Arsenal bagged all three points against Blackburn after thumping the relegation strugglers 7-1 at the Emirates Stadium earlier this afternoon.
A hat-trick from Gunners captain Robin van Persie, two from youngster Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and goals from Mikel Arteta and loanee Thierry Henry sealed an emphatic victory which pushed Arsenal from seventh to fifth in the Premier League.
The home side took an 82 second lead thanks to RVP. The Dutchman tapped the ball in from 6-yards after connecting with a low, accurate cross put in by Theo Walcott.
Blackburn then levelled in the 38th minute through a superb Morten Gamst Pederson free-kick, before Laurent Koscielny tugged back Anthony Modeste.
Shortly after Arsenal were back in front. Alex Song played a precise through ball to Theo who then picked out RVP to score his second of the game. Oxlade-Camberlain then got his first of the game after he was fed through by RVP. The 18-year-old ran onto the slide rule pass from the Dutchman, rounded Paul Robinson and slotted the ball home to put the Gunners 3-1 up and in a comfortable lead.
Things went from bad to worse for Rovers after defender Gael Givet was sent off for a two-footed tackle on RVP, effectively ending their hopes of gaining anything from the game.
Six minutes into the second half Arsene Wenger’s side were 4-1 up. Arteta latched on to a loose ball and drilled it low and hard into the bottom left hand corner of Robinson’s goal after Blackburn failed to deal with the initial corner.
Three minutes after Chambo got his second of the game. Walcott set up the youngster having made a darting run into the box and passed it to the unmarked Englishman who then buried it low and hard from around the 14-yard mark. 5-1.
Unfortunately for Steve Kean’s men Arsenal were not done yet.
On the 62nd minute Wenger’s side were 6-1 up after Van Persie turned in a low cross from Francis Coquelin for his 22nd Premier League goal of the season.
Arsenal legend Titi Henry, who came on to replace Chambo in the 67th minute, even got in on the act, upping his goal record for the Gunners. The 34-year-old Frenchman played a lovely one-two with RVP and, even though it took a deflection, scored Arsenal’s final goal of the game.
The result leaves Arsenal temporarily sitting in fifth place, two points behind fourth placed Chelsea, who play Manchester United tomorrow afternoon, and 9 adrift of rivals Tottenham, who travel to Anfield on Monday night.
So what FIVE things did we learn from the Gunners today?
Leave us your thoughts and comments below
Like what you read? Then follow me on Twitter – http://twitter.com/Gunnersphere
Visit and Join our Facebook page, click HERE to do so.
Gunnersphere is currently looking for new writers to join the squad. Contact via twitter or at Gunnersphere@snack-media.com for further details.
The squad has it in them, they have to always remember to move the ball faster, believe in themselves and have fun.
Excellent TEAMWORK!
Good teamwork. Always remember, yes you can.
First of all, that our team has the quality to win any game…second, arsenal clearly plays better wit pacy passings and aggression..third. The cmbination of song, Arteta and rosicky is the best we have evr had..fourt, that chamberlain is a far far better player cmpared to walcot and fift is that Aron ramsey is and was alway the problem arsenal had in middle…he shld b benched regularly..
you play football with your heart and soul. no matter the skill, this two are paramount for victory!! this si what arsenal demonstrated today.
one thing for sure.. SONG-ARTETA-ROSICKY combination is currently our best trio.. Rosicky should start from now on.. he truly deserves it,no doubt… i think Ramsey will be loaned out next season when jack and Diaby come back,given that Wenger extends Rosicky contract which i think he must..
Spot on, the difference was Rosicky instead of Ramsey!
Great win.
i love Arteta n Rosicky combination… Arteta moves it to the left & right while Rosicky moves it forward.. Song is solid as well.. they are very creative and combine fantastically well..
I think oxlade chamberlain is the best winger we have in our squad, he deserves to be in the starting 11.. Today i was proud to be an Arsenal fan and i hope that we’ll be seeing the same quality in each and every game
1/ Oxlade-Chamberlain must be first choice.
2/ Arsenal play well when allowed to exploit the channels but should have a genuine winger to play in place of Walcott when teams are set up to defend against that.
3/ Arteta is key to the team and key to Arsenal dominating possession, at least until Jack is back.
4/ RvP is also key to convert every chance that comes his way.
5/ Rosicky is a better player than Ramsey although the young lad shouldn’t be ruled out because there’s a huge difference in experience between them.
The truth be said only wenger knows why he plays ramsey ahead of rosicky. Wenger should stop this fantasy of his and give us the real deal. Ramsey is to slow and over elaborates when in possesion. Rosicky and ashervin will do better at the attacking midfield position
what do you think would happen when gervinho comes back from ACN?Which of these two do you think would be sacrified in place gervinho,AOC or Walcott?