Bolton vs Arsenal, 0-2: Full time thoughts, analysis and player ratings
The Game
We survived some scary moments at the Reebok and were lucky that the finishing of the home side was very poor on the day, but all in all, a brave performance from Arsenal who move back to three points from the top of the table.
The return of Cesc Fabregas was needed and Fran Merida showed why he wants more first-team action. Very disappointing game from Armand Traore, who will probably be dropped for next Wednesday’s game now that Gael Clichy is back.
As for Bolton, oh well, no comment. When they understood they cannot do it the football way, injuring our players was their new plan which was incredibly sad to see.
Match Video Highlights
Match video highlights are available in the Videos section of our website. If not there yet, rest assured they will be up in a matter of hours.
Player Ratings
Almunia: 6,5 – He did have some crazy moments, he always does, but responded very well after that, doing what he was asked to do to perfection. Having said that, I’m still not 100% convinced with him and from the “look” he gave him, neither is Gallas apparently.
Gallas: 6,5 – Some shaky moments especially when challenging Klasnic, but still an overall solid game from the Frenchman.
Vermaelen: 7,5 – Didn’t put a foot wrong today Thomas, who as always, gave 101% out there. His aerial capabilities made sure Davies was kept quiet for the whole 90 minutes.
Traore: 4 – Just like Everton, a game to forget for the Frenchman who gave Lee way too much space on the left-hand side. What I really was disappointed with was his reaction after losing his marker, walking instead of running to recover.
Sagna: 7 – Poor crosses aside, Bacary again was rock solid at the back, no wonder Bolton attacked from the other wing. Maybe we’ll get to know more on why he opted not to take the throw-ins.
Eastmond: 6 – Premiership debut and clearly nervous. Way too many balls given away cheaply in dangerous areas but he’ll surely take a lot of positives out of this one.
Diaby: 7 – Gave possession away cheaply sometimes but just like Fabregas, having him in midfield is becoming of vital importance. He’s a beast when pushing forward and did well in the second half after taking on the defensive midfield role after Eastmond’s substitution.
Fabregas: 8 – Welcome back, captain. Won a penalty, not given, scored the first and went close to score another. When all they tried didn’t work for Bolton, they tried to injure him.
Rosicky: 6,5 – Contrary to many, I believe Tomas had a very good game. He was the key in the build-up to the first goal, fighting twice to win the ball and did well to start some moves from our half of the pitch.
Eduardo: 6,5 – Still not at his best as he showed in the first half when he had to sprint but as the match progressed, he was more involved and was unlucky not to score.
Arshavin: 6,5 – Just like Eduardo, the Russian was also a nuisance for the Bolton defense throughout the game, though I believe he should be rested on Wednesday.
(Subs)
Clichy: 6 – Gave protection to Traore when he came in and based on what we saw today on that left wing, his comeback is very much needed in the squad.
Merida: 7 – He wants more first-team action, and this is why. Did almost nothing wrong, great first touch, great vision and great goal.
Vela: No Vote – Only 7 minutes for the Mexican, who played in an usual right-wing role today.
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spot on ratings cris…and i’m very proud of the team…they manage to obtain the 3 points in hard conditions..i think we are the only team that plays in every premier league game with different players (and some from the second squad) and still manage to score and win and fight for the title…
I can’t believe nasri is out for 3 weeks…no aston villa and no mancs game…hope cameroon will be out in quarter finals and song will catch villa game..
at least we gained clichy and rosicky back for the next games…
but more injuries right now are frightening for the next top matches…hope nasri is the last one cause i’m tired of seeing in every game someone is out…and yes the ones who are stepping in are doing well but in the next matches i don’t think they can do it anymore beacause the teams we will play are of different calibre
Thanks mate,
Was supporting Zambia earlier on but seems Alex will progress.
