Arsenal 0-0 Blackburn.
Simply not good enough, this is against a side who have failed to get a single point away from home in 2011. So where was there run going to end? Well it just had to be Arsenal. We have a habit of failing when we should win, this was shown again today.
Arsenal started off at electrifing pace laying seige to the Blackburn goal, but we failed to turn our chances into goals. Most notably Jack Wilshere miss from little more than six yards out, side footing it wide of the post.
Wilshere has been the complete player this season, but the one thing he must add to his game is goals, 3 in 50 games is not good enough for a player of his calabre. The Gunners kept going forward but Blackburn were coming into the game more and more as it wore on. Arsenal without Fabregas were lacking that cutting edge. Suprisingly Balckburn were the closet to going in front after Almunia made a hash of Olsson's shot but it went out for a corner. Also on the stroke of half-time Robinson punted the ball forward Almunia came out to punch and Nzoni got a head to the ball but it went a foot wide of the post. Let off.
Half-time score 0-0. Walcott and Arshavin looking lively but Arsenal still struggling to get that vital first goal.
Arsenal started the second period brightly passing the ball about with pace and purpose in Rovers half, but chances were few and far between.
Then on the hour Wenger played his card off went Arshavin on came El Capitan Cesc Fabregas, we are a different side when he is in the team. Nasri was moved out to the left and immediately the Gunners were more dangerous, the pace on both wings worried the Rovers full-backs. Arsenal were getting stronger and stronger as the game went on, the fans were starting to make some noise.
Chamakh came on for Walcott to provide an aerial threat. And he could have made an immediate impact after majestic play from Wilshere and Van Persie he was presented with a golden oppurtunity he side-footed it well enough but the superb Olsson made a heroic block preventing the ball going in with his back. It just wasn't our day. Bedtner then came on for nasri so we now had three up front. Then it happened hope Nzonzi went in for a challenge on Koiscelny studs up and the referee produced a possibly harsh red card. From then on we were were camped in the Blackburn half, we were pumping balls in the box to no avail and then with a minute of normal time remaining a corner was swung in and Bedtner with a free header had his effort cleared off the line. Four minutes of stoppage time was indicated and with just seconds to spare a cross was swung in Van Persie rose up to meet the ball but only to head over. The full-time was gretted with a chorus of boos. We had lost vital ground to United. The title is not in our hands anymore we need to win most of our games and especially the United match and hope Man United get found out for bribing referees. The main differnce between Arsenal and Manchester United in the title race is one thing Luck (and points too of course.)
