Bolton -v- Arsenal, Sunday 16.00

Frisbee

Taylor just hasn't been at the races today has he?

Eire-Dearg

everdead.ie wrote: »

Contrastingly how is Johan Elmander still at Bolton he must have one of the worst records in the league

Hard to think he was the man that was to replace Nic Anelka at Bolton. I'd swear Megson based that signing on the two games Liverpool played Toulouse in the CL qualifying where he was nothing more then average.

OPENROAD

Great 3 points, that will do me

Mossy Monk

Another win against Bolton on Wednesday please.

Hank Scorpio

Eire-Dearg wrote: »

Hard to think he was the man that was to replace Nic Anelka at Bolton. I'd swear Megson based that signing on the two games Liverpool played Toulouse in the CL qualifying where he was nothing more then average.

he was always good in champ manager 3 :pac:

Frisbee

Absolutely delighted with those 3 points. More so than a lot of our wins this season as we really had to battle our way to get the points and we had no problems getting physical.
Also Cesc is back baby!

However there were also some very worrying points, like how often Bolton managed to get through on goal. If Taylor was in any way more clinical he could have had a hat-trick today.

Beau x1

We're doing well, 3 more points on Wednesday, Utd/Chelsea to start dropping more points and then we'll see how we go. Not an amazing game of football but the team grinded out the much needed result.

A Primal Nut

Yep good performance - good to see Clichy and Fabregas back, Rosicky played 70 minutes or so, Eduardo and Arshavin had a greater impact than normal, and good to see Merida make a big impact.

Still lots of problems defensively though.

Paleface

Happy with the result but not with the performance. If Bolton had any composure in front of goal they would have gotten something from the game.

Still its another 3 points and Wednesdays game should produce a better performance at home.

Redzer7

I'm happy

leninbenjamin

Much less eventful second half. Burnley came out a bit brighter, obviously Colye tried to get them playing football with his team talk, but after about 10-15mins the fight went out of them and the search for the second goal became a formality.

Still not happy with the defensive performance, Traoré's positioning is terrible, he looks to break forward far too much and is often caught out. As a result he let's in far too many crosses. Once Clichy and Gibbs are back to full fitness we should be looking to play Traoré as an attacker imo. Vermaelen and Gallas were found a bit flat footed as well when the crosses were coming in, it could have been a very different result but for some horrible finishing by Bolton.

Good goal for Merida, some nice work by Arshavin down the left and that's about it for the second half.

A Primal Nut wrote: »

Are you for real?

Well i should have qualified it by saying "by his own standards", but yes i meant what I said. In the first half he wasn't great. Be honest, for both penalties he wasn't in control of the ball and went down looking for it (that doesn't mean they weren't penalties, but he could have stayed on his feet if he wanted to). What stood out to me the most though was how he was shrugged off the ball very easily earlier on in the first half. On the few occasions they put him under pressure they robbed him very easily, He brightened up towards the end of the first half which is obviously what people remembered, but it overall you cannot have your best player losing the ball so easily.

Second half he was a bit more alert so it was a good performance overall, but he has to be careful not to get complacent against weaker opposition. Had Bolton been more capable on the counter we might have remembered Cesc for all the wrong reasons today.

premierstone

leninbenjamin wrote: »

Much less eventful second half. Burnley came out a bit brighter, obviously Colye tried to get them playing football with his team talk, but after about 10-15mins the fight went out of them and the search for the second goal became a formality.

oops

amacachi

Agree with the lads on Sky for once, the team is carrying Eduardo at the moment. If he's still not back to his best at the end of the season I'd think it'd be getting to the time to let him go.

leninbenjamin

premierstone wrote: »

oops

Bolton, Burnley... same difference. Insignificant bottom table team

Royale with Cheese

amacachi wrote: »

Agree with the lads on Sky for once, the team is carrying Eduardo at the moment. If he's still not back to his best at the end of the season I'd think it'd be getting to the time to let him go.

