Match Preview: Bolton v Arsenal (Premier League)
Arsenal will be looking to shoot down the white’s in a tough looking clash at the Reebok tomorrow afternoon.
Gary Megson’s side don’t have a very good record against Arsene Wenger’s boys, and pundits are already writing them off despite Arsenal’s draw against Kiev in midweek.
Games between the two sides usually create plenty of goals, and Bolton fans may be tempted by the 9-1 on offer for the in-form Kevin Davies to bag the opener.
He has already netted two goals in the four opening games of the season and could prove a real handful for the Arsenal defence.
Injury News
Arsenal will again be without midfielder Samir Nasri (knee).
Recent signing Mikael Silvestre remains out with a muscular problem but there were no fresh injury worries from the midweek Champions League trip to Kiev.
Tomas Rosicky (hamstring), Abou Diaby (thigh), Amaury Bischoff (groin) and striker Eduardo (leg) all remain in recovery.
Almunia
Sagna – Toure – Gallas – Clichy
Eboue – Fabregas – Denilson – Vela
Adebayor – van Persie
As for Bolton, Megson is still without defender Gary Cahill who completes his three-match ban tomorrow following his Carling Cup sending off against Northampton.
Matty Taylor is still unavailable through a broken toe while Portuguese striker Ricardo Vaz Te kept himself in the manager’s thoughts with a goal in the reserves’ 3-0 victory over Newcastle.
Match Prediction: Bolton Wanderers 1-2 Arsenal
Bolton v Arsenal build-up starts at 4pm tomorrow afternoon and will be broadcasted live on Setanta Sports 1with kick-off at 5:30.
Catch all the post-match reaction and player ratings here on Gooner Talk seconds after the final whistle.
Leave your views and predictions of tomorrows game in the comments section below.
What happened to Wallcott?
Wenger said he'd rotate a few players for the game. I can't see Walcott starting another match, but you never know.
If he is rotating, then Djourou could be involved… Perhaps Bendtner on, with Ade benched…. Tricky game, I think. Vela would be nice, but I don't know how much he'd fit into our left flank.
yeah, dont see theo starting tomorrow…. played 4 games in 2 weeks and has done a lot of travelling. Really really wanna to see Vela start, we've seen very little of him since the start of the season. Also wanna see Song start, looked good vs kiev. Cesc also hasnt seemed himself since playing alongside Denilson, Cesc's been holding back… hes way too influencial on our game to be holding back.
Almunia
Sagna Toure Gallas Clichy
Eboue Cesc Song Vela
Ade RvP
Solid team…. is it just me or has Eboue starting to impress in midfiled?
Looking forward to the game…. My prediction: 3-1 to the Arsenal.
Would like to see Song play, Walcott has to play, this is a bigger game than Hull next week. He could play 60-75 minutes against Bolton and have time to recuperate with a couple of weeks off.
every one talks about rotating i really dont think we are a side that can. wengers needs to remember we haven't got a second team like Chelsea, we are still short due to injuries and lack of movement in the transfer window we've started really well in the league so far i would hate to see us drop points, one thing wenger said this week was that the key to the winning the premiership this season is down to consistency and i have to say i one hundred and ten percent agree with Mr Wenger saw in my opinion we have to be careful.I would love to see a change up top i really fancy Walcott's chance's up top where he is on fire at the moment i think this could be his perfect opportunity
Almunia
Sagna Toure Gallas Clichy
Eboue Fabregas Denilson Walcott
van Persie Adebayor
0-4 Adebayor (2), van Persie, Fabregas
i thought kick-off was at 5.30?
Cant see walcott starting tomorrow, might come on as an impact sub tho. i think it could be bendtner and ade up front with vela on the left and eboue on the right with probs cesc and denilson. i reckon 2-1
Build up starts from 4:00, sorry mate.
Maybe RVP could be rested, I'd like to see one of the strikers be replaced for a fresh player.
liverpool fan here.
bolton have a few attributes that arsenal should be worried about, as you all know. their long balls into the box can kind kevin davies, whos ariel threat could well be a problem
for arsenal if bolton cross from areas of threat. secondly they rely on a highly combative midfield of kevin nolan, muamba and so forth. arsenals midfield, denilson in particualar, had got to wheather the storm as it were, otherwise arsenal could well lose the midfield. boltons performace also relys on muamba stepping up and proving he can do the DM job.
if arsenal let bolton take over the midfield then they will struggle. their defence hasnt been particularly great recently, blackburn had some joy in their last game against gallas and traore and against boltons set plays and second ball tactics could esily concede. if they can wheather the midfield then arsenal could take bolton to bits, and walcott could be helpful to that end- he can pull the midfield apart if he makes the runs through the middle that got the first goal against blackburn although bolton may well be aware of that tactic. adebayour is going to have the most chances from arsenals attack IMO, so taking them would probably be in arsenals interests.
I think we'll win tomorrow, we'll have to much for Bolton, will be interesting to see Vela on the left wing i think he'd be good there
i would like to see Carlos Vela and RVP up front i dont know but i think that may be interesting to see, i would be a bit worried because they are both left footed strikers but why i think it could work is because i think they could create good link up play plus Vela has got enough pace to beet defenders and he is also good in the air which he has proved his heading ability at international level.
i dont think RVP is the same player when he plays with Adebayor
yeah, you're right..
when they play together, it looks like RVP become a second striker,, not a pure striker.
I would like to see RVP become a beast-in-the-box like when Henry still in Arsenal..