Today’s key questions

Blackburn Rovers v Arsenal

Will Arsenal ever be as sure a thing as they are today?

Having ground out two decent results in their last two games, they’ll surely feel confident against a Blackburn team in apparent freefall – despite Christopher Samba’s comments?

Will Andriy Arshavin’s position benefit him? He has hinted at a return to form lately with his goal last week and international performances from Russia. Absolved of defensive duties in a new free role, he may feel much more comfortable.

Can Steve Kean save his job?

Aston Villa v Newcastle United

What chance a goal? These two teams have offered up five blanks between them this season and neither have too much in the way of creativity?

Or, will one team carve out enough to end the other’s unbeaten record? Despite the lack of goals, these teams have also seen a lack of defeats.

Bolton Wanderers v Norwich

Which of the teams will have the confidence to secure a win that’s there for the taking?

Both, after all, have had rather chastening experiences lately. Despite starting the season well with a win over QPR and strong performance against Manchester City, Bolton have had their mindset shattered by two thrashings at the feet of Liverpool and Manchester United. Norwich, by contrast, have been playing quite well but had little reward with only two draws from four games.

As such, we’ll probably see a lot of errors today. But the real question is who can punish them the most?

Everton v Wigan

What will tell, rigidity or adventure? The contrast in style between these sides is stark.

Against a side weak at set-pieces, can Tim Cahill end his goal drought with a header from a corner or free?

Will Moses get the goal he deserves? The Wigan creator has been knocking on the door for a while this season with some impressive performances.

Swansea v West Brom

Will Swansea finally score? They’ve played four games but scored no goals. It seems unlikely today given how well set-up West Brom generally are.

On that, will West Brom get the place in the table their performances have generally deserved? They were unlucky with the difficulty of their opening performances – and really put it up to Manchester United and Chelsea. They’ll feel Swansea are there for the taking.

Has Brendan Rodgers gone too far in his tweaks to Swansea? We’ve argued here before that it’s almost impossible for any promoted team to stay up if they completely keep the attacking style that took them there. But the Swansea manager may have taken too much away. His side are so much more conservative than last season and it sees them in the relegation zone.

Wolves v QPR

Is the levy going to break for QPR? It beggars belief that they didn’t score against Newcastle on Monday.

Are Wolves slipping back to old, inconsistent ways? While it is no disgrace to lose to Tottenham, Wolves have previously made a habit of actually beating the top sides and their impressive start to the season – let alone those clouds over Molineux – had suggested a new beginning in every sense.

The teams:

Blackburn: Robinson, Salgado, Samba, Dann, Givet, Hoilett, Lowe, Nzonzi, Rochina, Formica, Yakubu
Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Andre Santos, Song, Arteta, Ramsey, Gervinho, van Persie, Arshavin

And we’re off, with Blackburn making a pretty assured start. Certainly don’t look like a side that have had an abysmal start to the season so far.

Robin Van Persie heads back across goal and, although there was a chance for someone to get in there for Arsenal, Scott Dann clears.

GOAL! Blackburn 0-1 Arsenal

Gervinho gets his first goal for Arsenal. Beautiful through ball from Song and an equally exquisite first-time finish from Gervinho.

That, despite the current situation, was vintage Arsenal. Exquisite one-touch, sleek football.

Blackburn are back to looking awful.

You’d have to question why Scott Dann chose to go Blackburn on recent evidence. Is he going to do a Neil Redfearn/Ashley Ward and just take a step up to a promoted team after relegation every year?

OH, spoke to soon! What a chance for Blackburn!

Super ball in, and Christopher Samba – of all people after his comments! – misses a free header from three yards.

Is that what Samba calls “living hell”?

Oh Gervinho! He’s come alive. Cuts inside then powers a shot at Robinson, who saves well.

Rochina looked to break there and might have been clean through on goal but Santos produces a fine tackle. Many people had questioned his defensive abilities. Answered some there.

Sagna and Gervinho causing havoc on the right side through their interchanges. The full-back cuts back for the striker there, but Gervinho this time blazes over.

GOAL! Blackburn 1-1 Arsenal

Yakubu with a goal out of nothing!

An easy ball through and a nice finish from Yakubu. Arsenal just parted there though.

That, too, is vintage Arsenal.

Arsenal were so in control. That defensive line has been causing them problems..

