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Not Blocked by Shittu as Bolton Flushed Away

Eboue!!!!
By Boris Mellor
September 21 2008
Sorry about the crap headline, I just couldn't resist it. They say shit floats to the top, but not on this occasion. The commentators did the usual how hard it is for Arsenal at Bolton number, ignoring the little fact of what happened last year. So just to remind them here is a quote from my preview:

  "They (Arsenal) did the double over them (Bolton) last season, some bogey! I suppose going two goals down, and playing with 10 men before winning 3-2 is struggling, but it hardly induces terror does it?" So I can't say I was that bothered when Bolton went 1-0 up, annoyed yes, but not bothered.

When Davies scored on 14 minutes, it was a reprise of the usual slack defending that Arsenal demonstrates in dead ball situations again and again, but it only served to make the Gunners angry. They responded by tearing into Bolton playing some of the most glorious football you could wish to see. Unless of course you are a cretinous Setanta commentator then you probably wish to see some thuggish tackles.

Arsenals Emmanuel Eboue scores the equaliser to make it 1-1

Give Ade the ball and Eboue will score

The ball was threaded through the Bolton penalty area at speed, and the first few chances hit the post, but thoughts that it wouldn't be our day was immediately erased by an Eboue goal on 26 minutes. He even pushed Adebayor out of the way to plant it firmly into the net. Arsenal fans had hardly finished celebrating when another sweeping move by the Gunners saw Bendtner cross for Denilson to score (correction that should read the other way around. Thanks AJ).

In reality the match was won, and perhaps Arsenal should have tied it up by half time, but good keeping by Jussi Jaaskelainen, and some good defending kept the score to 2-1 at half time.

Thuggery ok by MOTD

Of course no match against Bolton would be complete without some thuggery by Davies. Firstly he got away with elbowing Kolo, and then he got a yellow for a dangerous tackle on Clichy. He was lucky to still be on, he should have a yellow for the first offence. Clichy was lucky to escape a broken leg, but that was not enough for Shearer and Lawro, they couldn't praise robust tackling enough, and argued no card should have been awarded.

No doubt Shearer was looking back to the good old days when you could kick a player in the head, get off scot free and still play for England the next week. It is very important these English values are upheld.

Djourou replaced Sagna at right back, and Sagna replaced Clichy. The reorganisation cut a little bit of pace off the Arsenal attack, but the team remained solid enough. However a one goal lead can be a bit fragile at the Reebok, and it was always a worry that the Trotters would equalise.

 Indeed Bolton were throwing more and more men forward, at this stage (73 minutes) Wenger threw on the super sub, Walcott. It was now Bolton's turn to worry, as little Theo tore them apart. With four minutes to go Walcott slalomed down the middle, Adebayor crossed from the right and Denilson lashed the ball into the top of the net from close range.

Still top of the league

What a wonderful finish to a marathon of three away games in a week. Arsenal were the only one of the top four clubs to get six points over CL week, inspite of having the hardest fixtures. Indeed Arsenal would be two points clear if Rooney wasn't a cretin. There is no doubt, in my mind that indiscipline cost Man U victory at Chelsea.

This was Arsenal's fifth victory in a row, in all competitions, over Bolton. Bolton are a spent force, I really hope this is their last season in the Premier, even their own support is drifting away. They cannot fill the stadium to see the finest footballing team in England.

Cultzeros2

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Not Blocked by Shittu as Bolton Flushed Away
Posted by: Arsenal Times (IP Logged)
Date: 21/09/2008 15:15

Not Blocked by Shittu as Bolton Flushed Away

Re: Not Blocked by Shittu as Bolton Flushed Away
Posted by: Philly the kid (IP Logged)
Date: 21/09/2008 15:34

What a wonderful finish to a marathon of three away games in a week. Arsenal were the only one of the top four clubs to get six points over CL week, inspite of having the hardest fixtures.

Erm, sorry, i strongly disagree. THe Mancs had Liverpool and the Chavs away, and Villareal at home.

That aside, definitely agree with the rest of the article. I was @#$%& at all the pundits trying to validate Davies thuggery. Yeah, he got the ball first. But if he'd have gone to the side of Clichy, or tried to stay on his feet, there would've been no problem, or need to send the poor bloke to hospital. He patently went to take him out, and that, (imho) has no place in the game.

Re: Not Blocked by Shittu as Bolton Flushed Away
Posted by: Padre Pio (IP Logged)
Date: 21/09/2008 16:31

Liverpool is quite close to Manchester and is a match they usually win. Villareal was at home. We were only ones not have a home game out of all three matches.

Why did davies have trailing leg so high?

Re: Not Blocked by Shittu as Bolton Flushed Away
Posted by: brian from the b.o.f (IP Logged)
Date: 21/09/2008 16:59

Agreed about the Setanta commentators...really biased, some ridiculous comments.

Re: Not Blocked by Shittu as Bolton Flushed Away
Posted by: AJ The Gunner (IP Logged)
Date: 21/09/2008 17:28

denilson sent the cross to bendtner to score not the other way round.

a leopard can not change it's spots.once a thug always a thug

Re: Not Blocked by Shittu as Bolton Flushed Away
Posted by: Padre Pio (IP Logged)
Date: 21/09/2008 18:51

Oops it was transcribed

Re: Not Blocked by Shittu as Bolton Flushed Away
Posted by: litmus (IP Logged)
Date: 23/09/2008 03:01

I hope Bolton get relegated as their footballing style is a poor advert for the EPL. Its the same old thing for them - don't try to beat players, just fall down when you feel contact to get freekicks. And then pump it into the box and station a few bodies around the box to get on the ball. The percentage game. Bring the ball to the side, use your body to shield the ball and get your opponents to poke the ball out to win corners. The only creativity in that team is how to creatively mug opposing players.

Re: Not Blocked by Shittu as Bolton Flushed Away
Posted by: Bee#4 (IP Logged)
Date: 23/09/2008 14:01

Lol at the post name, Good one!!

Re: Not Blocked by Shittu as Bolton Flushed Away
Posted by: Padre Pio (IP Logged)
Date: 23/09/2008 16:31

Thanks Bee, i thought no one had noticed. Its a pun

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