PL: Bolton Wanderers vs Arsenal | 25/11/06

[DOUBLE-YOU]

This game has been playing on my mind for a couple of weeks. I feel this game is vital for 2 reasons.

1. Man Utd and Chelsea play each other the same weekend. A win would bring us closer to one of them if not both.

2. A victory against a team like bolton would do so much for the teams confidence. it's well known that the majority of teams in the premier league think arsenal are a soft touch. A victory would let everyone know we won't get bullied this year. i really believe if we can win here, we can win anywhere. There are two types of teams in the premiership, those who will try to attack us and those who will try to bully us off the park. bolton are the best of the bullies. A victory will give the team confidence to go anywhere, and an understanding of what it is like to fight for 3 points. i don't think enough of our players know what it is like to out fight the opposition.

A victory would also show an improvement from the previous year. We know what bolton are all about, lets see how much the team has learnt from last years disappointments.

in terms of the line up i would play

Lehman

eboue toure senderos Clichy

Hleb gilberto flamini Ljungberg

Henry Adebayor

If gallas was fit i would have him left back instead of clichy. i have a good feeling bolton will target clichy will long balls.

i left cesc out because i feel he is another player bolton will target. watching him against hamburg he tended to dwell on the ball too long at times. I am sure allardyce will tell his players to get at him. I think it's an ideal game for flamini. As strong as Baptista is, i don't think he is ready for bolton yet. flamini can add the fight we need.

The team is workman like and lacks our normal creativity, however it's a team that will fight - especially with senderos and ljungberg in the line-up.

 

[Aussie]

I really hate these ****s. Thats pretty much it for now.

 

[AFCFan4Ever]

After the Hamburg game, Walcott has to be in the starting XI...he did more in 15 mins. then Freddie did the entire time he was on the pitch.

Also this is the perfect game to start Baptista and see what he can do...Bolton will no doubt thug it up so I'd like to have him in front of the midfielders but just behind Henry where he can get into the attack and be productive but also drop back and help the midfield with defending and linking the play between defense and attack.

Needless to say this is a must win game, esp. considering either Chelsea or ManYoo or even both will drop points.

 

[Druid]

our bogey team. i'd like to see us get one over the c***s, it's been too long. the team needs to pass the ball quickly and not be intimidated by the challenges. hopefully baptista will provide a physical presence in the team and show them we're not weak. 1-0 to the arsenal, baptista to score.

 

[Army of Me]

We'll lose unless we can sort out this first goal business.

2-1 Bolton.

 

[qs]

..............Lehmann..............

Eboue.....Toure........Senderos......Clichy


Hleb......Gilberto......Fab...........Ljungberg

.......................Baptista...........................

.................................Henry.......................

Bring Walcott on for Freddie after about an hour and Ade on for Baptista.

I think Wenger will go with(if all fit)

Same back 5 as mine

Helb.........Gilberto......Fabregas.....Flamini.....Ljungberg

...................................Henry........................................

 

[>YounGunner<]

Baptista needs to use his body strength more. I was shocked when i saw a hamburg player just brush him off. Also happened against Newcastle.

I hope he starts as a striker against Bolton and really show why he is called the beast.

 

[Sammer]

Playing Freddie is a waste in my view:

Bolton players will have a field day in pushing him over and I have seen enough arse-falling over the last 2 years from him.

 

[GlasGreenGunner]

About time the Gunners put fat Sam and his Lancashire kickers to the sword.
C'mon you Gunners.

And give Diouff a swift kick in the chuckies as well.

 

[lagos]

..............Lehmann..............

Eboue.....Toure........Senderos......Clichy


Hleb......Gilberto......Fab...........Ljungberg

.......................Baptista...........................

.................................Henry.......................

Bring Walcott on for Freddie after about an hour and Ade on for Baptista.

I think Wenger will go with(if all fit)

Same back 5 as mine

Helb.........Gilberto......Fabregas.....Flamini.....Ljungberg

...................................Henry........................................

Nice Avatar!

 

[qs]

Playing Freddie is a waste in my view:

Bolton players will have a field day in pushing him over and I have seen enough arse-falling over the last 2 years from him.

