FA Cup Preview: Arsenal vs Blackburn Rovers

Win is all we Need !!!

Arsene Wenger may have made a top four finish his top priority this season but the manager will undoubtedly see the FA Cup as an opportunity to end the seven season long trophy drought at the club. The Gunners have stabilized their league campaign and now lie just 4 points behind North London rivals Tottenham, who are hanging on to fourth place. Meanwhile, the Gunners also have Champions League football to look forward to and Wenger will have a tough time managing his resources this season. The manager will nonetheless demand a convincing victory on Saturday and hope that the momentum carries forward into their Champions League Round of 16 clash with Bayern Munich next week.

Blackburn Rovers fell out of the top tier of English football and their first season back in the Championship has not gone according to script, as they sit in 8^th place, 6 points adrift of a playoff place. While Michael Appleton would want to engineer a speedy return to the Premier League, he will definitely want to leave his mark in football’s oldest cup competition as well.

It has been over a year since the two sides faced each other and Blackburn’s last visit to the Emirates will certainly be a painful memory for the Rovers. Arsenal hammered in 7 goals in that league fixture last February with Robin van Persie grabbing a hat-trick, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain slamming home a brace and Mikel Arteta chipping in with one goal apart from a late own goal by Scott Dann. Arsenal were able to run riot on that evening owing to a first half dismissal of Gael Givet and the Rovers will be keen on avoiding such mistakes this Saturday. The Gunners are naturally favourites with the home crowd cheering them on and they are expected to make easy work of Blackburn this weekend in the FA Cup.

Arsenal:

Arsene Wenger’s pursuit of fourth place seems to be on track and after a humiliating exit from the Capital One Cup at the hands of League Two minnows Bradford City earlier this season, the manager will be careful to avoid a similar fate in the FA Cup. The Gunners will play against last season’s Premier League contestants Blackburn Rovers, who have lost much of their sheen since dropping into the Championship in May. Arsenal certainly have the upper hand, given their home advantage and Wenger will want a straightforward victory in the game ahead of their much awaited Champions League fixture against Bayern Munich.

Theo Walcott has been Arsenal’s greatest asset this season, with the Englishman claiming 18 goals in 23 appearances this season. Olivier Giroud had a slow start in England but the Frenchman has also emerged as a key goal getter, netting 14 goals in 35 appearances for the North London club. Lukas Podolski has also chipped in with crucial goals on several occasions and the German has scored 12 goals for the Gunners this term.

With injuries to Thomas Vermaelen, Laurent Koscielny and Kieran Gibbs apart from the suspension of Carl Jenkinson, the manager will struggle to choose a defensive line that would earn the result against Blackburn while also giving him enough breathing room before their game against Bayern. Meanwhile, Jack Wilshere is also sure to miss the game after picking up a thigh injury against Sunderland and the manager would give the playmaker some much needed rest this Saturday. This could be Arsenal’s easiest chance for a trophy this season and Wenger will certainly push his men to overcome Blackburn this weekend and proceed to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

Blackburn Rovers:

Blackburn have had three different managers at the club this season, with Norwegian Henning Berg having a short two-month stint following Steve Kean’s resignation in September. Blackburn were in third place at the time of Kean’s departure but they have now fallen to 8^th place. The results have been looking better for Blackburn since Michael Appleton’s appointment last month. The current manager will hope that his side can upset the Gunners at the Emirates and use the momentum to return to the top six in the Championship.

Relegation to the Championship saw the Rovers lose several key stars, including Steven N’Zonzi, Mark Bunn and Junior Hoilett last summer. However, summer signing Jordan Rhodes has been a revelation for the Rovers, scoring 20 times in 30 appearances for the club. Blackburn also have the experience of Danny Murphy in midfield and the Rovers could test Arsenal's resolve to seal qualification to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

Although skipper Paul Robinson has been out of action for a long time through a calf injury, Jake Kean has filled in well between the posts and the manager would need the keeper to display his top form against Arsenal’s attack. Blackburn are certainly the underdogs in this weekend’s FA Cup tie and Appleton could use the advantage of reduced pressure to force an upset although the away fixture would certainly pose more of a challenge for the Rovers on Saturday night.

Head-to-Head:

04-Feb-12, Arsenal 7-1 Blackburn
17-Sep-11, Blackburn 4-3 Arsenal

Form Guide:

Arsenal (WWDWW)

09-Feb-13, Sunderland 0-1 Arsenal
02-Feb-13, Arsenal 1-0 Stoke
30-Jan-13, Arsenal 2-2 Liverpool
26-Jan-13, Brighton 2-3 Arsenal (FA Cup)
23-Jan-13, Arsenal 5-1 West Ham

Blackburn Rovers (WWWDL)

12-Feb-13, Brighton 1-1 Blackburn
09-Feb-13, Blackburn 0-1 Arsenal
02-Feb-13, Blackburn 2-0 Bristol City
30-Jan-13, Derby 0-3 Blackburn (FA Cup)
26-Jan-13, Blackburn 1-1 Brighton

Probable Line-Ups:

Arsenal: Wojciech Szczesny, Bacary Sagna, Ignasi Miquel, Per Mertesacker, Nacho Monreal, Gervinho, Abou Diaby, Mikel Arteta, Lukas Podolski, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Olivier Giroud

Szczesny is almost certain to man the posts with youngster Miquel likely to be handed a starting berth alongside Mertesacker in central defence, as Laurent Koscielny and Thomas Vermaelen remain doubtful through injury. Sagna would be forced to return to his right-back role with Carl Jenkinson suspended following a red card against Sunderland. Monreal will continue at left-back, with Kieran Gibbs still unavailable through injury. Gervinho could return to league action, starting on the right wing, with Theo Walcott likely to be rested ahead of the Champions League clash. Podolski, who has not started for Arsenal in their last two fixtures, could start on the left wing while Diaby and Arteta are likely to play in central midfield with Santi Cazorla also likely to be preserved for the European clash. Wenger could give youngster Oxlade-Chamberlain a starting berth behind striker Giroud on Saturday evening.

Blackburn Rovers: Jake Kean, Bradley Orr, Scott Dann, Grant Hanley, Martin Olsson, Jason Lowe, Danny Murphy, Morten Gamst Pedersen, Marcus Olsson, Colin Kazim-Richards, Jordan Rhodes

With Paul Robinson injured, Kean will take up the gloves for Blackburn and the stopper will be shielded by central defenders Dann and Hanley. Orr and Martin Olsson are likely to man the full-back positions while Lowe and Marcus Olsson could supplement attacks from the wings. Murphy will be joined by Pedersen in midfield with Kazim-Richards likely to start behind the striker. Jordan Rhodes is likely to make a start up front and the free-scoring striker could trouble Szczesny considerably on the night.

Prediction: Arsenal have home advantage on their side and Wenger will want his side to thrash the Rovers by a big margin to infuse some confidence into the side ahead of their clash with German giants Bayern Munich. Blackburn are also struggling this season and Arsenal should be able to dismantle them easily to keep their hopes of a triumph in the FA Cup alive.

Predicted Score: Arsenal 3-0 Blackburn Rovers