Certainly we were the better team but the point which you have made that”.i think we are the only team that plays in every premier league game with different players (and some from the second squad) and still manage to score and win and fight for the title…” I think this is bit wrong look at the squad of Man Utd there squad is awful in front of us they don’t have quality midfielders except Valencia and Darren Fletcher but still because of there manager they are still in the tittle race
We played fantastic football in last game once again Chris your rating are bang on target Traore is not good enough to compete Clichy
sorry mate but i dont agree with your comments on eastmond i thought he did not do that bad considering its his debut and he nearly grabbed a goal out of it
I honestly wish I am wrong and was maybe expecting more from him, considering both Aaron and Samir are indeed 3 weeks out.
i disagree with your rating of him as well. no way did he play any better than traore. judging him not as a youngster but as a player his performance was unacceptable for that position. i’d really like to see the coq come on so we may see who the better of the two is in a premier league fixture.
couldnt agree more with you steve
i was really disappointed and frustrated with Eastmond
and Traore deserves a better rating than that
I also agree with the ratings and the keyword is “brave”.
Vela needs to transfer right now to a team that can provide a left flank starting position
to many people to compete with ahead of him, and it seems to come on just the last 15 mins and under to get the tired Eduardo out!
He looks happy Carlos. I mean the way he celebrated Fran’s goal seems like the attitude of someone who is not unsettled.
But I agree it’s sad to see so little of such a talented player and today we had RVP, Nick, Samir and Theo all out yet he didn’t feature.
Yea i did notice that after Fran scored, he went to the sideline to hug him…
Maybe Coach has told him his time is coming real soon or something because even thought he may be happy, i’m sure he’s a little frustrated that he is only getting 15 mins or less
who knows i guess being patient might be key, we will see
Vela will get his turn in the starting eleven. But right now his role is on the bench. He is 20-years-old and the process is the same for all young players. They start in the Reserves. Then when they are good enough they go out on loan to get experience in top leagues. When they are too good to be out on loan they come back, now to be on the bench of the first team, ready for whenever they might be needed. The next and last step is the starting eleven. But again, he is just 20-years-old. He is in one of the best teams in the world. Leaving at this point would be the biggest mistake of his career.
Anyway, about the game. I liked the last 20 or so minutes but wasn’t convinced of the rest. Bolton played good at times but we didn’t play at the level we should be playing. At home I expect an easier game but we shouldn’t let our guard down. If we win we go to the top of the table
. Of course with Chelsea with a game in hand ¬¬. I don’t think Arsene will rest anyone on Wensday, he’ll wait for the FA cup in which i expect Vela to start 
.
Vela just signed a new long term contract though. Surly he would not have done that had he felt neglected by AW. Vela knows what is best for him, if Vela trusts AW to get the most out of his talent so should we.
Disagree on Arshavin’s rating. I thought he was brilliant today. Yes, he did not score but he was good. He also did not look tired. We definitely need him on Wednesday. I’d give him 7.5
Great win, especially considering the harsh conditions, picking such a win really sends a note to everyone that the young Gunz re finally ready and up to it, eastmond had a fair game, only bad performers for me would traore who gave too much space to lee on the right wing, and of cos gallas yes gallas..cos to me he is absolutely zero on one on one tackles, i don’t know they always manage to get the better of him even if they re 19 yrs…remember nouble for west ham…i think he should buckle up…he is really poor and those back pass was like a love affair with almunia, constantly putting him under pressure…hope cameroun meets nigeria in the quarter final, cos i feel its impossible for them to go out of ANC so early….we need song, especially with nasri and ramsey out for three weeks……We are the champions..
Vela must be hearing from Gio Dos Santos how Arry Redcrapp is treating him at Spurs, and getting the right perspective.
WHAT DOES ALMUNIA HAVE TO DO TO EVER GET CREDIT. he nullified all threats from corner kicks- which is usually our problem with bolton. one little slip which is very understandable, klasnic could have fooled any keeper with that overhead kick. PLUS AL kept a clean sheet- yet he’s not convincing.
Unless I’m wrong, I said he did to perfection all he had to do.
But it’s just one game, let’s hope he keeps it up.
You told he had some crazy moments. I do not remember any. He was perfect today.
He is quite indecisive within the box under pressure. This was most noticeable when Gallas was shielding the ball for Almunia to recover by Almunia hung back. Another instant when Almunia misses a basic catch and conceded a unnecessary corner.
Almunia has had more than 1 great games —- Unfortunately, he has also had more than 1 stupid mistakes,—- But, I am yet to see a game where we lost points because of his mistakes this season and I am willing to hear from anybody who did – And please don’t tell me Manchester United, he carried the blame but Referee did the mistake.
