A LOOK at the match stats and facts from Blackburn's win over Arsenal in the Worthington Cup.
ROVERS:
FRIEDEL: A virtual spectator all night as Arsenal caused precious few problems up front...7
CURTIS: Asked to play as an emergency left-back and rose to the challenge magnificently by snuffing out Jermaine Pennant...8
KENNA: What a night to be brought back in from the cold. Ran himself into the ground before his lack of match fitness kicked in...8
TAYLOR: Future England centre back in the making on this evidence. Just seems to get better and better with every game...8
JOHANSSON: Adapting well to life in England and played his part in another clean sheet...8
DUNN: Full of energy in midfield as Rovers completely bossed things in the engine room...8
TUGAY: Surely the bargain buy of the century. Totally ran the show in midfield and had a major hand in three of the four goals...9
GILLESPIE: Is there a better right winger in the Premiership at the minute? Tore Arsenal apart with another mesmerising display...9
DUFF: Back to his marauding best down the left. Greek full-back Stathis Tavlavidis simply didn't know how to handle him...8
HUGHES: Just what wouldn't he give for one last swansong at the Millennium Stadium. Rolled back the years with a vintage display...8
JANSEN: What a way to get back on the goals trail! Teased and tormented Keown and Co all night and fully deserved his hat-trick...9
SUBS
GRABBI (for Hughes, 67)...7
OSTENSTAD (for Jansen, 72)...7
MAHON (for Duff, 72)...7
NOT USED: Berg, Filan
OPPOSITE CAMP:
TAYLOR...Left exposed by his defence 6
KEOWN...Given a roasting by Jansen 5
WILTORD...Barely had a sniff up front 5
VAN BRONCKHORST...Struggled 5
EDU...Arsenal's best player on the night 6
GRIMANDI...Off the pace in midfield 5
INAMOTO...Had a personal nightmare 4
UPSON...Roughed up by Hughes 5
PENNANT...Missed a sitter at crucial time 5
KANU...Couldn't open lid on box of tricks 5
TAVLAVIDIS...Lucky to stay on the pitch 5
SUBS
STEPANOVS...(for Inamoto, 46) 5
ALIADIERE...(for Pennant, 64) 5
HALLS...(for Tavlavidis, 82) 5
NOT USED: Svard, Holloway
STATS:
Goal attempts: Rovers 14 Arsenal 9
Shots on target: Rovers 5 Arsenal 1
Woodwork: Rovers 2 Arsenal 0
Offsides: Rovers 6 Arsenal 8
Corners: Rovers 2 Arsenal 8
Free kicks: Rovers 14 Arsenal 27
REFEREE: Paul Durkin (Dorset)...7
Attendance: 13,278
Bookings:
YELLOW CARDS - Rovers: Johansson (foul) Arsenal: Tavlavidis, Edu, Upson, Van Bronckhorst, Stephanovs (all fouls)
RED CARDS - None
TIME FOR ACTION:
04Junichi Inamoto fires wide after a neat chest down from Kanu
12It's 1-0 to Rovers as Matt Jansen curls home an exquisite opener from a glorious Tugay pass
15Jansen then doubles his tally when he turns in a shot from Tugay
21Mark Hughes joins the party with number three after David Dunn's shot was blocked
28Tugay splits the Arsenal defence again but Damien Duff's shot comes back off the post
37Arsenal are carved open again but Stathis Tavlavidis pulls back Duff as he bursts onto Dunn's pass
47Jermaine Pennant misses a golden chance to hand Arsenal a lifeline when he fires wide with only Friedel to beat
66Tugay drags a 20-yarder just wide following more clever prompting by Duff
68Jansen wraps up a brilliant hat-trick with number four from Duff's unselfish lay-off
75A cross from Alan Mahon flashes across the six yard box with Ciccio Grabbi just failing to get a decisive touch
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article