DAVID Thompson today insisted Blackburn Rovers are now a completely different proposition compared to the side that lost to Arsenal in the semi-finals of the FA Cup last season.

The spikey midfielder, who made his Premiership comeback last week following six months out with knee and ankle injuries, saw his dreams of appearing in an FA Cup final cruelly shattered by the Gunners in the awe-inspiring surroundings of the Millennium Stadium last April.

On that day, Arsenal, inspired by the ice-cool finishing of Robin van Persie, had too much craft and guile for Rovers, eventually overpowering their opponents 3-0 to set-up a meeting with Manchester United in the final.

It was a humbling experience for Thompson and his team-mates, but, after Mark Hughes has overseen a complete transformation during the summer, Rovers now have the opportunity to exact some revenge when they make their last ever league visit to Highbury's marble halls tomorrow.

"I think this will show exactly how far we've come since we last faced them," said Thompson, who is back in contention for a starting place following a successful rehabilitation from two summer operations.

"We are definitely in better shape now than when we played them in the semi-final last season.

"We are playing with confidence at the moment, which makes such a difference, and we've got more of a threat going forward than we had last season.

"Just playing 4-4-2 gives us more options up front, and there's lads on the bench who could all slot comfortably into the team.

"Maybe last year we didn't quite have that same luxury, but we've got a good squad of players here now and we know that whoever comes in can do a job."

Arsenal held the indian sign over Rovers last season, beating them three times in all; twice in the league and once in that cup semi-final.

The latter result was arguably the most painful to bear, mainly because of the widespread condemnation regarding Rovers' 'bully-boy tactics' in the national press over the days that followed.

With that still fresh in the mind, will Rovers be even more pumped up to make a point in North London tomorrow?

"I wouldn't say that because we've got to give them the respect that they deserve," said Thompson.

"Arsenal were a very good side last season and they gave us a bit of a lesson in that semi-final, to be honest.

"But, like I've said, we are a different team this season and, hopefully, it will be a different result."

Thompson has every justification for being cautiously optimistic.

Rovers head south having won six of their last nine games in all competitions, and the only two sides to have beaten them during that sequence were Chelsea, the reigning Premier League champions, and Liverpool, the defending champions of Europe.

Since they last met Arsenal, the squad has also been strengthened by the arrivals of Craig Bellamy, Shefki Kuqi, Zurab Khizanishvili and David Bentley, the on-loan Gunners midfielder who is unavailable for tomorrow's clash.

In contrast, Arsene Wenger has lost his leader and midfield talisman, Patrick Vieira, who quit the club after nine years to join Juventus in the summer, and the Gunners suddenly look more vulnerable as a consequence.

Wigan emphasised that point last week, pushing the Londoners all the way before they finally succumbed 3-2 following a thrilling contest at the JJB.

Now Thompson is urging his team-mates to follow the Latics' example.

"It's going to be tough," said the former Liverpool midfielder. "But Wigan showed that you can score goals against them.

"They are not invincible and we are going to go there and compete."