What They Say - Arsenal v Bolton

Results

Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
14 Apr	3:00 PM	P	Bolton Wanderers (H)	2	1	Win

I've been on, and collected some quotes from a combination of the forums at boltonbanter.com and the-wanderer.co.uk this week with our big game against the Trotters coming up tomorrow. There's been a lot to talk about between these two sides over the years, and now there's a possible fight for a Champions League place thrown into the equation as well, so it was very interesting to hear what they're saying in the build up to this one...

At the start of the season, what were your hopes and expectations for this campaign?

Hope were for another European place. Expectation, mine anyway where that we'd just miss out - warthog

Expectation was a top half finish; Hope was Uefa Cup and Dream was Champions League - Drew

Hopes were that we get in the UEFA Cup. The PL is so tight in that mid-table group, that we could have finished anywhere between 5th and 15th. One bad run could finish your season - Billy Bradshaw

Expected a top half finish, and wanted/half expected uefa. Brining in the Elk sort of made me think he could be the difference between a good season and an excellent one. Outside chance of CL but I think it is a season too early. We've only played in Europe once in our entire history - Mark E

Top 8 and more entertaining football - Dr.Karl

And how about now? Do you expect you'll be able to overtake us and claim 4th spot?

It's an outside chance, but we've blown it by dropping points at home to the likes of Man City, Blackburn, Charlton and Everton - warthog

It has to be a possibility given your recent shaky form - but we've not been all that flash either. I suspect that the upcoming game will sort out our aspirations. If we win we'll be ecstatic and - even with your game in hand - start to consider a CL spot a possibility. Mind you, we've a couple or three tough games looming so I suspect that you'll flap over the line a few points ahead of us - Dujon

Well, I'd love us to go gung-ho for the fourth spot given that it's unthinkably close but I can't see it. Allardyce has chosen to play it down (and has been quoted saying that the CL might 'destroy' us) because he thinks it takes the pressure off the players, and that's his choice, but I think it's a big charade that achieves little. Most Bolton fans disagree with me, but I don't think we looked as hungry as we might in our draw with Everton, given the size of the prize on offer. If we beat you, we might have no choice but to start believing, so here's hoping - mummywhycantieatcrayons

Top 8 is in the bag, shame about the entertainment. We've got UEFA cup qualification almost sewn up so I was hoping for an all out blitz against Everton to push Arsenal for that fourth spot. Unfortunately the team didn't push on for second for fear of losing a point, which was disappointing. We need a win at your place to realistically have a chance, I just hope Sam lets the players go out there and play with freedom and really push for a win, we've got nothing to lose whereas the Gunners have it all to lose - Dr.Karl

We're starting to get to know each other quite well over the last few years, who do you think will make the difference for you this time?

Usuals, Anelka and Diouf mainly, with a cheeky bit of Davies thrown in - Batman

With a bit of luck (and the 'big game'- for us - situation) the front three will gel as a unit. Diouf and Anelka combined with a reasonably paced Teymourian could cause a bit of consternation in your back line; but only if they click - Dujon

If Anelka's in the mood, like he was in our home fixture with you, he's devastating - mummywhycantieatcrayons

Our Front 3 of "The Elk", The Dioufster and Kevin Davies, we also have probably the best goalkeeper in the Premiership in the shape of Jussi - bdifb

Diouf loves to be hated. He's our most creative player and I know your boys will get on his back. He's getting better at keeping his cool and seems to love answering the boos with outstanding performances. I guarantee you he will do something naughty in the first 5 minutes to get the crowd - and Lehmann - on his back! - Mark E

If we're to win at Ashburton then we need our keeper to be in fine form, just like Green last week! - Dr.Karl

Any single player on your side been a real disappointment this season?

Nolan, he has been poor by last years standards - Batman

'Disappointment' is probably a strong word. We know who plays for us and we know what to expect. Some perhaps have played below expectations (Campo, Stelios as examples) - Dujon

Everyone will say Kevin Nolan - he's only had a couple of good games all season and has looked pretty immobile at times. It's thought that captaincy has had a negative effect on him as he seems far more interested in remonstration than he is in playing his own game - mummywhycantieatcrayons

I'd go along with the others and say Stelios It took him some time to make a first team spot his own and thoroughly deserved his spot. But he seems to have just been plodding along this season - Billy Bradshaw

I've been disappointed with a couple of players. Nolan isn't as good as he thinks he is. Well, he could be but he's not quite doing it this season. Also Vaz Te after a good finish last year - but not been given a chance for whatever reason - Mark E

With a lot of our best players out, who do you fear most in the current Arsenal side and why?