I still believe he was every bit as responsible as Rosicky was in getting that point against Everton – James Vaughan had beaten everybody else to death!!!!.
the individual performances aside, what concerns me is our passing and distribution. Almunia had a good proactive game, he even made couple of really good saves,one should say that, but his distribution is consistently horrendous.His balls and throws rarely find a good target; why should a passing team like Arsenal settle for so many goal kicks rather then bring the ball up on the ground. Our crossing, according to some statistics I read it is among the WORST in the league! , can you believe that? less then 20 percent of our crosses find their target !. what is the use of wide play if it its going nowhere!. Sagna is top defender but a totally inept and often also a sheer thoughtless crosser. Moreover for a passing team we are doing shockingly poor at times in midfield control. I am not talking primarily about the final pass, but rather the control of the game and the pace thru midfield area passing. for long spells today as well as against Everton and even Portsmouth (!) we seem not to be able to pass the ball across the midfield, the spacing, the speed,the quick change of balance of the play area, the unnecessary dribble , the lack of protection of the ball, the attempt to “shortcircuit” passes thru the middle to a covered player etc. our inability to make the play breath, so to speak, to quiet the opposition’s momentum thru midfield control. very often very distressing to see how the opposition , and often mediocre one, are so able to disrupt us there so easily.
I do find the critics Traore is getting a bit harsh. To his credit, he didn’t get much help from the midfielders who are always inclined to slide on the right, leaving him alone against two opponents most of the time. I wonder AW didn’t try to settle that problem, since it could be noticed in the last 4 games or so. Until the Everton game, I was wondering how long 20 years old Traore would handle it so neatly. Finally, he lost his composure and for me, that’s understandable.
imo, we are missing Denilson at the link midfield spot. When Clichy came in, he wasn’t that special, he just had Traore providing the needed cover in front of him.
Well, I just posted this on another blog. But I think, at least it’s something worth to be mentioned.
I agree with Swissgooner on Traore. He is still young and needs games to improve. I believe he will fit into the team in due time. With Clichy back I wonder whether he will be given more opportunities to play. Hopefully, yes. Sometimes we are too harsh in our judgement on these youngsters. Given space, they will improve under AW.
I agree with both of you. Our total team was tilted towards right he could not do much on left. I think Vermaelen could be at fault too for this.
I agree with what the Swissgooner is saying, Arsene Wenger realised that Traore was left alone (a clear indication of Nasri’s absence) and he put Clichy in there. If Traore was so terrible, he would have been replaced and he wasn’t, he was given a man to help him.
Great win. I’m worried about the tough matches ahead. How will the team perform with so many injury players? Glad to see our captain back. Does anybody here know if Merida will stay at Arsenal?
We will survive and I really want Merida to stay. I couldn’t believe my eyes when i recently read about some fans wishing him to go.
personally i think your a bit harsh with the ratings today chris,even tho it wasnt the most polished or technically great performance i thought they really battled for each other,was a tough game with it been coyle 1st game and players and fans were up for it,they looked like a real team today or dare i say it a championship winning team,i tink today they showed real bottle and i dont tink we wouldv won this game last year
It is so scary but good (I guess) at the same time to see that so much depends on Fabregas…
I just wonder what would happen if he got injured like Van Persie…!!
Anyway, it is a great win and we’ve presented an increasing maturity and experience… Bolton used to push us around like kids, those days are over… We argued most referral decisions and we got to their faces…
Now, at the Emirats on Wednesday, let’s make it clear to them that they are not at our level of skills, status and performance…
Let’ s also hope that Cameroon fails to qualify for the next round of the African Cup, so we can get Song back… Ooooopss…!!
1. Let’s wish our brother song good luck, We can survive without him.
2. We always scream about proven winners, that’s what Alex Song will be if they win in Africa – It can do no harm but good, look at how Cesc Fabregas changed & matured after their Euro 2008 glory.
only one question why diD Bolton receive only one yellow card and Arsenal 2 when they wereconstantly foulingnArsenal players-particularly Fabregas (am really nervous about next Bolton game that he will be injured seriously) plus blatant stamp on Diaby etc it was lmost getting out of hand and yet ARSENAL RECEIVED CARDS ON TWO QUITE MINOR MATTERS anyway congratulations to all the team for staying in there-Fabregas is an amazing leader still only 22 can’t believe it-hope never leaves
Somebody from Bolton actually stuck his knee and pressed it against our Fabulous Fabregas’ neck.
