Bolton v Arsenal Preview

Bolton v Arsenal, Wednesday 1st February, 8pm, Premier League, Reebok Satadium


Van Persie celebrates a goal against Bolton at the Emirates back in September when Arsenal won 3-0

Arsenal look to bounce back from hat-trick of defeats

Arsenal are are currently enduring their worst run of consecutive league defeats since 2007. The hat-trick of losses, against Fulham, Swansea and Manchester United leaves Arsenal fighting desperately for a Champions League place - a position the gunners have been in for 14 consecutive years.

Bolton form improves

After 16 league games this season, Bolton had lost 13, winning just 3. But in the last 6 games, Owen Coyle has managed to turn the trotter's form around. Bolton, who beat Arsenal at the Reebok last season in the Premier League, have taken 10 points from the last 18 available, including a 3-1 win against Liverpool ten days ago.

Gunners dominate Emirates meeting

When Arsene Wenger's side met Bolton at the Emirates Stadium earlier in the season, the gunners run out comfortable 3-0 winners. A brace from Robin van Persie, and an excellent solo effort from Alex Song gave Arsenal all three points against struggling Bolton. David Wheater was sent off for the visitors.

Match Facts

* All three goals that Bolton scored against Arsenal last season were headers

* Arsenal have won nine of the last 10 Premier League games against Bolton (W9 L1)

* There has been at least one goal scored in the last 15 minutes of each of the last nine Premier League meetings between Bolton and Arsenal

* Robin van Persie has scored 20 goals in his last 20 Premier League away appearances.

* Bolton have conceded the most goals in the Premier League on home soil (25).

* Arsenal have picked up fewer points after 22 matches (36) than in any Premier League season since 1995-96.

* Only Manchester City (26) have scored more goals away from home in the Premier League than the Gunners (22).

* Owen Coyle’s side have gone 11 games without a clean sheet in the Premier League.

Team News

Arsenal

Djourou is available again after injury, but the game comes too early for Gibbs who is not yet match-fit. Wilshere, Diaby, Jenkinson and Santos are still injured, whilst Gervinho and Chamakh are still on African cup of nations duty.

Bolton

New signing Ream is a doubt for Bolton after travelling to New York trying to sort out a work permit issue. Ryo is not eligible to make his debut yet. Gardner, Lee, Holden and Davis are all injured.



Arsenal subs - Fabianski Djourou Sagna Ramsey Benayoun Arshavin Henry

Manager's views

Arsene Wenger

"Bolton are a better side than the league shows. We felt that when we played them at the Emirates. It will be a competitive game. No matter who you play in the Premier Legaue, you have a competitive game. Our target is to continue to do what we did against Aston Villa. Coyle is doing very well. I always felt that they would recover, because of the basic quality of the players. They have sorted out the Cahill case now too."

Owen Coyle

"I think there is always a stigma involved in being in those (relegation) positions. But the important time to be out of the bottom three is after the last game of the season, ask any manager and they will tell you that. We have now given ourselves a foundation and a platform to continue the good work that we have done in the last month and a half or so, but to do that we need to be at our best. The Premier League is unforgiving and you have to be at your very best every time you cross that white line."

considering how generous we are to teams like these.i am not too confident about this

Bolton will be on the high beating pool last week. And after their signings in last few days. Lets hope Sordell doesnt play..


We will be tired, very tired and wenger will go with the same team pretty much, apart from Sagna at RB.

Subs will decide the game for us IMO if we are level or losing.

However we have a good record against them so lets hope we win

Manc lost , Chelsea drew Hmmm Sounds like opportunity to me , so i guess we already lost , right ?

Nice preview Sam.

I expect us to win this one, no matter how good thier current form is. Its a must win. Its going to be hard one though but recently every fixture has been hard for Arsenal.

I think Ramsey will start over Rosicky unless he is injured or tired. And there is chance that Sanga might start too.

Rosicky can't even play 90 mins these days. Sometimes i wonder whats he good for

We'll concede first, because we don't like doing things easy at Ashburton Grove

gunnerlistick wrote:Rosicky can't even play 90 mins these days. Sometimes i wonder whats he good for

He's been playing very well when subbed on and did decently when starting. Yeah, he can't last 90 but in the time he's there his presence is felt.

Anyone wanna bet Götze the 2nd will be included on the bench?

Lex wrote:We'll concede first, because we don't like doing things easy at Ashburton Grove

The Arsenal way.

Great preview Sam.

A must win game, we are playing a team who have been playing well as of late and it will be hard but I think we can get all 3 points.

Since Chelsea drew today we will also draw or lose, as the law of the universe refuses us to catch up with them.

great job as always
against LFC they were brave & gave bellamy a bit too much space behind their defence at times
would they do that with theo ?suicide?

also eagles in that match came inside too much


wouldnt it be blessing in disguise to play right footed Fullback vs him

and where is sam rickets
if robinson starts vs theo :lucas:
petrov out swinging corners looked dangerous as well

and after our come back vs villa
ironically bolton have conceded most number of goals in that period

Great preview Sam!

If we win this and our next game against Blackburn (reasonable) then we can leapfrog Chelsea since they'll probably lose more points against United.

Of course, realistically, this is Arsenal.

they got a hardworkin midfield in the name of muamba....dnt think he is gon be assigned to man-mark anybody.....rio coker,does he still hav the tank in him?

He scored against pool last time out and scored against us last time we played his team, villa I think.