fixture next week.
• Blackburn have three points from two league fixtures this season: they were gifted a 1-0 win over Everton to open the season, thanks to a Tim Howard error in goal, then were defeated by Birmingham City 2-1 on Saturday after a thrilling second half.
• Blackburn lost only one of their last nine league fixtures last season, a streak that saw them beat Arsenal and draw Chelsea and Manchester United, all at home. They have lost two of their last twelve competitive fixtures, dating back to last season.

Match Facts

• Last year, six different Gunners scored as Arsenal beat Blackburn 6-2 at the Emirates early in the season, but set pieces (and Fabianski) were Arsenal's undoing at Ewood Park as they lost 2-1 in early May.
• This fixture was Arsene Wenger's first as manager of Arsenal in October of 1996. Ian Wright had a brace; Arsenal won 2-0.
• It might sound surprising now, but aside from Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers are the only other team to have won a Premier League title. Recall that before the early '90s, it was called the First Division.
• In the Premier League era, Arsenal has never lost at Blackburn in two consecutive seasons. They did go winless in three straight there with a loss in August of 1992, a draw in September of 1993, and a loss in March of 1995. Technically, that loss in August '92 was Arsenal's second consecutive league loss at Blackburn, but the first came in January of 1966.

The Referee

• The referee is Chris Foy.
• Foy worked four matches for Arsenal last year: the 2-2 draw where Arsenal forgot to play after 70 minutes at West Ham United, the 3-0 Carling Cup loss to Manchester City where their bajillion pound super squad basically beat Arsenal Under-18 side, that 3-1 home embarrassment to Manchester United, and the 3-1 win over Burnley, where Foy was a last minute replacement for an injured Alan Wiley. Many bad memories in that lot.
• For Blackburn: a 3-2 derby win over Burnley, a 0-0 draw at Hull, a 4-1 loss at City, and a 3-0 win over Bolton.
• Last week, Foy failed to allow what appeared to be Stoke City's late equalizer against Tottenham.

Around the League

• Saturday: Blackpool v. Fulham; Bloomfield Road, Blackpool
• Saturday: Chelsea v. Stoke City; Stamford Bridge, London
• Saturday: Tottenham Hotspur v. Wigan Athletic; White Hart Lane, London
• Saturday: Wolverhampton Wanderers v. Newcastle United; Molineux, Wolverhampton
• Saturday: Manchester United v. West Ham United; Old Trafford, Manchester
• Sunday: Bolton Wanderers v. Birmingham City; Reebok Stadium, Bolton
• Sunday: Liverpool v. West Bromwich Albion; Anfield, Liverpool
• Sunday: Sunderland v. Manchester City; Stadium of Light, Sunderland
• Sunday: Aston Villa v. Everton; Villa Park, Birmingham