The Referee must have been Arsene Wenger’s “brother” —- He didn’t see it
The referee was very poor, especially for the first 30 minutes. The bastard almost cost us 3 points.
really team performed well apart from left back traore and understandably eastmond..
these bolton midfielders beasts were so desperate to injure fabregas .. paul robinson shuld be given a red card as he stamped fabregas and plucked his hair… he perhaps got saved by refree who didnt hav a clear angle to see the incident…
they try to outmuscle us but we stil win the game in very hard condition.. hail arsenal…
I disagree with your rating on eastmond the lad was the main source of traore wows he neva covered him evidence traore was better wen diaby slotted in.i think on wed we shuld ave le coq there he is than eastmond but holding the wrong passport
Chris, did you miss to mention that Eduardo gave both very clever assists for both goals on purpose.
1. Eduardo very clever backheel for Fabregas to score.
2. Eduardo very clever overhead pass to meant for Arshavin who missed it by barely an inch with his head and luckily Merida was just behind to make it 2-0.
Mention this things if other people do it – For I am sure if it was either Arshavin or Fabregas who did it, you would have given them a 7.5 or 8 and you clearly would have highlighted it in ratings
I am saying this due to the fact that so many people were against Eduardo starting ahead of Vela – And i wasn’t sure who i wanted either.
You’re saying I rate players based on their name? Not once or twice I was accused of being too “harsh” on Arshavin you know
You are usually lenient and that’s why i am surprised.
A person who gives 2 seriously clever assists in the only 2 difficult goals to be scored deserves top-class honours regardless of his other contributions.
Do you know how many people are employed by a football team to just give that always elusive assist – Right Winger, Left Winger, Attacking Midfielder & Support Striker, more than 1/3 of the team – And sometimes, all the 4 of them end up with no assist given and on very many occassions they just provide one.
Come on, Eduardo gave 2!!!!!.
Hence the 6.5 compared to 6 or less gave by others.
But you’re right, I failed to mention them, and I’m glad my ratings are examined in such detail, it’s flattering
I think you’re being harsh on Eastmond. He had a good game, specially in the first half. He’s not big, so he plays more like Denilson than Song, intercepting instead of tackling, which he left to Diaby. Almost scored a very good goal as well. 7 I think.
I would give a 7 to Eduardo as well, 2 very good assists, and generally good play besides that. He attempted around 30 passes or so, but his accuracy was 96%, but higher than anyone else on the team.
Otherwise I agree with your ratings.
The way we lose players is insane i t becoming a problem as the minute you think its ok it turns out it isn’t luckily Mr wenger brought in the young guns they did me proud
On the match we were lucky thank god as Bolton didn’t convert their chances but it is a nice day it is an Arsenal day it was a fab day
We now need to bag them results in the big consistency the champion chip the seriousness of our position and the need of performing on the heist level the belief they are all wanting a first place in the team here is the chance here is the champion chip here is the record books lets go and take what is ours Come on Arsenal
I think that Edouardo is getting back to full match fitness and should get confidence and sharpness increased match by match…
As for the referee, people seemed so surprise… Well it is not surprising to see few of them (english referees) going to major competitions… The problem is they more worried about putting on a show for SKY or ESPN than making the right decisions… I can see at least one penalty for us…!!!
Remember that “idiot” who sent AW in the stand for kicking a bottle of water (trying to make a name for himself, because he knows he is rubbish)… Non sense…!!!
You are telling the truth about referees but calm down, with or without their “rubbish”, we are making it, 2 days from now and we are league leaders and we will be there to stay let’s say until November at least.
the refery was a donkey, what a hell was he doing on the pitch, i thought he wanted our players to get injured more than bolton players wanted. the england football federation must look on him. our defence was … we could have lost this game so easily cose of too many mistakes from that player called Traore. I just do not know how Wenger did’nt change him with clichy, every time the ball went to the left Traore was not there.
Arshavin did well i think, he tried to do everything but playing against a donkey club called Bolton was very difficult for him.
Fabregas, well no coment… the goal was fantastic, he is by far a better player than he was last seasen. And yes Wenger you can say it, Fabregas is the best midfilder in the EPL this seasen.