Rosicky caused us massive problems in the FA cup replay. He could do the same again - warthog

I think Fabregas is one of the best players in the country, but Ljungberg has always been a thorn in our side - mummywhycantieatcrayons

Ljungberg - he is one of the few players that has never seemded to be intimidated by playing us - Drew

Rosicky - He is fast becoming a very consistent player....and he's good! - Billy Bradshaw

What did you make of your signing of ex-gunner Nicolas Anelka at the start of the season, and what do you think of him now?

I wasn't convinced at first but he's proved his worth. The way he's tried to adapt to the way we play is highly commendable - warthog

Surprised. We spent a huge amount of money (for us) to sign him. While it's taken a while he now seems to be showing his true form and is fitting in well with our setup - Dujon

At £8.6million I thought him overpriced. His record at Fenerbahce was poor - their fans were delighted to see the back of him - and they had only paid £5.5million for him when he was two years younger. I thought he'd be a flop and for a dozen games that's exactly what he looked like. Since then he's done quite well, especially against his former clubs, as you will no doubt recall. So he's scored 10 league goals now, which isn't bad seeing as the way we play doesn't really suit him, but isn't great given that we spent our entire transfer budget on him. At times, I have been very impressed with the work he has been prepared to get through for the team, but it very much depends on whether he's in the mood. I wrote the following about him in a report on the Everton game: "He tries to do everything in a languid, shrugging, Gallic style that shows how effortlessly brilliant he is. Of course, the problem with constantly trying to appear effortless is that after a while people start to wonder whether you're really putting enough effort in." Given his fairly limited effectiveness in our 11, he is overrated round these parts - mummywhycantieatcrayons

I thought it was an ambitious risk with lots of promise and the possibility of being a complte disaster. 95% of the time he is top class. When he has the ball he just looks in a different league to most players. He has worked really hard for the team and scored some crucial goals as well as being invlved in many others. His partnership with both Diouf and Davies has developed well. The only criticism is that for short periods in games where things have gone badly he has looked disinterested. Overall 8/10 and I hope he stays for a long long time - Drew

If anyone could fix him, Sam could! No doubting his quality, and Sam has got him working extremely hard, which I've not seen before from him. Seems to have settled in and big partnership forming particularly with Dioufy - Mark E

Arsenal have really struggled with the physical play of teams like Bolton over the last few years, what was different in the FA Cup clash at the Reebok earlier in the season?

You struggled again, as I recall. It had to fall one way after we couldn't be separated after 180 minutes of football, and it fell your way. If anything I wish Faye had been playing in the replay, because he's one of our tough lads that your quick youngsters don't like coming up against - mummywhycantieatcrayons

Bolton are nowhere near as physical as the press seem to think. If by physical you mean we try and take the ball off you then we are physical. The difference in the replay was a little bit of luck but you came out of the traps quicker than we did and we stood off you for too long early on - Drew

Bolton seem to raise their game against the big boys (Man U excluded). With Arsenal, we know each other so well that we play with extra confidence and that shows in our game - Billy Bradshaw

Your midfield was given too much space and thats how Rosicky and Hleb had a big influence on the game. I also think we missed Davies and with him in we might have won the game - BigDan

It's difficult to stop a top class passing team in full flow, just ask Roma. We were blown away in the first half and I was surprised we hung on in there in the 2nd. On other occasions Arsenal haven't played to their full potential (partly down to us stifling your midfield) and we've capatalised - Dr.Karl

Would you rather have Bolton's gritty approach or Arsenal's flair and fluid passing movement?

I'd like both. In fact I think we do have both. I don't know whether it's Allardyce's tactics or whatever but we do seem to revert to defensive mode when we really don't need to. Clean sheets are all well and good but to sit back and try to defend a one goal lead (to me as an expert tactician overlooked by each and every Premier League club) is a bit silly - Dujon

I'd rather have the two combined which is what we are slowly developing (we are a long way behind on the passing). Players like Diouf and Anelka have a lot of flair. Davies can turn a player and pass the ball what we lack is pace in midfield but it looks like Andranik may be providing that - Drew

Bolton have also got some flair players but do not not use it to its full potential. Arsenal need to start using a more grittier approach along with the flair if they want challenge for the Premiership Title - bdifb