Mertesacker keeps breaking the line when rest of Arsenal’s defenders don’t (then it wouldn’t be a line after all!)… interestingly, that was the same issue with Squillaci.

And Samba heads a corner over. Blackburn right back in this.

GOAL! Blackburn 1-2 Arsenal

Arteta with his first goal for Arsenal, rifling the ball into the roof of the net after a fine run and cut-back from Ramsey.

Have it on a reliable source that, although Wenger had great time for Keown, he doesn’t like other coaches accumulating power. And Keown garnered a lot from 2005006 defensive run in the Champions League. They remain friends though.

Arsenal in complete control now, leading 2-1.

Should have been 3-1 Arsenal there. Wasteful from Gervinho. Another surging run from Ramsey who played Gervino inside. Van Persie was waiting unmarked six yards from goal but, rather than pass, Gervinho shot against a Blackburn leg from a more difficult position.

Half-time: Blackburn 1-2 Arsenal

Despite an all-too-typical aberration between their goals, Arsenal have been comfortable and in control.

Ramsey has been mightily impressive today. Surging runs and keeping Arsenal ticking over.

But so much for our pre-game shout. I can barely remember Arshavin touching the ball.

According to Stats Zone, 16 of Ramsey’s 37 completed passes today were forward passes. He’s been very proactive.

And we’re back under way. Arsenal back in control.

GOAL! Blackburn 2-2 Arsenal

Another goal out of nothing and another horror show for Arsenal. A free-kick bounces off Song’s ankle and in. How did they not clear the first ball in though?

And Arsenal’s high line causes problems again as Szczesny forced into fine save from Hoilett.

Sorry, that was obviously Rochina not Hoilett. And he’s causing Arsenal problems too by stretching them.

Substitute Arsenal: Olsson on for Rochina.

Rochina had fine last five minutes.

Blackburn well on top now. This illustrates how confidence a factor for this Arsenal team more than most. Don’t have grit to overcome low moments often enough.

GOAL! Blackburn 3-2 Arsenal

N’Zonzi fires ball across goal and Yakubu diverts it into an open goal. Absoltuely atrocious from Arsenal… although a hint of offside.

Arsenal can justifiably blame the linesman but should still blame themselves even more.

Robin van Persie was the man marking Yakubu. So much for leadership. He’s obviously not a defender but, as a striker, he should know how to defend against his own craft. Wrong side of Yakubu.

Walcott about to come on for the ineffective – again – Arshavin.

23 minutes left… there’s goals in this still. A lot of them

GOAL! Blackburn 4-2 Arsenal

Another own goal, another calamity. A quick break from an Arsenal attack, Olsson shows incredible desire to get to ball and beat Djourou, cuts the ball back and it deflects of Koscielny and in.

It’s all gone flat here. Other than a Chamakh header well saved, Arsenal not offering much at the moment.

Ten minutes left. Walcott signals there might be some kind of siege with a shot that wins a corner.

GOAL! Blackburn 4-3 Arsenal

Chamakh heads in a brilliant cross from Van Persie. Superb goal.

Four minutes of normal time left. This is going to be interesting.

Walcott whips in a dangerous ball and Chamakh tries to cut it back but Dann just about gets rid.

As @oharaa tweets… “Mertesacker now up front. All philosophy now abandoned.”

But Mertesacker! That was his chance! Deep cross from Santos, Robinson is taken out and Mertesacker heads it over from two yards. Appalling.

Van Persie should have equalised! Put through but Robinson saves!

Oh Chamakh! Another free header for Arsenal close in on goal, but again it goes wide!

Arsenal have so many reasons to blame themselves for this result, as good as Arsenal have been.

Penalty shout for Arsenal as Robinson cleans out Walcott, but play on.

Full-time: Blackburn 4-3 Arsenal

An admirable performance from Steve Kean’s side given the circumstances, but Arsenal have so many reasons to blame themselves.

Blackburn 4-3 Arsenal analysis

You’d call it the same old story except a start to the season as awful as this is unprecedented for Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal. They’ve now lost three times in five games. And, despite the fact they’ve played Liverpool and Manchester United, they’ve also played a promoted team and one of the favourites for relegation.

Blackburn, of course, deserve a lot of credit. This was an admirable response to the ructions of the week when the fans demanded the sacking of Steve Kean. Kean himself also showed some mettle with an inspired substitution to bring off the impressive Rochina for Olsson. The latter’s energy and drive created the game’s key goal. And, when the chance was presented, Blackburn didn’t shirk it. They took the game to Arsenal.

