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PL: Bolton vs Arsenal | 20/12/03

gooner

Member
This Saturday we take on a Bolton side that are doing really, really well. I so the way they played against Chelsea, and I thought they were excellent. To be honest, Chelsea made more than enough chances to finish the game before half time, but they didn’t and they got their punishment. They also knocked Liverpool out of the FA cup by beating them 3 – 2 at Anfield when Okocha scored a super free kick, and even though they got hammered 4 – 0 by Manchester United they had chances when it was 0 – 0 but coz they didn’t take them they got punished. Normally we are use to seeing Bolton in the bottom three somewhere but this year they are in 10th position in the premier league, and that itself proves how much they have improved.

Bolton is not an easy team to play away, and all gunners will have a sour taste from last season. We were winning 2 – 0 at one point of the game and suddenly we let into very, very cheap goals and ended up being very costly as we needed those points desperately, and we dropped them at a crucial stage of the championship race. I felt like crying after the match, that is how much it affected me and after that we knew it will be very difficult as it was out of our hands and we knew Man Utd were not going to slip up and our nightmare was confirmed when we lost to Leeds at home.

Sam Alladyce, although I hate him has bought in some real good players and has revived there careers, just when everyone nearly forgot the names of all the players. He has bought in Okocha, Djorkaeff, Campo, Jardel, Ba as well as Davies.

The only team to beat Bolton at there own ground this season has Been Birmingham and even they were made to huff and puff till the end of the game.

It was nice to see the Arsenal second team beat the West Brom first team, and now that we will be facing Boro Wenger may decide to throw in a few more first teamers. If we beat boro, and that is a big if, coz Boro will come at us with everything, and when they play well, they play very solid at the back, although they lack someone special up front, we may meet Bolton or Villa in the final although I think it will be Bolton as they are better.

Below is a list of who I think will be Bolton’s key players:

Okocha – Key Man 1
Djorkaeff + Nolan – Key Men 2
Stelios + Pedersen + Davies – Key Men 3
Campo + Ngotty – Key Men 4
Jaaskelainen – Key Man 5

Below is the best eleven I would select for Arsenal:

Lehmann

Lauren Toure Campbell Clichy

Ljungberg Viera Edu Pires

Bergkamp Henry

Although I think Wenger will go with:

Lehmann

Toure Cygan Campbell Clichy

Ljungberg Vieira Gilberto Pires

Bergkamp Henry

Tottenham take on Man utd at White Hart Lane on Sunday and they will get totally battered right from the beginning. Chelsea take on Fulham and although Fulham are having a brilliant season I can’t see Chelsea losing three games in a row. If all goes well with a lot of luck, both of our London sides can do us a big favour, with Tottenham praying to god that they somehow beat Man utd, and Fulham getting something off Chelsea.

I hope the Arsenal team are really fired up for this match and are ready to make up for last seasons result at their ground. The first eleven Arsenal players that played against Blackburn have had a good five days rest, compared to quite a few of the first team players of Bolton who had to play 115 minutes to beat Southampton on Tuesday. There are no excuses for Arsenal as we have a good enough squad, and I hope gunners get full revenge for last years result.

Come On You Gooners!!!
 

Adam

Established Member
I think Ricardo Gardner will also be a key man. His athleticism always serves him well against us.

The big question about our team is Lauren. If he plays, then Cygan is out.
 

Mark

Established Member
i have faith in clichy. he has been quite impressive in carling cup games. how long is ash's ban?
 

XxGoonaStuxX

Active Member
If we play well we will cane them a simple fact. Sometimes our big players don't take the chances given so we end up with dissapointing results (draws) hoepfully Henry will grab himself a goal on Sunday.
 

arsenal4life

Active Member
Okocha determined to play for Nigeria


Jay-Jay Okocha insists he will represent Nigeria in the African Nations Cup next month despite a plea from Bolton manager Sam Allardyce to remain in England.