No doubt.....Arsenal's flair every time. But there are a number of factors that have an effect here. We were relegated twice before cementing our place in the PL. We had no money (and still have very little) and we had to do whatever we could to stay in the PL. That was the be all and end all. Not only did we do that, but Sam Allardyce has turned us into one of the most consistent teams (re league placings) in the PL. I expect he is loathe to move away from a formula that has brought us this consistency. Also, the quality of our players is a factor. Sam knows that we will struggle to keep that consistency going, so the typical Bolton recruit must be ready to roll up his sleeves and sweat blood for the club. Up and coming British players who have done nothing cost £5m-£10m and Sam won't pay it. So we do tend to get the gritty type of player. It's an ongoing debate on this forum about whether we should switch. Some want to switch even if it means relegation. For me, the PL is the place to be. I want to be playing Man U, Arsenal and Chelsea.....not Grimsby, Wolves and Leeds - Billy Bradshaw

You were unlucky not to win at Ashburton Grove earlier in the season, will you do it this time?

I doubt it. Arsenal are making chances but not taking them. I fear they'll break the drought against us - warthog

Let's ponder the imponderable. We are capable of beating you, certainly, but, to use the old cliché, it very much depends on which of our teams turns up on the day - Dujon

I think we stand a good chance - neither of us is playing particularly well but there can be no better time to play Arsenal - mummywhycantieatcrayons

If we play to our best and keep tight on your players then we have a good chance. If we stand off like we have done against Man Utd then we will lose - Drew

We have a good chance. We've kinda found winning form again lately so we'll just nick another victory off you like West Ham - Big Dan

Our record at Arsenal is a bit of a myth, we never win there, we come away with scrappy draws usually but I'm feeling a bit bullish about this one, the chance to overtake Arsenal may spur us on to a victory - Dr.Karl

If your players can give the Reebok Champions League football next season, do you think you'll finally attract bigger crowds? ;)

Maybe, but that might depend more on the level of entertainment on offer because it's that that sways the extra few thousand in the Bolton area - mummywhycantieatcrayons

Part of our lower support problem is the proximity of so many other Premiership clubs (as well as lower league clubs). If we get into the Champions League then I think we will get bigger crowds but we won't be selling out every game unless the price drop is big enough. I think cost is a huge factor - Drew

What we have to remember here is that we are surrounded by teams like Man U, City, Liverpool, Everton, Blackburn and a host of teams from lower divisions. So we are never going to draw 70,000 crowds even if we had the capacity. Yes, we can fill the Reebok from time to time, but that is effected by our opponents as well. The CL should draw bigger crowds, but disposable income is a big factor in this and I suspect many of our fans don't have a lot of it. So I think it would help fill the Reebok, but I don't see us suddenly gaining a massive fan base even if we qualified year after year - Billy Bradshaw

Thanks to these kind Bolton fans for their words. To follow the discussions in full, click here or here.

User Comments

Sunaadh

Posted on 15 Apr, 2007 at 02:14 AM - Reply

Absolutely love this feature..

Surprised to see the Bolton fan's respectful replies.

wilson

Posted on 14 Apr, 2007 at 01:00 PM - Reply

Arsenal should play with posetive mind we lost the game we should won. Henry and van Persie are not the who can make the team the sould have a special plays like Hleb, Fabregas and Rosicky.who able to win games for Arsenal

RC8

Posted on 13 Apr, 2007 at 11:36 PM - Reply

Thanks to these Bolton fans for posting so rationally, and thanks Mark for making this report.

I believe we can beat them easily, but we can lose to them just as easily. I'm not really looking forward to it...

g

Posted on 13 Apr, 2007 at 08:39 PM - Reply

To all glory hunters like Sean, why dont ya follow Chelski. They know how to buy trophies.

GBH

Posted on 13 Apr, 2007 at 08:18 PM - Reply

Sean,
Point taken about trophylessness and not wanting to become an academy but Wenger out???
Are you a spurs fan in disguise?

Another Sean

Posted on 13 Apr, 2007 at 08:16 PM - Reply

You're talking crap. Arsene Wenger is a legend. Next season we will win at least one major trophy and challenge on all fronts. We cannot just ditch Wenger when these youngsters are one or two seasons away from being class.

Look at Diaby, Denilson, Walcott, BENDTNER!!!

priceless

Posted on 13 Apr, 2007 at 06:58 PM - Reply

Arsenal can beat Bolton this time around cuz this is the most vital point that arsenal needs the season.If the players remain focus beating bolton is achevieable

Sean

Posted on 13 Apr, 2007 at 04:38 PM - Reply

I think it is time for Wenger to move on...He has been great, a great professor training and bring up future stars, but we need a winner, winner of trophies! I do not want to see AFC becoming an academy for other clubs...

Good it we have a change of leadership, ownership and focus!! Thank you Wenger, but no thanks!

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