In saying all of that, Arsenal have only themselves to blame – and for so many reasons. Their defence was an utter mess yet again. There is, admittedly, a caveat in the fact 50% of it – Mertesacker and Santos – must still settle in. But it was the basic nature of the errors. Their line was all over the place, as evident with Squillaci last season. Wenger hasn’t had anyone work on his defence properly since the run to the Champions League final in 2005-06. According to reliable sources, he doesn’t like other coaches accumulating power other than himself. And that’s what Keown was doing in that run. But they need to repeat it. They were in control of this game until their defence collapsed.

And yet, still, Arsenal could have sown up the game. There’s no accounting for the gilt-edged chances that all of Mertesacker, Van Persie and Chamakh missed. And this wasn’t even a case of failing to pull the trigger. They just aimed badly.

Our prediction for today’s 3 o’clocks:

Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle United

Bolton 2-1 Norwich

Everton 1-1 Wigan

Swansea 1-1 West Brom

Wolves 1-1 QPR

Premier League teams…

Aston Villa: Given, Hutton, Collins, Dunne, Warnock, Bannan, Petrov, Delph, N’Zogbia, Bent, Agbonlahor
Newcastle: Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan, Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Best, Ba

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Boyata, Cahill, Knight, Robinson, Sanli, Pratley, Reo-Coker, Petrov, Kevin Davies, Klasnic
Norwich: Ruddy, Naughton, Russell Martin, Barnett, Tierney, Bennett, Fox, Bradley Johnson, Pilkington, Hoolahan, Morison

Swansea: Vorm, Rangel, Williams, Monk, Taylor, Dyer, Britton, Allen, Gower, Sinclair, Lita
West Brom: Foster, Reid, Olsson, Mulumbu, Shorey, Morrison, Dawson, Scharner, Thomas, Long, Odemwingi

Everton: Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Coleman, Fellaini, Rodwell, Bilyaletdinov, Osman, Cahill
Wigan: Al Habsi, Van Aanholt, Caldwell, Lopez, Figueroa, Gomez, Watson, McCarthy, Moses, Di Santo, Rodallega

Arsenal’s form since Carling Cup final – DDDWDDLWLLDDLLWL – that’s 16 points from a possible 48.

And the three o’clocks are under way!

Interestingly, there was a doubt as to whether the Wolves-QPR game would go ahead due to an electricity failure. They’ve got the power though.

Wolves already under the cosh at Molineux as Shaun Derry forces a save from Wayne Hennessy.

An even more fascinating tweet from @orbinho: Blackburn had won just two of their last 18 Premier League games before today. They scored more today than in their other 4 games combined.

GOAL! Wolves 0-1 QPR

And it’s Joey Barton! That was coming.

GOAL! Wolves 0-2 QPR

There are those goals Warnock promised!

Faurlin with that one.

For the first goal, Wright-Phillips cut back for Barton who scuffed a shot past Hennessy.

GOAL! Aston Villa 1-0 Newcastle United

Gabriel Agbonlahor gets a lucky break with the way a Bannan cross lands after a challenge and he easily slots it past Krul.

GOAL! Seansea 1-0 West Brom

Swansea’s first goal of the season… Scott Sinclair penalty

Seamus Coleman goes close for Everton, who are trying to score without true strikers on the pitch again. Al-Habsi tips his header wide.

Wolves beginning to get back in to the game at Molineux. Is it already too late though?

Demba put through for Newcastle but Given, typically, out very quickly to block.

Oh! That should have been 2-0 Villa!

What a wonderful fluid move. Slick, fluid, one-touch passing and, although Darren Bent attempted to keep it going like that, he put it wrong side of the post.

And Shane Long wastes a good chance. Presented with the ball by Neil taylor but lashed it over.

Given with another good save, this time from Coloccini’s header.

GOAL! Swansea 2-0 West Brom

The levy breaks for Brendan Rodgers as Lita puts them two up

Poll: are the calls for Arsene Wenger to be sacked still premature?

GOAL! Everton 0-1 Wigan

Di Santo continues his fine early-season form.

GOAL! Everton 1-1 Wigan

Who needs strikers? Everton immediately equalise through Jagielka

GOAL! Bolton 0-1 Norwich

Pilkington nods Norwich into the lead after fine work from Steve Morison

Goal in every game by half-time. First time this has happened on a Saturday this season.