Well for starters we dont really have any other options for the wing apart from starting Theo which I cant see Wenger doing against Bolton. The thing about FReddie is while he may not be the strongest he'll still fight and against Bolton our problems always been that once theres a few hard tackles put in our lads give up. Freddie wont do that, he'll just get back up angrier and try harder. If we go 5 across the mdifield then we dont really ahve anyone else to fill in for van Persie.

 

[eddie_wills]

Rosicky must be in contention, mustn't he? He wasn't injured for that long initially.

I think we'll see

Jens

Eboue Senderos Toure Clichy

Gilberto

Hleb Fabregas Rosicky/Baptista/Ljungberg Ljungberg/Rosicky

Henry

and I think it'll finish 0-0.

 

[Allyboy]

The Beast should start, he isnt going to get bullied off the ball and he has got a basis from which to start his Arsenal career now.

Such a shame what happened to Diaby, if we could have gone in with him and Baptista in the middle (not necessarily on their own mind) their usual tactics would have been futile!

 

[Big Poppa]

Few victories would give me more satisfaction than a handsome 3 points on Saturday. It all depends I think, on how we start the game. If we start slowly and give away cheap passes, then I'm afraid it'll look something like we've all seen before at the reebok. Wenger will almost certainly go with his4-5-1 for this one. He'll feel that the game will be won or lost in midfield and I suspect he'll start Baptista there - even though I'd rather see him further forward playing off Henry's shoulder.

I think defence picks itself, although I must say it concerns me when Senderos - despite his size, allows himself to be intimidate by sly opponents like Kevin Davies (who I must say is very good at doing that **** to anybody). I suspect that Bolton will play 4-3-3 and try to get at us in the full-back area. You see it all too often when they stick they high balls up to the back post. It's up to us to counter that by making sure we never allow them that opportunity.

 

[IBL]

I think this is a game for Baptista to feature in, his presence should shake up the Bolton thugs a bit wherever he's playing. He needs to make sure that he gets invovled in play though, not just become a passenger in the match.. Up front I think I'd opt for Henry with Ade, RvP to come on later. Ade will cause them some trouble with his work rate and presence if not his goal threat.

I would dearly love for us to beat these c**ts, I hate their walrus of a manager and their anti-football style of play. We owe them in a big way, really is time for us to get one back over them.

 

[Gurgen]

Jens
Eboue Toure Phil Clichy
Hleb Cesc Gilberto Freddie
Baptista
Henry

I feel Julio should play in the hole just behind Henry. This way he'll be a goal threat and Thierry will have support. If we get overrun in midfield he can always drop back into a 4-5-1 and help.
As Allyboy said, it's a big shame Diaby isn't fit. We need as many mean fkers as we can gather for this one.

 

[Don Pacifico]

I think this may be a bit too early for Theo to be playing bruisers like Bolton. I fear that he would get targeted harshly by some of those mugs. Although I said yesterday that 4-5-1 should only really be used against strong attacking sides, perhaps this might be a good game to play 4-5-1 to protect Cesc, assuming the Fabster plays. If we do play 4-5-1, I think Baptista should come in for Freddy in order to bring a bit of dynamism to our play so that there can be someone how can play 'directly' when the rest of our team is playing 'sideways'. I wouldn't be unhappy for Flamini to regain his place, unlike most I was actually pleased with his performance last night and I think he could be useful against boring Bolton. Obviously if the 4-5-1 isn't getting us any goals then I think a switch to 4-4-2 early on would be good, with Ade coming on for RVP and Baptista switching to the left.

 

[mad jens]

still trying to understand how manure totally destroyed them and never got bullied and we always get bullied.

scared though.

 

[Clrnc]

bolton is not on any kind of run now. they are on a very bad patch(similar to milan, played well but lose)

we are playing away after 2 consecutive home game. our last away game ended in a lost. and traditionally, bolton games have been close tough fight. this time i believe we will edge it. baptista and henry(FINALLY) with a goal each in a 2-0 win

 

[The_byrne]

i would go with same back four then

Gilberto

Walcott___Hleb___Cesc____Ljunberg

Adebayor

Wouldn't bother with thierry, he never scores outside london, might as well save him for fulham and Sp**s.

Bolton aren't going well at the momenet but i think 1-0 to them or 1-1, we just can't play there