It was a little ironic that Blackburn had obviously been working all week on set pieces only to be undone by the Arsenal of old. Bacary Sagna managed to pull off a fine Stevie Bould impression

Match Review – Blackburn 2 Arsenal 1 – Premier League

Oh dear this is getting a little worrying now isn’t it? Luckily we only have one more game to go before the squad can regroup and Arsene can have a look at the problems that the side have faced in recent weeks. I sat down on my computer last night, ready to write this and everything became a little fuzzy and unclear so I turned off the machine without writing a word. I return today and the picture is not much clearer.

I do not agree that our commitment isn’t there though, at least not yesterday. We had most of the ball and it was usually down to us to make things happen, winning the ball, tracking back etc wasn’t really something that the side had to do very much but we have two current problems. Defensively and offensively.

You cannot win football matches consistently with one of the three areas of the pitch semi functioning. The three midfield players all started in different positions than originally assigned to at the start of the season.

I suspect that Diaby was given the midfield holding role to educate him further in the art of discipline. Emmanuel Eboue has played at right back and right wing but I do not remember a central midfield start for him this season while Nasri has spent the most part in wide positions. I wrote in my preview that I wanted to see more from Samir Nasri and unfortunately that just didn’t happen. It is worrying that without Cesc we look bereft of ideas around the opposition penalty area and have done so pretty much since Cesc hobbled around at the Emirates against Barcelona. The link between the midfield and our attacking players has all but disappeared and that will be a worry to Arsene. We have not created enough chances against Wolves, Wigan and now Blackburn Rovers. We only started to create chances against Tottenham when Van Persie entered the fray. Yesterday Van Persie was pretty much starved of service. He didn’t have the option of playing give and go’s, his movement didn’t end up with enough quality final passes.

It was a little ironic that Blackburn had obviously been working all week on set pieces only to be undone by the Arsenal of old. Bacary Sagna managed to pull off a fine Stevie Bould impression, flicking the ball at the near post to Robin Van Adams at the far post to nod in for the easiest of goals. We had been the better side and deserved the goal. That could have been the second goal had Vela connected with the ball in the first two minutes following a sheering burst of pace and a Theo cross. It certainly hasn’t been a very productive season for young Carlos Vela this season but that is hardly surprising when he hasn’t been able or been given the opportunity to string 2-3 games together.

Both sides should have been awarded a penalty a piece and both decisions were waved away.

And onto the big talking point of the game. Blackburn’s tactics.

Horrible to watch, anti football and very cynical. Of course it is but I can understand why they wanted to target Fabianski. It is no secret that he is not full of self belief and has dropped too many clangers this season. The team dealt with Blackburn tactics very well for the first 42 minutes. We won the first balls, Fabianski came and met most without fuss even though he was being pushed and pulled all over the place but what is the guy supposed to do with Jason Roberts, Chris Samba et al are clearly fouling him and the referee isn’t giving anything?

How many football matches in your life have you watched and heard the commentator say that goalkeepers are over protected these days. As soon as a forward leans into the keeper, a foul is given. Every single week around the country yet it seems to exclude Arsenal. Jason Roberts clearly fouled Fabianski before a cross shot was driven into the box for Dunn to side foot from a yard out.

I have mixed feelings about our number two goalkeeper. A great shot stopper, fantastic reflexes yet clearly not yet at least good enough on high balls. He can be erratic at times but this should not mean that the rules are not applied. This shouldn’t be a reason for the referee to level the playing field against the more talented ‘nancy foreign boys’ of Arsenal. When I listen to away supporters singing ‘same old Arsenal always cheating’ then I watch some referee decisions I seriously scratch my head and wonder if there is a link somewhere. Paranoia? subconscious or worse still conscious anti Arsenal agenda’s? you decide.

Fabianski overall had a good game, making some fantastic saves as we would expect from him, that is what he is good at but for the second goal, although being blocked off by a wall of obstructing blue shirts he should have been stronger coming for the ball, even if the referee should have stepped in.

Just to add a little perspective, how would Chelsea have dealt with this tactic with second choice Hilario in between the sticks whilst missing Terry, Carvalho and Alex. How would Manchester United have dealt with 6ft plus players fouling Ben Foster whilst Ferdinand, Vidic and Evans spend the rest of the campagin on the treatment table. Not much better I would imagine but I am sure that point will be missed by many.

Regardless of the Blackburn tactics, the refereeing incompetence or injuries we had enough quality out on that pitch to have beaten Blackburn Rovers 4-2. Van Persie, Diaby, Nasri, Eboue and Walcott are all good enough to have caused the opposition more problems. They are good enough to have made Robinson work much harder than he had to.

Two of the players that started in our opening day 6-1 demolishing of Everton at Goodison started the game yesterday. Injuries, loss of form and defensive errors have unravelled our season down to the end of the string. Luckily we only have one more game to go, any more than that and I would be concerned that our string could have snapped.

I am not going to judge our whole season on the last eight games or so, I believe that the side is suffering mentally in a big way. The confidence has gone and without our confidence we do not play our football, it is that simple. A victory is needed next Sunday against Fulham who will have more than an eye on their final in Europe. Once we can cement third place then we can look to a summer of reorganising and improving.