Blackburn Rovers vs Arsenal: Preparing for next season

Blackburn have a good home record this season and will want to sign off their home season with a win that would propel them into tenth place - a good marker for next season. Another way to read it would be that if Blackburn finished where they are in 13th place then there would be room to improve next season - whereas tenth leaves little headroom. Not that Blackburn will see it that way when a big southern team with nothing to play for turns up - the northern bullies could try to make it a bit physical.

For Arsenal the season has petered out, with a creditable third place all but assured there needs to be a shake-up in the summer to address an error-prone defence and an injury prone attack if Chelsea, Manchester United aren't to push too far ahead and Spurs and Man City aren't to overtake from behind.

Blackburn Rovers vs Arsenal; Kick Off 5:00pm 03 May 2010

Prediction Panel
Our panel contains both Squarefootball writers and readers, the writers are marked: (sqf).

Dave Blackburn : 0 - 0
Chris Cox : 0 - 1
Graham Enwright : TBC
Sue Gardener : 2 - 3
Chris Goodwin : 0 - 1
Paul Grech (sqf) : TBC
Colin Illingworth (sqf) : 1 - 1
Hugh Larkin (sqf) : TBC
Peter Lee : 0 - 2
Don McMahon : 0 - 2
Antony Melvin (sqf) : 2 - 1
Paul O'Meara (sqf) : TBC
Dave Nash : 0 - 2
Stephen Orford (sqf) : TBC
Tony Ratton : 2 - 2
Peter Rendle : 1 - 3
Dan Taylor : 0 - 2
Andy Wakeman : 1 - 0
Isaac Williams : TBC
Mark Williams : 0 - 1

Panel Verdict
The panel is expecting a 2-0 Arsenal win.

Home: 2; Draw: 3; Away: 9; TBC: 6.

* Do we have it right, or do you know better? Please don't bother with derisory comments on the predictions after the match - unless you also pulled us up before it!