Arsenal -v- Bolton, 19.45

Frisbee

-V-

Second time meeting each other in two days.

Really looking forward to a good feisty game from this tonight after some of the tackles that were flying in on Sunday where it should have finished 10 against 9.

Denilson and Walcott are available for selection again but unfortunately Bendtner is most likely going to miss out.

At a guess:

---

Almunia

---

Sagna

---

Gallas

---

Vermaelen

---

Clichy

---

Fab

---

Denilson----Diaby

---

Rosicky

---

Eduardo

---

Arshavin

That_Guy

Would love Arsenal to win. The title race is wide open.

Johner

Arsenal 3-0 win.

FutureGuy

4-1 to the Gunners. Fabregas 2 goal.

leninbenjamin

Frisbee wrote: »

unfortunately Bendtner is most likely going to miss out.

:eek:

That_Guy

Do you reckon that Merida merits a start? I thought he played very well on Sunday and scored a good goal to boot.

mike65

One can only think Coyle will have learnt something from the first game so just 2-0 again this time.

Paleface

It would be such a psychological boost for the players to go top of the league if they win this one.

They should but Bolton will make it difficult.

premierstone

U dont agree that he is atm a massive loss?? We are crying out for a physical presence up front and imo he is a very capable player, who prior to he's injury was improving with every game.

Quazzie

I'm backing a 2-1 win to the Gunners in this one. Wenger should somehow work a positive result tonight into the terms for Wilkshires loan move.

That_Guy

Paleface wrote: »

It would be such a psychological boost for the players to go top of the league if they win this one.

They should but Bolton will make it difficult.

Away from home though. Hard to see anything past an Arsenal win for me.

DenMan

Really looking forward to this one. Come on the Gunners.

Not on UK TV I think. I go to a bar that has all the channels including a Turkish station which broadcasts European league games, they will have it on. ESPN don't have it on (they are showing Fiorentina-Lazio)

I'd be happy with another 2-0 win. Come on Arshavin.

Wreck

3 points and no more injuries please. Really hope Arshavin plays out on the left again also, so much more efective there and I think Eduardo may be starting to get back to match sharpness/form so can do a job up front.

leninbenjamin

That_Guy wrote: »

Do you reckon that Merida merits a start? I thought he played very well on Sunday and scored a good goal to boot.

I do believe he is injured.

Frisbee

leninbenjamin wrote: »

I do believe he is injured.

He is indeed.

Rekop dog

Feel a bit for Coyle, talk about baptism of fire, meeting Arsenal on best form for his first couple of games!

leninbenjamin

Rekop dog wrote: »

Feel a bit for Coyle, talk about baptism of fire, meeting Arsenal on best form for his first couple of games!

Arsenal are hardly on best form at the moment, they are very vulnerable to crosses and attacks from the flanks. Bolton could have made a real game of it if Taylor's shooting was up to scratch.

I don't feel bad for Coyle though, you could tell the last day that he's trying to get Bolton to abandon their hoofball habits, and they didn't do half bad at times. Playing a technical side as opposed to a physical one probably suits his experimentation a bit more. Better than to have to start one's career with a must win game and little flexibility to try things out.

Frisbee

leninbenjamin wrote: »

Arsenal are hardly on best form at the moment, they are very vulnerable to crosses and attacks from the flanks.

Hopefully that left flank will be a little bit more secure now that we have Clichy back.

JPA

leninbenjamin wrote: »

Arsenal are hardly on best form at the moment, they are very vulnerable to crosses and attacks from the flanks. Bolton could have made a real game of it if Taylor's shooting was up to scratch.

Arsenal have the best form in the league though ATM. I could see 4 or 5 goals scored by them.

leninbenjamin

Frisbee wrote: »

Hopefully that left flank will be a little bit more secure now that we have Clichy back.

Funny, but it's not the fullbacks I'm concerned about.

I think Verm and Gallas need to be doing a lot better when it comes to dealing with crosses. They are great when it comes to balls on the ground, or indeed over the top. But when a cross comes in from the side they always seem at sixes and sevens over what to do.

Now the fullbacks are responsible when it comes to closing down those crosses, and even Sagna has been caught napping of late, but even then, some will always get by and the CBs need to be looking a lot stronger.

And having Almunia in goals doesnt do is any favours when it comes to dealing with crosses.

JPA wrote: »

Arsenal have the best form in the league though ATM. I could see 4 or 5 goals scored by them.

I thouroughly disagree. I think people read too much into the stats and tabloid headlines. We've been riding our luck, especially when it comes to defence for reasons I've listed above.

JPA

leninbenjamin wrote: »

I thouroughly disagree. I think people read too much into the stats and tabloid headlines. We've been riding our luck, especially when it comes to defence for reasons I've listed above.

Yes their defence is still too open but I was referring to the best form from a points gained POV and Arsenal are currently doing the best.

Frisbee

leninbenjamin wrote: »

I think Verm and Gallas need to be doing a lot better when it comes to dealing with crosses. They are great when it comes to balls on the ground, or indeed over the top. But when a cross comes in from the side they always seem at sixes and sevens over what to do.

I'll agree with you there alright.

They started out the season solidly without being spectacular, but over the past month or two the old defensive frailties have resurfaced.

leninbenjamin

JPA wrote: »

Yes their defence is still too open but I was referring to the best form from a points gained POV and Arsenal are currently doing the best.