He's just signed a new deal so that's not going to happen.

Fuzzy_Dunlop

amacachi wrote: »

Agree with the lads on Sky for once, the team is carrying Eduardo at the moment. If he's still not back to his best at the end of the season I'd think it'd be getting to the time to let him go.

In fairness to him, even though he still hasn't looked great most of the time, in the last 5 league games he has 2 goals and 3 assists.

OPENROAD

I think Eduardo is starting to get back slowly, to come back from that injury will take time, he will come good.

Frisbee

amacachi wrote: »

Agree with the lads on Sky for once, the team is carrying Eduardo at the moment. If he's still not back to his best at the end of the season I'd think it'd be getting to the time to let him go.

I thought Eduardo played very well today. Yes he isn't as sharp or prolific as he used to be and his instincts still don't seem to be completely back which is a bit of a concern, but over the past few games he's played relatively well without being outstanding ans has chipped in with a few goals and assists.

Personally I have criticised him hugely this season for his lack of goals and seeming lack of any real contribution to most of our games. however after an injury like that there is always one or two things that are going to take you a while to get back, if indeed you ever do retain them.

He's having to reinvent his game slightly at the moment and is becoming more of an assister than the out and out predatory goal scorer he used to be. Yes someone who doesn't score much is the last thing Arsenal need at the moment, but he's obviously working hard into moulding himself into a player that fulfills a role in the team and he is capable of doing and I respect him for that.

leninbenjamin

playa3 wrote: »

In fairness to him, even though he still hasn't looked great most of the time, in the last 5 league games he has 2 goals and 3 assists.

Indeed. This is what Wenger is looking at. While he's not as sharp as he used be, his game is slowly returning. It took him about 18 months before his full fitness returned after the injury so I think he should be allowed a little bit longer to gain back his sharpness and reflexes. Statistically speaking, the signs are promising so it's a bit early yet to cast him aside.

edit: Frisbee sums it up perfectly.

dbrowne9212

Frisbee wrote: »

I thought Eduardo played very well today. Yes he isn't as sharp or prolific as he used to be and his instincts still don't seem to be completely back which is a bit of a concern, but over the past few games he's played relatively well without being outstanding ans has chipped in with a few goals and assists.

Personally I have criticised him hugely this season for his lack of goals and seeming lack of any real contribution to most of our games. however after an injury like that there is always one or two things that are going to take you a while to get back, if indeed you ever do retain them.

He's having to reinvent his game slightly at the moment and is becoming more of an assister than the out and out predatory goal scorer he used to be. Yes someone who doesn't score much is the last thing Arsenal need at the moment, but he's obviously working hard into moulding himself into a player that fulfills a role in the team and he is capable of doing and I respect him for that.

agree 100%

We have to remember though that when wenger signed eduardo he was widely refered to as the 'fox in the box' that arsenal have needed for years. So in that regard we were never expecting a massive contirbution to the teams overall play. As such i actually tend to think that the current 4-3-3 system arsenal are playing dosen't really suit him as well as if he were playing in a 4-4-2 with RVP or bentdner up front along side him but he is adjusting his game to benift the team and coming back to a good level now IMO. Wheather he reaches his former heights or not remains to be seen (though i actually think that in time he will be a VERY effective player for us once again)... I have to say i'm generally happy with how he is playing.

Pundits... especially Sky pundits always seem to need to find one player who -isn't good enough or is holding the team back regardless of wheather it's true or not. That Arsenal have selection problems up front is undeniable but Eduardo is not one of them. After all he is fit and he is playing

What i would like from Eduardo (and Vela actually when he plays too) is to see him back himself a bit more but as i say i think that will come...

Pepe LeFrits

Today was the first time Eduardo played centrally and Arshavin on the left iirc? That's telling. I thought he did well enough but he looks a bit slower than he did pre-injury.

Galvasean

Weird how they can say the team was carrying Eduardo, when he set up both goals.