PL: Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers | 20/03/04

[kNiteMare]

I would rather lose to Chelsea. EPL is a lot more important to us than the CL atm. Definitly.

 

[patrick42uk]

i dont agree. with the games we have i think its RIGHT to shut off shop when you have a two goal lead becausse thats a comfortable cushion at any stage of a game. energy conservation is important especially at this late stage of the season.

I don't agree with you, 2 goals is not enough. They get 1 flukey goal and they right back in it. Once you switch off it is hard to get going again, this is what happened to us. We simply couldn't get going after Lehmann had made the mistake and Campo scored. Bolton at this point were in full flow and we ended up having to hang on for most of the 2nd half, that is more draining then actually playing well.

IMO, its a risk worth taking. Whats to say you can carry on playing well and they wont score anyway? if you get two early goals and keep things solid without much exertion you can get away with it as well as saving energy. You are not going to win games by three or fours goal everytime, no matter what team you are. thats pure fantasy.

The game today emphasised the change between us this season and last. Look at how many 2-1 wins we have had this season. it shows that even with a single goal cushion we have, as a team, improved drastically defensively. I no longer fear collapses in the league like last year. i'v said this before. there are two certainties when arsenal have played domestically this season. the first is that we will score, and the second is that we wont concede more than one. That is a guranteed draw even before we step on to the pitch, and our quality more often than not ensures we score more than one. Teams will give everything to be in such a postion, but some fans seem to be taking it for granted.

 

[Ladygooner]

I haven't seen the game yet - will watch the highlights later but by the sound of things, probably not worth me watching the 2nd half (I have very bad nerves!!)

I think that once Arsenal went 2-0 up, they forgot they still had another hour or so left 2 play, and probably started thinking ahead 2 the Chelsea & ManU games.

I would like 2 think we will show more concentration with the next 2 games coming up.

 

[Jasper]

How much money do we get by winning the EPL?

How much do we get by winning each CL game?

 

[kNiteMare]

last year it's half a million difference per rank in the EPL, and a bit more for champions i think. Dunno exactly how much tho, I think a few others would have a much clearer idea.

for the CL, someone mention it in another thread, you get money for appearance and more for winning i think.

 

[Arsenal316]

This mentality will end up costing you points, we had it last season and we just played for the first half and went missing in the 2nd, when we only had 1 goal leads we threw away points.

Well, let's face it. ALL teams that get leads will eventually decide to sit back for the rest of the game. It would obviously be nice if every team would just continue to score endlessly until the game was over, but that' s just not the case. Remember, we have an important game on Wednesday....probably the most important game of the season. There was no need to continue to run around rampant trying desperately to score another goal. They know they have to conserve their strength.

When you have a lead, you have the luxury to sit back and make the other team play harder. If your such a good team that can withstand that pressure, like Arsenal is, then that's the mark of a very good team.

Do not discredit Arsenal's ability to do that. The mark of good teams is to be able to win while not playing at their best. In any case, we ended up with 3 more vital points. That's 3 points closer to the title. As long as we continue to gets points, we'll be fine. The next 3 EPL games will be REALLY tough....hard to expect us to win all three with the schedule we have, and the quality of opponents we are facing.

But don't forget, sometimes you win pretty, and sometimes you win ugly. But a win is a win is a win, period.

 

[PolishGooner]

Yeah, another 3 points. And polish scarves waving on highbury

 

[The Mini]

What was the score?

 

[Ladygooner]

Well, at least we are in a position in the EPL to not have to win all our games.....but I still get nervous about even conceding a draw, simply because it disrupts our momentum. On both occasions when we won the EPL in 1998 and 2002, we were unbeaten from December onwards. Last year, we were beaten by Blackburn in March and then it all went wrong. Just think that the longer you keep winning, the better, for the confidence but obviously we're gonna have 2 lose one day....just hope it's not in the next 3 weeks!

 

[Jasper]

Something like 250 million pounds tv revenue to be shared for the CL.
15 million for each team that reaches the first phase.
another 10 million for the quarter final phase.
250,000 per win, 125,000 per draw.
Does that even cover the hotel and food bills?


I heard maybe only 10 million pounds for winning the EPL?

I think many teams such as Juventus has already stated more money is to be made in the CL than in the domestic leagues.

Also less games to be played!

 

[Ladygooner]

What was the score?

2-1 to Arsenal.......................just!

 

[The Mini]

good.

 

[kajej]

Referee was **** today. It wasn't enough that Bolton were frustrating us, he had to piss the hell out of me too. In the first half, whenve Bolton came close to scoring there was some woman who screamed and game me a heart attack even before the guy hit the ball. I particularly liked it when Freddie hada go at the ref after kickin the post and then kickin the ball at Charltons head lol! ( the guy who fouled Ljumberg for what should have been a penalty).

Ashley Cole didn't look particualry good today, maybe we should giveClichya game so that he can get his act back together.

Toure was definaely man of the match, solid game for him.

 

[Ladygooner]

Referee was s**t today. It wasn't enough that Bolton were frustrating us, he had to piss the hell out of me too. In the first half, whenve Bolton came close to scoring there was some woman who screamed and game me a heart attack even before the guy hit the ball. I particularly liked it when Freddie hada go at the ref after kickin the post and then kickin the ball at Charltons head lol! ( the guy who fouled Ljumberg for what should have been a penalty).

Ashley Cole didn't look particualry good today, maybe we should giveClichya game so that he can get his act back together.

Toure was definaely man of the match, solid game for him.

Jeff Spelling on Sky was adamant it wasn't a penalty - said that Frank McLintock was viewing the match with red and white eyes

I'll just have 2 make my own mind up later when I watch the highlights.

 

[Legend#1]

It wasn't a pleasing performance in the 2nd half, we switched off like we did against Charlton, but we just had the mental strength to sneak through unlike last season

Definately seemed like the players were focused on the Chelski and Manure games and we were lucky to escape with the win

But we did get the 3 pts and the refereeing was atrocious, 2 clear cut penalties

Were the best team in the country at the moment so sometimes things like this will happen, we just have to show our mental strength and do the job were sent out to do

 

[Jinn]

We keep rolling on, picking up points.

Continue to do that and before we know it, we'll have won!

 

[Sol man]

Well done to the boys on another fantastic win. It might not have been the best we have played but a win is a win. Bring on Chelski

 

[Arsenal316]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=294815&cc=5901

Very well put. Can't argue with many of his points.

 

[mayoud]

Confucius say, "3 points is 3 points Grasshopper'

 

[mephisto]

allardyce the ******'s post match comments : from soccernet.com

"'I think they should have let us have a point because they still could have set a record then."

what kind of f**king logic is that? :evil:

btw i just finished reading "fever pitch" ... beautifully written, just sums up what it's like to be a gooner ..