Arsenal continue poor start to the season

 Arsenal continued their worst start to a Premier League campaign under Arsene Wenger with a 4-3 loss to Blackburn at Ewood Park on Saturday afternoon. Despite having the majority of possession and shots and also taking the lead twice the Gunners poor defence was the reason for their downfall. There was some good news however as Gervinho and Song were back from suspension while Santos made his full debut at left back. Arteta scored his first goal for the Gunners whilst Gervinho scored his first competitive goal and Chamakh also opened his account for the season.

Just 10 minutes into the game and Arsenal had the lead. Song playing the ball into Gervinho who fired his shot underneath a defender and into the far corner of the net for 1-0.

Blackburn's first chance of the game came from a free kick, as the ball was floated in towards Samba but from 4 yards he put his header wide.

Arteta celebrates his goal

Arsenal then had a decent chance kept out as a corner was cleared but only as far as Arshavin who from distance struck a volley which tested Robinson in the Blackburn goal but he did well to parm the ball away.

Arsenal were looking dangerous and they then created another good opportunity as Sagna got forward down the right hand side before playing the ball back to Gervinho on the edge of the box but he blazed his shot over the bar.

A few minutes later out of nothing Blackburn equalised through Yakubu. Hoilett slipping the ball through to the debutant Yakubu who took his shot early past the oncoming Szczesny and into the back of the net for his first goal for the club.

Samba then had another great heading opportunity as a corner was put into the box and onto the head of Samba but again he could not direct his opportunity on target.

11 minutes before the break Arsenal regained the lead. Ramsey being set free down the right hand side and getting the space to find Arteta inside the box who smashed a shot past the goalkeeper and into the back of the net for his first goal in Arsenal colours.

The score at half time was 2-1 to Arsenal.

5 minutes into the second half Blackburn were level again through an own goal from Alex Song. A free kick was chipped into the box where the ball came through a crowd of bodies before bouncing off Song and into his own net to make it 2-2.

Blackburn then had a great chance to take the lead as Formica went clear of the defence and through on goal but was denied by a great save from Szczesny.

The next chance Rovers got they did take the lead. A Hoilett corner found its way to Nzonzi at the back post who then fired a ball back across the face of the goal straight into the path of Yakubu who could not miss from 3 yards out as he scored his second of the game.

10 minutes later Blackburn extended their lead to 2 goals as they made it 4-2. Hoilett playing a ball out wide to Yakubu who on the break found Olsson down the right hand side who skipped past the challenge of Djourou before racing into the box and crossing but the ball hit Koscielny and fell into his own net for Arsenal's second own goal of the game.

Arshavin advances with the ball

Arsenal's next attempt on goal was a golden opportunity to get them back into the game as a corner found its way onto the head of Van Persie but Robinson managed to get a hand to the header to keep the attempt on goal out.

With 5 minutes left to play Arsenal grabbed a lifeline as they made it 4-3. Santos finding Van Persie on the left wing who then crossed the ball into the box and onto the head of Chamakh who powered home a header from 8 yards out.

Into injury time and Arsenal should have had a point but for Mertesacker's miss. As the ball came into the box the giant German defender put his header over the bar from 3 yards out.

The Gunners then had one final chance to get the equaliser as Gervinho played Van Persie in who struck a shot from a tight angle but once again Robinson was in the way to keep the Arsenal skipper at bay.

The final score ended Blackburn 4-3 Arsenal. 

The teams lineups:

Blackburn: Robinson, Salgado(15), Samba, Dann, Givet, Nzonzi, Lowe, Rochina(55), Hoilett, Formica(65), Yakubu.
Subs: Bunn, Hanley, Olsson(55), Grella, Petrovic(15), Vukcevic(65), Roberts.

Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna(52), Mertesacker, Koscielny, Santos, Song(76), Arteta, Ramsey, Gervinho, Arshavin(64), Van Persie.
Subs: Fabianski, Djourou(52), Gibbs, Coquelin, Benayoun, Walcott(64), Chamakh(76).

My man of the match: Gervinho

Referee: Andre Marriner
Attendance: 22,637