By Alan Duffy

Arsenal 7 (Seven)-1 Blackburn Rovers – Premier League – 4th February 2012

After a sustained period of dismal performances and almost no points, Arsenal needed to rediscover their mojo on Saturday if they were to stay in the hunt for a top-four finish. And rediscover it they did, demolishing a Blackburn side that look destined for the drop.

Dutch goal-machine Robin Van Persie opened the scoring after just two minutes of play, tapping in after excellent work from Theo Walcott. The same combination would give the Gunners their second goal on 38 minutes, but only after Morten Gamst Pedersen had fired home a superb curling free-kick.

Rovers’ very own wolf-man, Gael Givet, was then sent off for a two-footed lunge on Van Persie, which basically ended the contest. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who is looking more and more like the new Wayne Rooney, with his mix of power, pace and technique,  made it three before the break after deftly rounding Paul Robinson and slotting home.

Mikel Arteta made it four after the break, firing home after Blackburn failed to clear a corner, before Oxo-Chamberpot bagged his second, courtesy of yet another Walcott assist. Van Persie then completed his hat-trick, firing home after excellent work from Francis Coquelin.

With the game dead an buried, Arsene Wenger brought on Thierry Henry, leaving is side to play the “can we get Thierry to score” game. They eventually won that game too, after another Van Persie assist.

Along with Oxlade-Chamberlain, Coquelin also produced a superbly mature performance at right back for the Gunners, as the north Londoners steadied the ship in convincing style. As for Steve Kean’s Rovers, there is little positive to say, to be honest.

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Highlights…

Photos: PA

                          

By Chris Wright

This one’s for JS; a GIF or two of Blackburn winger Junior Hoilett’s awful, downright shameful attempted penalty con against Newcastle last night that eventually led to Ryan Taylor getting booked for having the gumption to be majorly pissed off by the Canadian’s little flop…

The cheating little git. A retrospective one-game ban would suffice but, alas, that’s not the way the FA see fit do things around here.

GIFs: Reddit

                          

Blackburn Rovers 0-2 Newcastle United – Premier League – 1st February 2012

Despite still being shorn of the services of their two Demba-tastic strikers, Alan Pardew’s Newcastle halted their recent decline with a very valuable away victory at Ewood Park.

The home side continue to struggle without their wantaway (one of the finest footballing words around) captain Christopher Samba, and were already behind against Newcastle  after just 12 minutes, courtesy of a Ryan Taylor shot which took a wicked deflection of Scott Dann. Rovers rallied to find an equaliser, but despite carving out a number of decent chances (and a penalty kick which David Dunn missed) they failed to find a way past Tim Krul.

Steve Kean’s men continued to press after the break with sub Mauro Formica firing into the side netting when he really should have done better. Then, at the death, former Manchester United flop Gabriel Obertan  made sure of the victory for Newcastle with a clinical finish.

While Newcastle move up to fifth, Rovers stay stuck in the danger zone.

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Highlights…

Photos: PA

                          

By Alan Duffy

Undoubtedly one of the most consistent defenders in the Premier League over the past few years, Christopher Samba has finally decided to leave Blackburn Rovers, handing in a transfer request at the struggling club.

Now 27-years-old, the goal-scoring centre-back is in his prime and no doubt wants to escape the negativity pervading Ewood Park.

He said, via a statement:

“I have personally informed the owners, manager and executives at the club that I want to leave in this transfer window.

“In my five years at Blackburn Rovers Football Club, I have always given 100% in every game I have played. I have had several opportunities to leave but I have always stayed.

“I have decided now is the right time for me to pursue a new challenge and I have asked the club to respect my decision and allow me to leave.

“I thank the fans for their support and I hope they feel I have served them and their club well.”

Samba’s old Rovers’ boss, Mark Hughes, has already made a couple of bids to bring the defender to QPR, who remain the likeliest destination for the African.

However, surely Samba has what it takes to play for one of the top six in the Premier League? Indeed, if he doesn’t end up at Loftus Road, then don’t rule out Harry Redknapp making a cheeky move for the player before the end of the month – while across the channel, rumours of a bid from oil-riche PSG are also growing.

                          

By Alan Duffy

Blackburn Rovers 3-1 Fulham – Premier League – 14th January 2012

Steve Kean watched his side produce a superb battling performance at Ewood Park on Saturday, a performance which ultimately moved Blackburn out of the relegation zone for the first time since September.

Despite losing the in-form Yakubu for a dreadful challenge on Danny Murphy midway through the first half, and without wantaway skipper Christopher Samba, Rovers battled hard, eventually taking the lead on half-time, courtesy of a Morten Gamst Pedersen free-kick.

Blackburn then made it two in the first minute of the second half, with David Dunn smashing home after David Goodwillie’s shot was blocked by John Arne Riise.

