Bolton v Arsenal - unnuh rope eeen on FSC! ...NOW!

[Karl]

Bolton v Arsenal


Venue: Reebok Stadium Date: Saturday, 20 September Kick-off: 1730 BST
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio Five Live & highlights on Match of the Day </B>


Bolton striker Johan Elmander is hoping to return having been out for almost a month with a hamstring injury.

Matt Taylor remains on the sidelines with a broken toe and central defender Gary Cahill is also out as he completes his two-match suspension.

Arsenal are still without midfielder Samir Nasri, who has a knee injury.
Mikael Silvestre has a muscular problem and misses out along with Tomas Rosicky (hamstring), Abou Diaby (thigh) and Amaury Bischoff (groin).

Bolton (from): Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, ****************tu, A O'Brien, Samuel, Gardner, Muamba, Nolan, McCann, J O'Brien, Davies, Helguson, Riga, Elmander, Hunt, Vaz Te, Cohen, Fojut, Al Habsi.

Arsenal (from): Almunia, Clichy, Toure, Gallas, Sagna, Eboue, Fabregas, Denilson, Walcott, Adebayor, van Persie, Fabianski, Song, Djourou, Vela, Bendtner, Randall.

Bolton boss Gary Megson:
"All of the matches are a test but there are four clubs in this country who are exceptional in a league that's very strong, and Arsenal are one of them.

"When you look right the way through, there is quality in every position, pace in every position and a great deal of know how.

"These are the games where nobody expects you to do anything, but from my own point of view, I do expect the players to do something.
"If we play like we can and are on the front foot then we can give anybody a game."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger:
"We are prepared for another away game where we will need extra mental resources to get a good result.

"We have a great mental strength in the side and also quality.
"We have either been really good or really bad there, lost or won, nothing really in between.

"But also Bolton for years had a good side - they still have - and that is why nobody liked to go to Bolton because everybody knows usually they give great commitment."




BIG-MATCH FACTS

Arsenal head for the Reebok Stadium in search of a third successive Premier League victory, having gained a point from their midweek Champions League visit to Russia courtesy of a 1-1 draw with Dynamo Kiev, and a last minute equaliser from William Gallas.

Bolton are hoping to add to their solitary opening day victory, home to Premier League new boys Stoke.

The Trotters have failed to score in two Premier League matches; no club has missed the target in more top-flight games this term.
Arsenal have completed an unequalled three clean sheets, going into this round of fixtures.

The Gunners have scored twice as many goals as Wanderers (eight to four), and have scored one more league goal away from home than Bolton have managed in front of their home supporters (four to three).

Arsenal came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 with a stoppage-time own goal in their last visit to Bolton in March. They had lost the previous three trips to the Reebok and had not won on five league visits to the North-West club.
Distance between the clubs: 207 miles (333 kilometres)

CLUB FORM
BOLTON WANDERERS 13th 4 points
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 4th
Lowest could fall: 17th



1. Lost their last match 2-1, away to Fulham but not suffered back-to-back defeats in nine Premier League matches, since an eight-match winless sequence between 9 February and 5 April.
2. Gained nine wins in 32 Premier League matches under Gary Megson (28%).
3. Need to score two more goals to total 400 all-time in the Premier League.
4. Four goals shy of conceding 500 in Premier League history, and one short of shipping 200 on home turf.
5. Picked up 10 points from a last available 12 at home; conceding just one goal in the process.
6. Won one of their last 15 Premier League matches against London clubs.
7. Ended a four-match winless home Premier League sequence against clubs from the capital, with a 1-0 win over West Ham on 12 April.



ARSENAL 3rd 9 points
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 1st
Lowest could fall: 6th




1. Won seven of the last eight Premier League matches.
2. Conceded one goal in six hours of Premier League football this season.
3. Completed 50 Premier League matches since a loss by more than a single goal; 4-1, away to Liverpool on 31 March 2007, being the most recent.
4. If they fail to score, they will equal the number of occasions that happened in the entire Premier League campaign last season (twice).
5. Lost one of the last 17 league games against North-West opponents; 2-1 away to Manchester United on 13 April.


KEY PLAYER NOTES

BOLTON WANDERERS If he scores:-

Matthew TAYLOR will reach 50 club career goals (Luton, Portsmouth and Bolton).

If selected:-
Jussi JAASKELAINEN will be making his 350th English league appearance - all in a Bolton goalkeepers' jersey.
Fabrice MUAMBA will be facing a former club. The 20 year old midfielder made two appearances for Arsenal at the outset of his professional career in 2005.

If on the field from the outset:-
Ricardo GARDNER will be making his 250th league start in Bolton colours.

Suspended:-
Gary CAHILL (one match)


ARSENAL If selected:-

New signing Mikael SILVESTRE will be making his 250th Premier League appearance - all previous 249 were for Manchester United.
DENILSON will be making his 50th appearance in an Arsenal shirt.

HEAD TO HEAD

Arsenal have won 50% of their Premier League meetings with Bolton (nine of 18).
The Gunners have won their last four league and cup matches against the Trotters.
Wanderers last registered three points against the North London club on 25 November 2006, when Nicolas Anelka scored twice and Aboulaye Diagne-Faye got the other in a 3-1 triumph.
Bolton were one of nine clubs Arsenal completed the double over last season; Arsenal were one of four to do the double over Bolton.

