Arsenal v Bolton - Carling Cup 4th round

[boltonboris]

You can't back of defenders like that. Knight showed a lot Of fear there when Arshavin jogged at him.

All he needs to do is step up and force him round the outside. That way you can double up, or force his shot from a more difficult angle where you're more likely to block it.

Closing somebody up in the box doesn't mean you have to commit to a challenge. But I wouldn't expect Knight to know that, cos he's feckin' shit

[Tombwfc]

Calling our players shit and embarrassments based off 5 second .gifs, christ.

Anyway, looks like we played quite well. Good, I guess.

[coffeymagic]

I was a bit confused when I saw the team sheet last night.

Players who'd been dropped for not being up to scratch back in? Was he giving them one last chance or was he throwing the towel in on the League Cup? With our chances of winning the Premier League dwindling slightly I thought taking a full strength side down and going for the win could have been good for morale.

We all knew Wenger would put out his second string so.....

I dunno, would we have won with our first team? Am I trying to second guess too much?

I'm sure this has been said before but what does Robbie Blake bring to the club?

Is he good at going for the pies or is he a 'character' in the dressing room?

Long story short another defeat snatched from the jaws of victory.

It sounded like they played well but 'played well and lost' is the mantra of a team going down.

I still say stick with Coyle but I'm getting worried by the lack of belief in the team, especially when we're on the back foot.

Bogdan better than Al Habsi?

[Gary the Enfield]

We did play well last night. But for Klasnic having an off day we could well have won that game.

However, even without Petrov and Robinson our left side still looked weak. The right back berth was, sadly lacking and Steinsson was too central for the second goal.

N'Gog was lively when he came on and Mark Davies played well in midfield.

All in all it was a largely expected result but not an embarrassment.


Credit to our fans who still managed to be louder than the whole Emirates Stadium apart from the 2 x30 second intervals when the Arse scored.

Fat Frank was there too.

[Gooner Girl]

Sorry Hoboh, noone nicked my PC whilst i was out. Mr Gooner Girl guards it with his life!

After a somewhat crappy start to the evening when i realised i had left my 'purchased in advance' train ticket at home and had to splash out £16 for another i had a very nice evening. Ok, so the result helped, but it was a pleasure to meet and enjoy the company of several lovely Bolton fans (i'm not THAT much of a short arse, GtE!)

As for the game itself, i won't say too much about it except if Klasnic had put away even one of his many chances you could have had that draw and extra time. I thought you played well actually, and were a bit unlucky. It was sods law Muamba would score - especially after i had told mummywhycantieatcrayons he was one of Wengers crapper signings. Parks goal was quality though! Managed to sit on my hands most of the game...

[Gary the Enfield]

Sorry Hoboh, noone nicked my PC whilst i was out. Mr Gooner Girl guards it with his life!

After a somewhat crappy start to the evening when i realised i had left my 'purchased in advance' train ticket at home and had to splash out £16 for another i had a very nice evening. Ok, so the result helped, but it was a pleasure to meet and enjoy the company of several lovely Bolton fans (i'm not THAT much of a short arse, GtE!)
As for the game itself, i won't say too much about it except if Klasnic had put away even one of his many chances you could have had that draw and extra time. I thought you played well actually, and were a bit unlucky. It was sods law Muamba would score - especially after i had told mummywhycantieatcrayons he was one of Wengers crapper signings. Parks goal was quality though! Managed to sit on my hands most of the game...

Yes. You are.

[officer_dibble]

Klasnic might of had an off night but at least when he plays we create genuine chances through his movement.

[Gooner Girl]

Sorry Hoboh, noone nicked my PC whilst i was out. Mr Gooner Girl guards it with his life!

After a somewhat crappy start to the evening when i realised i had left my 'purchased in advance' train ticket at home and had to splash out £16 for another i had a very nice evening. Ok, so the result helped, but it was a pleasure to meet and enjoy the company of several lovely Bolton fans (i'm not THAT much of a short arse, GtE!)
As for the game itself, i won't say too much about it except if Klasnic had put away even one of his many chances you could have had that draw and extra time. I thought you played well actually, and were a bit unlucky. It was sods law Muamba would score - especially after i had told mummywhycantieatcrayons he was one of Wengers crapper signings. Parks goal was quality though! Managed to sit on my hands most of the game...

Yes. You are.

Humph! Well i guess you can see why i'm a failed High Jumper, but i dunno why you were expecting someone so tall!

[Verbal]

Still can't believe we didn't win that!

Good to see some familiar faces and new ones.

[Gary the Enfield]

Still can't believe we didn't win that!