Ah, well, as Johnny Giles says, there are things statistics don't show.

edit: Don't mean to belittle the points haul, it's great to see them winning matches without having to overexert themselves, but at some point the team will really have to step things up if they are to maintain the title challenge.

dbrowne9212

Frisbee wrote: »

He is indeed.

ankle injury, which is unfortunate becasue i'd say with all the injurys and absent players at the ACN he was desperate to build on that goal in the last game and get some time on the pitch to show wenger what he is capable of...

Frisbee

I can almost taste the 1-1 draw already...

Pepe LeFrits

Arsenal haven't been performing well since van Persie got injured. Getting results, but not performances. I dunno where people are getting their ideas of Arsenal's storming form from.

This is why I'm desperate for a striker to be signed, or at least for Bendtner to get fit. Arsene has moved Eduardo back into the middle of the three and is improving though, so maybe he'll prove everyone wrong...

JPA

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

Arsenal haven't been performing well since van Persie got injured. Getting results, but not performances. I dunno where people are getting their ideas of Arsenal's storming form from.

This is why I'm desperate for a striker to be signed, or at least for Bendtner to get fit. Arsene has moved Eduardo back into the middle of the three and is improving though, so maybe he'll prove everyone wrong...

Just saying that, statistically, Arsenal have the best form in the league for the last 8 games.


http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/PR/oform.html

Paleface

You don't need to play well in every game to win the league. Its more about being hard to beat, getting ugly wins and a slight rub of the green at the right time.

Thats how United and Chelsea have been winning leagues and of late its what Arsenal have been doing also. The first time we have seen them do it for a long time.

While I agree with you on the performance not being up to what we expect, the form chart is purely on results.

L'prof

Frisbee wrote: »

Second time meeting each other in two days.

2 * 2 = 4 ...sorry

starbelgrade

I just heard a report on sports section of Today FM news, that Arsenal will go top of the league if they beat Bolton by more than one goal.

Now, I might be wrong, but I think they'll find it hard to beat them by less than one goal. :eek:

Fuzzy_Dunlop

Arsenal team is the same as the weekend but with Clichy and Denilson replacing Traore and Eastmond.

Unfortunately I'll be missing this match, hopefully it wont be like the last matches i missed! (Everton 2-2 and Burnley 1-1)

Frisbee

jasonorr wrote: »

2 * 2 = 4 ...sorry

Whoops.

Looks like I got the team spot on again. That's 2 for 2

Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Clichy, Fabregas, Denilson, Diaby, Rosicky, Arshavin, Eduardo.
Subs: Fabianski, Vela, Walcott, Silvestre, Traore, Eastmond, Emmanuel-Thomas.

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Knight, Robinson, Lee, Mark Davies, Muamba, Cohen, Taylor, Kevin Davies.
Subs: Al Habsi, Samuel, Elmander, Klasnic, Ricketts, McCann, Andrew O'Brien.

Pepe LeFrits

arseblog wrote:

Bolton team : **** - **** - **** - **** - **** - **** - **** - **** - **** - **** - Elbowy ****

Subs: **** - **** - **** - **** - **** - **** - ****

Wednesday January 20, 2010 19:21

Smegball

4-5-1 for Bolton, a comfortable 3-0 victory for Arsenal I would say.

hudsonriver

starbelgrade wrote: »

I just heard a report on sports section of Today FM news, that Arsenal will go top of the league if they beat Bolton by more than one goal.

Now, I might be wrong, but I think they'll find it hard to beat them by less than one goal. :eek:

eh we could beat them by a goal !;)

Frisbee

Smegball wrote: »

4-5-1 for Bolton, a comfortable 3-0 victory for Arsenal I would say.

Not necessarily, if they park the bus we could be fooked

Johner

It's two goals anyway for Arsenal to go top.

Frisbee

No 'Yes!' stream...

hudsonriver

dont seem to be many streams around, if anybody has any good ones can they please post them up, only media player ones, programs are blocked here

Johner

Veetle is the place for a stream.

http://www.veetle.com/viewChannel.php?cid=4b548ee00a0db

Pepe LeFrits

I've got a great stream!

... but it's er playing a Marseilles match

Pepe LeFrits

Veetle is a load of balls. Always hopelessly choppy and garbled.

Johner

Have to say Veetle is always good for me.

Edit;It's running smooth.

Pepe LeFrits

Well hello Mister Fancypants. Aren't you fancy with your fancy stream?

Frisbee

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

Veetle is a load of balls. Always hopelessly choppy and garbled.

Same for me, it never stays good longer than a minute or two at a time.

Yes! is always the best.

Johner

At the moment Veetle is perfect.

daithijjj

The fella who does the YES channel is a spurs fan so you know why hes not showing this game tonight.

The marseille game is on tvoo and will move over to arsenal in a few mins.

Pepe LeFrits

Any chance you could PM me it?

This l'OM match is pretty awesome though

daithijjj

Im pretty sure you are watching the tvoo stream.....il put it in the streams thread.

Pepe LeFrits

Bolton's fan is very silent
Wednesday January 20, 2010 19:48
19:48

still silent
Wednesday January 20, 2010 19:48
19:48

Apparently they're having a moment's silence for Haiti
Wednesday January 20, 2010 19:48

roffle

CHD

C'mon Bolton!