Arsenal 2 – Bolton 1
Finally something good to write about. We completely outplayed Bolton, which is not that uncommon, but we actually got 3 points from it, which is uncommon.
The game started like almost every other game this season – we conceded a goal. It really was sloppy marking, and I have to see it again to see who is to blame, although maybe I’ll skip the blame when the result is so good.
 Cesc scores, genuine relief and delight |
Rosicky score the equaliser, and Cesc the winner. These two deserve special mention, since they worked hard and for once, their hard work paid off. I’ve always liked Rosicky and I think he can be a special player for us much in the same way as Pires. His shooting technique is great except for the actual aiming, but at least he’s shooting. You can also see the genuine relief and delight when Cesc scored – he’s such a special player. He hasn’t had the best of form recently, and he stuck in there and finally got what he deserved.
Adebayor worked hard too, but he needs to work on his finishing (his other abilities, like holding up the ball, passing, are pretty good already). What a pass by Gilberto too. I’m not his biggest fan since he does misplace passes a bit too often for a central midfielder, but there is no denying his importance to the team. Ljungberg played well, but it looks like he might be injured again, which as I mentioned earlier is one of the three reasons why we don’t need him anymore (the other two being not scoring and not assisting).
We are still making it too difficult for ourselves at times – our intricate passing and one though lay-offs are great to watch, but only if we manage to pull them off. We did manage to pull most of them off during this match, but there are often more direct and easier things that could have been attempted. People will criticize Diaby for not scoring, but he’s not a striker.
Hleb – I thought he played well compared to recent performances. He drove the ball forward, and didn’t misplace his passes as often as he usually does. He still can’t shoot, and that’s not good enough for our current team which already lacks goals. He will be useful when we have other goalscorers in the team, but right now, it just highlights his deficiencies.
Eboue – Lucky not to be caught out for a handball. Possibly at fault for their goal. I also thought that handball apart, he played reasonably well. Was sulking at the end for some reason (some have suggested it’s because Diaby didn’t pass to him for him to score a easy tap in goal at the very end), his mental attitude is strange to say the least. It’s almost as if he is seeking attention and trying to get others to feel sorry for him all the time (hence the diving, and the overreaction to injuries).
And just wanted to add that the entire Bolton team, in the vocabulary of Arseblog, are cunts. Kevin Davies in particular. I would also like to add that if we get rid of Aliadiere and got Anelka back in, it would not be the worst piece of business in the world.
For those that want to download highlights of the game, you should always take a look at the SoccerPulse forums. They have a dedicated Video forum where you can see highlights of almost all the games. You need to register for the forum to read the posts, but it’s free and it’s worth it. The video thread for this game is here. Another great place to download highlights and even full match torrents is at MaXxed Football Forums. Again, you need to register (for free).
Anyway, Man City at home next. A win will most likely secure Champions League football for next season, so let’s hope that’s the case (and also hope that Blackburn win the FA Cup, AC Milan wins the Champions League – I know it’s pathetic and Tottenham-fan-esque to wish for the failure of others, but that’s what being an Arsenal fan in 2007 is like unfortunately – still, our “failed season” might result in a CL place, something that Tottenham has never ever achieved).