Good to see some familiar faces and new ones.

You too Verbal. Didn't get to chat much. Next time.

[thebish]

Still can't believe we didn't win that!

Good to see some familiar faces and new ones.

indeed - another face to a name... (mumble mumble - young things!)

as for the game - I concur! If you would have backed ANYONE in the team to put away at least 2 out of the 3 chances that fell to Klasnic in the box - then it would be Klasnic...

I think we troubled them more than they troubled us - but they put away their chances clinically - a lesson to us all!

I was impressed with Ngog - though too often he was out wide on the left with nobody to cross it to... what is he supposed to do - cross it to himself?? Tuncay too - still not sure what he "does" - but whatever it is, I don't think we will find out by playing him out wide.

Mavis had a good game - especially in the second half - and Moo did too - still can't fathom why Pratley has been played and Moo not. Pratley had a decent shot early on - but I really can't remember much more of a contribution.

Ricardo has his defectors (BRUCE!!!!) - but - streets ahead of Robbo.. and - late on - bombed past their RB to the byline - killer ball into the box - which klasnic would have buried had a defender not squeezed a leg in the way and deflected it over the bar. I sometimes wonder whether (actually) we should play Ricky MORE not less. the LESS theory is that he needs to rest his knees. however - maybe the MORE theory means he would get more and more match fitness - he has been effectively out of the game for loooooooooooooong periods - and regain some of the sharpness which (if we are honest) is at the moment occasionally lacking! (still - when he does feck summat up - he doesn't stand watching and waving his arms to blame someone else - he runs hell-for-leather to retrieve the situation - and often succeeds!)

Kakuta looked impressive - but I'm inclined to agree with Bruce's fear that he is our new Vladimir Weiss - bit of a head-down showpony... still, looks good!

it was good to meet up with GG, Bruce, Mummy, Enfield, Bobo and Verbal - I also bumped into Puskas in the concourse at h/t when I went for a wee. after he mopped himself down - he sent his love!

[ratbert]

Lots of TW members there then - match report maybe?

[thebish]

Lots of TW members there then - match report maybe?

Bobo had his binoculars - he saw everything!

[thebish]

Managed to sit on my hands most of the game...

well you can't say I didn't offer to allow you to sit on my hands for most of the game....

[Gooner Girl]

I was impressed with Ngog - though too often he was out wide on the left with nobody to cross it to... what is he supposed to do - cross it to himself??

I did ask GtE if Bolton knew that the aim of the game was to get people in the box so theres someone there to finish when the cross comes in!

Yes, that was a very kind offer of yours Bishy, not sure how it would have helped matters but thanks for being such a errr... gent?...

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

So who should start at Swansea? I'd be intrigued to hear from attenders at Arsenal.

[Gooner Girl]

So who should start at Swansea? I'd be intrigued to hear from attenders at Arsenal.

Not that i profess to be an expert on anything Bolton, but Klasnic should, he could of had a hat-trick.

[thebish]

I was impressed with Ngog - though too often he was out wide on the left with nobody to cross it to... what is he supposed to do - cross it to himself??

I did ask GtE if Bolton knew that the aim of the game was to get people in the box so theres someone there to finish when the cross comes in!

Yes, that was a very kind offer of yours Bishy, not sure how it would have helped matters but thanks for being such a errr... gent?...

hmmmm... the day we take advice from Arsenal about getting people into the box to be on the end of crosses is the day I'll admit we know nothing about football!!!

in the calendar of football hyperbole - it is quite close to the day we'd take advice from Arsenal about how to sign a centre back!

(the offer is always open btw!)

[Gary the Enfield]

So who should start at Swansea? I'd be intrigued to hear from attenders at Arsenal.

Different Gravy DSB

For me, though, I'd like a front ttwo of Klasnic and N'Gog.

[Gooner Girl]

I was impressed with Ngog - though too often he was out wide on the left with nobody to cross it to... what is he supposed to do - cross it to himself??

I did ask GtE if Bolton knew that the aim of the game was to get people in the box so theres someone there to finish when the cross comes in!

Yes, that was a very kind offer of yours Bishy, not sure how it would have helped matters but thanks for being such a errr... gent?...

hmmmm... the day we take advice from Arsenal about getting people into the box to be on the end of crosses is the day I'll admit we know nothing about football!!!

in the calendar of football hyperbole - it is quite close to the day we'd take advice from Arsenal about how to sign a centre back!

(the offer is always open btw!)

Haha - i nearly typed "we have that problem too" but thought i didn't really need to draw attention to Arsenals flaws on a Bolton forum!

(i'll bear it in mind!)