BLACKBURN Rovers fans are getting sick of the sight of Frenchman in this footballing corner of Northern London.

Two months ago it was Sylvain Wiltord and Robert Pires who conspired to supply the coup de grace to Rovers' FA Cup hopes for another season.

Then last night fellow countryman Jeremie Aliadiere extinguished Rovers FA Youth Cup dreams with a deadly double as awesome Arsenal took a vice-like grip on this two-legged final.

Academy coach Rob Kelly always knew his young proteges faced a mountain to climb against a Gunners side containing some of the finest teenage talent in Europe.

But even he was left looking shell-shocked as the rampant Reds roared into an unassailable 2-0 lead inside the opening 14 minutes to all but kill this tie stone dead.

Aliadiere -- a graduate of the famed Clarefontaine Academy in France -- was undoubtedly the man at the sharp end, starting the rout with a typically flamboyant bicycle kick.

But it was the performance of his jet-heeled strike-partner Jermaine Pennant which ultimately set Arsene Wenger's pulse racing.

The £2 million capture from Notts County fully justified his billing as the most exciting young player in the English game with an electrifying performance up front.

And, but for a string of top saves from keeper Ryan Robinson, Rovers' would have been sunk without trace long before Moritz Volz put the seal on a 5-0 win.

"I thought their front four were exceptional but they had good players all over the pitch," admitted Kelly.

"We always knew we were going to be up against a very, very good side because Arsenal are one of the top teams in the country.

"But I'm very disappointed -- both for the club and our young boys -- because we didn't do ourselves justice.

"We came here to give it a real go but I think one or two of our lads just froze on the night.

"And at this level, if you do that, then you get punished."

Liam Brady and his Highbury Academy staff have scoured the continent in order to assemble a side capable of cutting it with the best in the business at youth level.

And their heady mix of homegrown starlets and top foreign talent proved too potent a cocktail for a brave Rovers side who had surpassed all expectations in getting to the final in the first place.

The Gallic flair of Aliadiere, the German efficiency of Volz and the speed and skill of Pennant proved a lethal combination against a Rovers robbed of key defenders Michael Taylor and Anthony Martin through injury.

Yet, despite the obvious gulf in class, the boys from Brockhall showed great character not to fold altogether.

The Gunners made a dream start, flooring Rovers with a double-whammy inside the opening 13 minutes courtesy of two moments of magic from that man Pennant.

He outfoxed Darren Hockenhull with a clever drag back on the right before whipping over a peach of a cross which Jerome Thomas nodded back for Aliadiere to score with an acrobatic overhead kick.

That clearly knocked the stuffing out of the visitors and, before they had time to recover, they were 2-0 as Arsenal carved out a picture book second barely 60 seconds later.

Again Pennant was the architect, racing onto a delightful pass from Volz before crossing from the byline for Jerome Thomas to score with a brilliant cross-shot after Michael Cole had scuffed his attempted clearance.

By now the Gunners were blazing as Volz, Aliadiere and Steven Sidwell all peppered Robinson's goal in a scintillating spell of attacking play.

But Rovers nearly pulled one back in a rare raid when Ciaran Donnelly's raking cross from the right just evaded the outstretched boot of Jonathan Walters.

Pennant, however, was on fire and another dazzling piece of trickery on the right sliced open Rovers' defence again only for Thomas to scuff his shot into the ground with the goal at his mercy.

In a desperate bid to keep the tie alive, Kelly threw on Ian Black in place of Ryan Hevicon as part of a second half shake up.

But that failed to stem the red sea as the rampant Gunners fashioned a killer third on 57 minutes.

Rohan Rickett's slide-rule pass ripped open the Rovers defence for Sidwell to burst through and slam an emphatic finish past Robinson from 10 yards.

Aliadiere then compounded the visitors' misery when he slotted home the fourth on 67 minutes.

And midfield general Volz then crowned a fine individual performance with a stunning fifth 18 minutes from time.

In a late rally, Craig Holloway clawed away a 25-yard free kick from skipper Neil Danns.

But Rovers finished the game well beaten and Kelly must now raise his troops' spirits ahead of the return on Tuesday night.

"I'm not making any excuses. We were comprehensively and soundly beaten by a much better team," said Kelly.

"Somehow, though, we've got to try and turn this into a positive and hope that this might give one or two some resolve.

"If they're going to go on and have careers then they'll have to face something like this from time to time.

"But you can't lie down, you've got to bounce back all the stronger for the experience

ROVERS: Robinson, Cole, Woodhead, Donnelly, Stone, Hockenhull, Danns, Blakeman, Hevicon, Walters, Morgan. Subs: Black (for Hevicon, 52), Watt (for Black, 80) Not used: Fitzgerald, Renton, Bryne.

ARSENAL: Holloway, Bailey, Nicolau, Sidwell, Svard, Garry, Volz, Ricketts, Pennant, Aliadiere, Thomas. Subs: Itonga (for Pennant, 80), Santry (for Ricketts, 85), Brown (for Aliadiere, 89) Not used: Jordan, Hoyte.

Shots:...Rovers 8 Arsenal 19

Shots on target:...Rovers 2 Arsenal 12

Woodwork:...Rovers 0 Arsenal 0

Offsides:...Rovers 2 Arsenal 2

Corners:...Rovers 6 Arsenal 8

Free kicks:...Rovers 15 Arsenal 12

Referee:...Mr J Winter

Attendance...4,056