For Jagielka’s goal, Cahill hit the post first. So close to ending that drought!

GOAL! Bolton 0-2 Norwich

Johnson gets Norwich’s second. A surprising result at first glance, not on second. Norwich have been suggesting a score like this for some time while Bolton have had the wind knocked out of them.

At Villa Park, Newcastle have controlled game but not getting much change out of a solid Villa defence.

Norwich’s goal, by the by, came from another header. I don’t want to pick on Zat Knight again but…

And Klasnic has now been sent off for Bolton.

Klasnic head-butted Johnson. Perhaps’ Bolton’s defenders should have thought if using their head given both Norwich goals came through the air.

Half-time scores:

Aston Villa 1-0 Newcastle United

Bolton 0-2 Norwich

Everton 1-1 Wigan

Swansea 2-0 West Brom

Wolves 0-2 QPR

We’re back underway in all of our 3pm kick-offs, bar the game at Goodison.

And we’re off and running on Merseyside as well. Fashionably late as always.

GOAL! Swansea 3-0 West Brom

Nathan Dyer pops up to apply the finishing touch to Leroy Lita’s flick-on. Is that Swansea’s first win of the season all wrapped up?

Via @InfostradaLive on Twitter: “This could be the first time since February 10, 2007 that all three promoted clubs win on the same day in the #epl.”

Nice stat.

GOAL! Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle United

We’re all square at Villa Park as Leon Best beats international team-mate Shay Given to draw Newcastle level.

Seconds before Best’s goal, Yohan Cabaye almost had the Magpies on level terms with a thunderous strike which had Given well beaten but cannoned back off the crossbar.

GOAL! Bolton 1-2 Norwich

Has anyone seen Louis Saha’s tweets today by the by? He;s @louissaha08 and clearly hasn’t taken getting dropped well. Not surprising since Everton have no edge without a recognised striker.

Villa beginning to turn the screw against Newcastle, Darren Bent just going close there. Given chances and time without a goal, he’s due one.

Rio Ferdinand has just asked twitter whether it’s easier to be loyal if you’re part of a successful club. He should know. He hasn’t been looking for any transfers to Chelsea since he started helping United win titles again.

And Norwich almost make it 3-1 against Bolton! Steve Morison just wide.

And Shaun Wright-Phillips smacks the post for QPR. That should have been them out of sight against Wolves there.

Odemwingie should have been sent off there for elbowing Neil Taylor in the head. Taylor himself not so fortunate as he’s being carried off.

Five minutes of normal time left in today’s games and here are the scores:

Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle United

Bolton 1-2 Norwich

Everton 1-1 Wigan

Swansea 3-0 West Brom

Wolves 0-2 QPR

Given pulls off another fine save from Yohann Cabaye.

GOAL! Wolves 0-3 QPR

DJ Campbell ties up the points.

GOAL! Everton 2-1 Wigan

Stracqualursi! Moyes actually brings on a striker and it pays dividends!

So much for Owen Coyle’s claims in the latest Four Four Two that his team have multiple angles in attack. Despite Kevin Davies going off, they’re still pumping balls into the box.

Our apologies. It was Apostolos Vellios who got the goal for Everton and not Stracqualursi. Met Hibbert’s cross brilliantly.

Full-time at Villa Park: Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle

The Villa fans boo.

Oh and Wigan almost level there! Dave Jones smacks the post from 20 yards

Meanwhile, there’s still six minutes of added time to play at Swansea because of Neil Taylor’s injury.

Full-times:

Aston Villa 1-1 Newcastle

Blackburn 4-3 Arsenal

Bolton 1-2 Norwich

Wolves 0-3 QPR

GOAL! Everton 3-1 Wigan

Royston Drenthe seals the points!

FULL-TIME: Swansea 3-0 West Brom

Here’s a photo that says a lot more than a thousand words:

And we’ll be back shortly with the day’s final thoughts.

Parting shots:

Arsenal’s anxiety

You’d call it the same old story except a start to the season as awful as this is unprecedented for Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal. They’ve now lost three times in five games. And, despite the fact they’ve played Liverpool and Manchester United, they’ve also played a promoted team and one of the favourites for relegation.