Fulham’s majority possession eventually paid off, with Damien Duff scoring on 56 minutes to get the visitors back into the game. However, Blackburn stood firm and eventually, substitute Mauro Formica made the points safe for Rovers, when he latched on to Steven Nzonzi’s clever lofted pass before firing home.

So Rovers move up to 17th, ahead of 18th place QPR on goal difference while Fulham find themselves in 14th, just six points ahead of Blackburn.

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Highlights to follow…

Photos: PA

                          

By Chris Wright

Time to squeeze in another belated and bloomin’ astonishing wonder goal from the FA Cup third round on Saturday, namely Newcastle winger Hatem Ben Arfa’s meandering solo effort against Blackburn – a goal Toon boss Alan Pardew has since branded ‘the greatest ever scored’…

Nice, undoubtedly, but the ‘greatest goal ever scored’? Back in your box Pards.

                          

By Rumour Monger

A quick round-up of the best of today’s transfer to-ings and fro-ings…

QPR get twitchy…

It has been confirmed that QPR have blinked first and made the first move in the race to snafu Chris Samba from Blackburn, lodging a £5 million bid for the collosal centre-half. Tottenham are also known to be keen on the enormogigantuan Congolese defender (along with Junior Hoilett), and may well be readying a counter bid of their own if the papers are to be believed.

Whoever ends up nabbing Sambasaurus (probably not QPR with all the best will in the world!), especially for as little as £5-ish million, is going to get themselves one hell of a bargain. Conversely, it may just suck the life out of Blackburn’s survival bid.

Henry back in the parish…

Not that it was much of a secret, but Arsenal have just confirmed (via their official website) that Thierry Henry’s two-month loan return has now been signed off and that he will be available to play in the Gunner’s FA Cup Third Round match against Leeds on Monday night.

Henry has also been handed the No. 12 shirt, given that his natural successor, Theo Walcott, is currently wearing the famous No. 14 in tribute.

No such thing as a free (AC) meal(an)…

Carlos Tevez and his puppet master Kia Joorabchian were photographed dining with AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliano in Rio de Janeiro yesterday as talks to whisk him away from Man City in January continue to pootle along – the only stumbling block being that Milan want to strike a loan deal, while City are understandably keen to get shot completely.

Inter Milan are also believed to be sniffing around Tevez, with reports suggesting that they would be willing to take him on a permanent basis, but Joorabchian is quoted in the Gazzetta dello Sport as saying that ‘he hasn’t heard from Inter since August’.

More as and when…

                          

In which Agent 00Gamst, acting behalf of the Blackburn Supporters Club, misinterprets his ‘Operation: Steve Kean Out’ mission brief and decides to go down the ‘literal’ route during Rovers’ 1-2 defeat at the hands of Stoke on Monday night…

Maybe I’m reading too much into this, but the complete lack of apology from Pedersen seems to speak volumes of the regard that Kean is held in at Blackburn. Can you imagine if a Manchester United player had (for example) sent Sir Alex arse-over-tit on the touchline? Safe to say, they’d be waking up with Michael Owen’s racehorse’s head between the sheets.

                          

By Alan Duffy

Manchester United 2-3 Blackburn Rovers – Premier League – 31st December 2011

With a starting 11 which included Rafael in midfield and Michael Carrick at centre-half (and without Wayne Rooney), this was never going to be a vintage Manchester United performance. However, even the most pessimistic fan of the Red Devils couldn’t have predicated the finishing scoreline.

Blackburn boss Steve Kean has suffered some appalling abuse from a section of Rovers’ fans this season, but the Scot came to Old Trafford buoyed by his side’s recent draw at Anfield. Indeed, the visitors went at United from the off, and were a goal up after just 16 minutes, when Yakubu scored with a spot-kick after Dimitar Berbatov clumsily pulled Chris Samba’s shirt in the box.

The veteran Nigerian (he must be about 50 by now, never mind what his birth cert says), made it 2-0 to Rovers on 51 minutes after some dismal defending from United, which saw Yakubu breach the Red Devils’ backline far too easily before firing past David De Gea.

Cue the United comeback, with the in-form Dimitar Berabatov bagging a brace to bring the scores level with half-an-hour to play. However, despite playing with a new-found spring in their step, and inspired by the Old Trafford crowd, United couldn’t find a way past Mark Bunn in the Rovers’ goal. Then, with 10 minutes remaining, De Gea flapped at a Blackburn corner and Grant Hanley nodded home the winner.

Kean will no doubt be hoping that the superb result will go some way to silencing the Ewood boo-boys and boo-girls, while Sir Alex, who was celebrating his 70th birthday, will surely be aware that his squad needs strengthening, particularly in the middle of the park. Expectant United fans will no doubt be hoping that Fergie splashes out on another Roy Keane and not another Eric Djemba-Djemba.

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Highlights…

Photos: PA