Home and away
League (inc PL): Bolton 34 wins, Arsenal 45, Draws 31
Prem: Bolton 4 wins, Arsenal 9, Draws 5

at Bolton only
League (inc PL): Bolton 27 wins, Arsenal 13, Draws 15
Prem: Bolton 4 wins, Arsenal 3, Draws 2

LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME

Bolton Wanderers 2-3 Arsenal
29 March 2008 - Ref: Chris Foy
Bolton scorers: Taylor 14, 43
Arsenal scorers: Gallas 62, Van Persie 68 pen, Samuel 90 og
Sent Off: Diaby (Arsenal) 31
REFEREE
Steve Bennett (Orpington, Kent)

[Rico]

Watching Karl, Bolton just scored. Bibbi looks in good nick.

[Rico]

This is avintage Arsenal performance, its now 2-1. Looking ominous for Bolton.

Arsenal, playing like this are unstoppable,

[Karl]

Bibi having a good go!
...but the YOUNGER GUNNERS are playing dream football!

[Twan]

If only our Boyz could pass and move , like these Gunners...we would be unbeatable... !!

[Karl]

Watching Karl, Bolton just scored. Bibbi looks in good nick.

Hear yuh, boss!
Watched it again!
...and you are soooo right - Bibi had a peach of a game. Could it be that some us cannot see his good play for Jamaica because they concentrate on how easily the passes he makes are turned over by his NPL teammates?

[Karl]

If only our Boyz could pass and move , like these Gunners...we would be unbeatable... !!

You seit, tuh!
Point is most of our locals cannot "control the ball" to save their life. Each time I take a look at our Mexico match and see our NPL players attempting to pass...and attempting to "control" the ball...giving it straight to the Mexicans I weep!

In all seriousness that Mexican team could have been beaten with a REAL TEAM REGGAE BOYZ! ...and that match was in the Azteca

Would not surprise me if Tappa and his TEAM REGGAE BOYZ win all the remaining home matches! Would not surprise me one little bit!

Oooooh if our best senior TEAM had been playing together from after we were knocked out of the 2006 qualifiers?

I am convinced that we would somewhere in and around FIFA #30 - FIFA#35 now...and playing the type of football that would show we belong! Needed the best TEAM Reggae Boyz in continuous practise & training as are the TEAMs from Brazil, Germany and Spain...etc! Even the USA and Mexico keep their teams in continuous training/preparation mode as they play an unrelenting series of matches between World Cups! Wah appen fi wi players and TEAM as nuh su-maddi pickney dem tuh? Wi nuh waan dem fi guh tuh di TOP OF THE WORLD...tuh?

[Jangle]

His one fault that I saw in that game and many games for us is that he falls over too easily. He seriously needs to work on his strength.

[Jangle]

It must be because today is Sunday why I am even agreeing with Karl. I see may here talking about using our natural speed in our teams. Whilst that speed SHOULD be incorporated into our game, we need to be taught mental speed also. Karl my SECOND favourite team tore Bolton a new one yesterday, especially in the first half. Even though Arsenal does possess a few speed demons in the team, their play looks even faster because the players see the passes before the ball reach them. Most of the times each player only take two touches of the ball before he releases it. That is drilled into them during practice, so it's second nature for them. For Jamaica to play like that, they would have to start from Primary School ages.

[Karl]

It must be because today is Sunday why I am even agreeing with Karl. I see may here talking about using our natural speed in our teams. Whilst that speed SHOULD be incorporated into our game, we need to be taught mental speed also. Karl my SECOND favourite team tore Bolton a new one yesterday, especially in the first half. Even though Arsenal does possess a few speed demons in the team, their play looks even faster because the players see the passes before the ball reach them. Most of the times each player only take two touches of the ball before he releases it. That is drilled into them during practice, so it's second nature for them. For Jamaica to play like that, they would have to start from Primary School ages.

Damn?! (Scratch head!)
Yuh a larn di game!

We have speed just about in everyone, excepting Fabregas!

Bibi is our best passer and mover!
...and he has great vision!
Just wish he could shoot...and would shoot more often!

[Jangle]

See where we differ in opinion now. Bibi is not the best passer that we have. Jermaine Hue and then Andy Williams are our best passers. Bibi does move a lot and his most effective weapon is his crosses from the left wing.

[Karl]

See where we differ in opinion now. Bibi is not the best passer that we have. Jermaine Hue and then Andy Williams are our best passers. Bibi does move a lot and his most effective weapon is his crosses from the left wing.

At this stage Bibi has passed those guys. He moves more, offers himslf more often as passing receipt option and thus receives more opportunites...and passes more often. Long passes, short passes...and yuh dun know yuh jus talk bout im long passes from the wing aka

crosses from the left wing!

[Robnya]

See where we differ in opinion now. Bibi is not the best passer that we have. Jermaine Hue and then Andy Williams are our best passers. Bibi does move a lot and his most effective weapon is his crosses from the left wing.

Bibi is bolton and JA's best central midfielder, it also happens that he is the teams best leftback and best left mid.
he used to feep Nolan on the bench.

[Gamma]

when the locks get wet....him get top heavy....

[Twan]