Blackburn, of course, deserve a lot of credit. This was an admirable response to the ructions of the week when the fans demanded the sacking of Steve Kean. Kean himself also showed some mettle with an inspired substitution to bring off the impressive Rochina for Olsson. The latter’s energy and drive created the game’s key goal. And, when the chance was presented, Blackburn didn’t shirk it. They took the game to Arsenal.

In saying all of that, Arsenal have only themselves to blame – and for so many reasons. Their defence was an utter mess yet again. There is, admittedly, a caveat in the fact 50% of it – Mertesacker and Santos – must still settle in. But it was the basic nature of the errors. Their line was all over the place, as evident with Squillaci last season. Wenger hasn’t had anyone work on his defence properly since the run to the Champions League final in 2005-06. According to reliable sources, he doesn’t like other coaches accumulating power other than himself. And that’s what Keown was doing in that run. But they need to repeat it. They were in control of this game until their defence collapsed.

And yet, Arsenal could still have sown up the game. There’s no accounting for the gilt-edged chances that all of Mertesacker, Van Persie and Chamakh missed. And this wasn’t even a typical case of failing to pull the trigger. They just aimed badly.

A combination of those flaws, however, has meant that Arsenal are now fifth from bottom. Worse, they’re showing relegation form. Since the Carling Cup final their run has been as follows: DDDWDDLWLLDDLLWL. That’s 16 points from 16 games and only three wins.

It is, of course, far too premature to speak of that Carling Cup defeat as something of a final turning point in Wenger’s Arsenal career. But unless he starts to acknowledge – let alone solve – problems that are obvious to almost everyone else, then it will be hard to think otherwise.

Certainly, qualifying for the Champions League for a 14^th successive season is going to be a formidable task.

Season settling

On that note, a sign that the season is beginning to even out everywhere else: Blackburn, Norwich and Swansea got their first wins with the latter also getting their first goals.

Up in the air

The question for Bolton, however, is whether today’s defeat to Norwich actually hurts more than the destruction at the feet of Manchester United. Much has been talked, after all, of how Coyle has rightfully raised expectations at the Reebok. And, while heavy defeats to United will never be a huge shock, a team with their notions should really be expected to defeat a promoted side at home. Bolton appear to have regressed slightly though. For all they’ve missed Holden in midfield, it’s at the opposite ends that they look shortest. In defence, the presence of the hapless Zat Knight has meant they can barely defend any high balls into the box. Both of Norwich’s goals came in the air today. At the other end, for all that Coyle got them to play quicker passes, they still resort to the long route too often – and that was even after Kevin Davies went off today. Again, while it’s far too premature to be making any kind of proclamations, Bolton don’t quite look like the side of last season.

Little comfort drawn

Speaking of premature reactions, Aston Villa greeted a 1-1 score against a similar-level side with boos. But then this issue goes deeper than a home draw. For them, aside from his Birmingham connections, McLeish is only conforming to expectations. Although undeniably solid, his teams struggle to score and are seemingly built for draws. Admittedly, there were patches today when the produced some improved, fluid football – not least the sleek first-half move that ended with Darren Bent shooting wide. But they still lack a player to take the final step. And, as evidenced by McLeish’s previous job in the Premier League, it is justifiably doubtful whether he can ever provide it.

Take it as Given

How good was Shay Given again though? It’s between him or Begovic for keeper of the season so far.

Newcastle, meanwhile, can draw similar solace from their superb midfield two of Cabaye and Tiote.

Kings of Queens

Pre-season predictions are always dangerous. Throughout the season, a manager might get sacked, a better might be brought in, a key player might get injured or a team-changing signing might be made. In QPR’s case, the latter has happened five-fold. Before this season began we had them to go down on the evidence at the time. But, since then, they’ve radically altered their squad. After Monday’s surprising 0-0 draw with Newcastle, Neil Warnock promised today that those signings would bear fruit. And they certainly did with an emphatic 3-0 win at Wolves

Wolves at the door

How long ago does Wolves’ fine start to the season already seem though? That international break couldn’t have come at a worse time for them. Having won seven points from three unbeaten games before then, they’ve now lost two in a row and are looking more like the team that toiled to stay in the division last year.

Strike it lucky

That’s the benefit of actually playing a forward then. Apostolos Vellios may be a teenager and may be adjusting to the Premier League, but he provided Everton with a badly needed cutting edge. After so many pre-season fears, however, David Moyes, too, is showing that he is too good a manager for Everton fans to ever worry about relegation again while he is at the club.