The influential midfielder could be away for about five weeks and will miss the Carling Cup semi-final against Aston Villa.

Allardyce is incensed that his captain will miss out at such an important stage in the competition.

But Okocha is adamant that he is going to Tunisia.

'I should be there for the team (Bolton) but even though I won't be there in person, I will be there spiritually,' he said. 'My heart will be with the boys. I will wish them the best of luck to get to the final.

'We've got a bigger squad than before and I have no doubt we have the quality to get through. We can do the job. It is a pity that I have to go and I would love to stay after getting to this stage.

'But the African Nations Cup is massive for us and it doesn't really get the publicity it should. It is like playing in the European Championships. I am going late to the training camp and that is already a big effort for me. I can't do much more.'

Bolton entertain Arsenal on Saturday and Okocha says there is a feel-good factor around the dressing room.

'This squad is possibly stronger than it has ever been,' he said Okocha. 'We are growing in confidence game by game and our qualities are coming through. When we relax, we play good football and show the good things we can do.

'In football, you always have a chance and though Arsenal will be a very difficult game for us, we have nothing to lose.'


http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinene ... 84&cc=3888
 

thegame24

Established Member
like i said before in another post.

this match wil be like the leeds game build up

its either gonna be a really hard game to win

or its gonna be a piece of piss and we just whoop em.
 

quattro

Well-Known Member
i think lauren will come in as a sub. the way cygan is playing i doubt he'll be taken out of the first xi. anyway, cygan deserves it. if lauren starts then it'll be clichy sitting on the bench.
 

satan_beckham

Active Member
lauren should be on the bench, he is still not fully fit,and i really want cygan to continue his good work and clichy to play his second premiership game.We should win this as bolton are tired playing to extra time with their first team so this will be a advantage to us.
 

SydneyGunnerFan

Active Member
i hate to to say this but i think this game is going to be close dont want it to be but probably will who ever scored first i reacon will win the game
 

gunner_11

Member
Its a good oppurtunity for clichy to gain some experience against a decent premiership side. It'll give him a chance to prove himself. Its always good when you can see young or new players step up and place selection pressure on more experienced players. good luck to him.
 

lewdikris

Established Member
In all honesty, this is our hardest game til Chelsea in February. Bolton are a real pain in the ass ... but then potentially any of the bottom 17 (lol) are the same. They could hurt you, but just as easily fall apart.

Hopefully they'll be drained after the epic battle in the Carling Cup.

Two things for Saturday:

1. Funny how confident we all are in Clichy innit after 4 whole games. The kid's gonna be brilliant.

2. Aliadiere really needs a league goal to cement his good progress this season. Let's hope he gets it Saturday....
 

slapz

Well-Known Member
I wouldnt bracket Davies in Key Men 3 as he is much better than that.. trust me when i say Campbell will know he's been in a contest

Ricky Gardner will be a major threat as he is very tricky and if he gets his crossing right, we'd be in trouble.

Pedersen wont be playing
 

Andrew

Well-Known Member
We win easily all the games I think we will struggle in and we struggle in all the games I think we'll win easily. This is a game I think we'll struggle in so we will win easy. That will be the case. This season at least it has worked almost 100% of the time!
 

GoonerGurjit

Established Member
This is going to be a really hard game in my view. Allardyce has built a very good team. A midfield consisting of Okocha, Campo, Djorkaeff and Ba is better then most Premiership teams'. I hope we're up for the battle at the Reebok or we'll come home with our first league defeat of the season.
 

KoLo28

Well-Known Member
lets hope the nightmare last season will rev the lads up and we'll come away with the 3points.
 

slapz

Well-Known Member
Goonergurjit said:
This is going to be a really hard game in my view. Allardyce has built a very good team. A midfield consisting of Okocha, Campo, Djorkaeff and Ba is better then most Premiership teams' .

The midfield will most likely be Nolan/Stelios Campo Frandsen and Okocha. Youri will just float
 

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