Defending and attacking as a team. Bolton 1 Asnl 0

By Boris Mellor
January 15 2005

Bolton were well deserving of their victory, and 3-0 would not have flattered them.

Arsenal only played as champions in fits and starts, and were dominated by the Trotters for much of the game. Although the goal did not come directly from a free kick, it was the usual frailty as crosses that saw Arsenal succumb to a Stelios header from a Diouf cross. Almunia flapped as Kolo ball watched, and the hardly tall Stelios rose above the whole defence at the far post to decide the match.

Even the clear cut chances that Arsenal had, and there were not that many, were powder puff shots, or hit wide. In the second half Van Persie hit a hard shot straight at the Bolton keeper, who couldn’t hold it, it bounced up to Pires who with the keeper stranded headed it wide of the post. From then on it was obvious that Bolton would hold firm.

Perhaps Arsenal were too frenetic, too anxious, they carried on attacking until the end, but as a spectator you had the feeling the ball would not find the Bolton net.

Not that Bolton made it easy for the Arsenal attack, the final third was always crowded with Bolton bodies, but they did not just defend, Jay Jay and Diouf gave the Arsenal defence plenty to think about. Diouf made the goal for Stelios, and manfully competed for the Sylvan Wiltord all time offside calls record. Nonetheless he could have had a hat full of goals from the number of times he managed to get on side. Fortunately for the Gunners he cannot hit a cows backside with a banjo.With Edu and Gilberto missing long term, and Paddy struggling to maintain his form, our midfield is clearly feeling the strain. At a time like this it would be more than unfortunate to lose Edu and Lauren. Without Lauren, Ljunberg struggled to remain effective on the right hand side. Edu’s return would make Arsenal’s midfield less predictable in creating chances for the forwards.

It would be easy to start picking on different players and performances, but it has to be said that we could learn from Bolton, they attacked and defended as a team, Arsenal played as individuals not as a unit. Pat Rice had stressed the need to attack and defend as a team in his pre match conference, perhaps the team need to see the replay, they clearly missed it the first time.