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Blackburn gave up 8 goals to Arsenal last season. With Thierry Henry in attendance for Arsene Wenger’s 13th anniversary at Arsenal, we almost matched last year’s performance in a single match.

Blackburn scored two goals on us. The first, by Steven Nzonzi in the 4th minute, was either a fluke or one of the best placed headers ever seen. You decide. I think it was a fluke. Arsenal were in complete control of the game when a freekick is awarded on an alleged Cesc Fabregas foul. The ball was sent down the whole field, at which Nzonzi barely got his head on it. The ball just happened to catch netminder Vito Mannone coming out and goes in. Arsenal 0, Blackburn 1.

It only took 13 minutes for us to equalize. Who could it be? Vermaelen, of course. A well placed square ball from Cesc, Vermaelen makes a little space for himself, moves the ball onto his left and boom! He’s become such an outside scoring threat for us! Arsenal 1, Blackburn 1.

Blackburn would then go ahead for the last time and it would only be for 3 minutes. David Dunn sent a hard shot that deflected off of Galas and finds Mannone going the wrong way. Three minutes later, a wonderful feed from Cesc to Robin van Persie on the left side of the Blackburn box, and RvP shoots to the far corner past Paul Robinson and we’re level. Arsenal 2, Blackburn 2.

That was all there was for Blackburn. The rest of the show was ours. In the 37th minute, almost a carbon copy of Cesc’s feed to RvP was given to Andrei Arshavin. From the same spot, at the same pace, Arshavin made no mistake and put the ball past Robinson in the same way that had happened 4 minutes prior. Arsenal 3, Blackburn 2.

Even if you haven’t seen the match or the highlights, you can probably guess who ruled this show. Cesc Fabregas was a part of everything that happened on Sunday. In the second half, he would get on the scoreboard as well. It was a wonderful volley to the top left corner in the 57th minute. After trying to feed Arshavin and then Rosicky, the ball finds its way back to Cesc (by way of Rosicky’s overhead kick) who decides to take it himself. Control. Laces. Placement. It was a beautifully placed ball, well outside the reach of Paul Robinson, who didn’t even try to get it. Arsenal 4, Blackburn 2.

Like most Arsenal supporters, every time I read something coming out of Barcelona about Cesc Fabregas, I cringe, just a little. I know its all garbage and just newspapers trying to drum up controversy. And then, his form will dip, and I start to wonder even more. But then, we have games like this one and that speculation gets put to rest. Cesc orchestrated everything offensively. If you could count assists without the goal actually being scored, he would have had something in the range of 30. To top it all off, after he scores his goal, he runs to the corner flag and salutes the Arsenal fans with a kiss to the Arsenal crest on his shirt. Classy.

Theo Walcott would make his welcome return to the field and score in the 75th minute. Again, Cesc was there to give Arshavin’s ball into the box a little more momentum over to the right where an on-rushing Walcott was waiting in the wing. A Nicholas Bendter strike in the 89th minute would bring the count to its final tally. Arsenal 6, Blackburn 2.

One good sign from the second half was the working duo of Bendtner and van Persie. These two worked tirelessly to push the play into Blackburn’s half. While the whole team can be credited with the effort, I think Bendtner and RvP did an especially good job of pressuring Blackburn up top, which resulted in keeping the ball forward.

The work in progress continues to be our defensive effort. Its one thing to be able to control the play and push forward (which is a form of defense, I guess), its another thing to defend well when the opposition brings it into our half. For the likes of Blackburn, we’re going to score goals; its our collective defense that needs work. I don’t want to see anyone replaced because I think Gallas and Vermaelen, along with Clichy and Sagna, are working really well together. Its hard to pinpoint (Is it Song?) but I feel its something to do with our midfield and their ability to contain other players from going forward. How I long for the days of Patrick Vieira and Gilberto.

Blackburn got close twice and got lucky twice. Two times we had to come from behind. On another day, the ref would have called a penalty on David Dunn’s run into box in the early part of the 2nd half. Our midfield could have stopped that from ever starting. A tougher opponent, or someone with the luck of Manchester United, and our goal scoring will be limited. The breaks won’t go our way. Its those times when our defensive effort needs to be better or our recent trip to Manchester will be repeated.

Chin up though. We’ve got a game in hand. Another win and we’re only 3 points out of first place. We’ve got a big break until Birmingham on the 17th. Meanwhile, World Cup qualifiers.

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