I’m not sure if you guys watched the Arsenal – Bolton mini-series this past week, but for those of you that didn’t, they played each other twice in four days. Bolton has historically been a tough game for Arsenal – the Wanderers rough playing style and no nonsense tackles contrast Arsenal’s slick passing and off the ball movement perfectly. It is true that Arsenal have found it difficult in recent years to continue to play their own game when a team begins to outmuscle them. That truth has made Bolton a very difficult side for the Gunners to beat, and a side that brings forth one massive weak point in the North London side : they are too weak.
I for one knew nothing was guaranteed for Arsenal going into either of these games. Despite the massive gap between the two teams in the table, one of Arsene Wengers biggest nightmares leading up to last weekend was probably having to bring his already thin team to Lancashire to face one of the roughest teams in the league. Arsenal couldn’t afford any more injuries, yet from the start it looked as if nothing had changed. Abou Diaby was kicked and fouled nearly every time he touched the ball in the first half. After one incident, however, something happened that was seemingly uncharacteristic of a team that oozes composure and a class about them that allows them to pass teams to death. Tomas Rosicky kicked back. He kicked back as if stay, ‘enough is enough.’ Suddenly, Arsenal realized that being physical AND outplaying their opposition seemed plausible. They walked out of the Reebok 2-0 winners and one game away from the top of the top of the table. That was over the weekend.
This Wednesday, Arsenal had the privilege of hosting Bolton at the Emirates. A victory by two or more goals would elevate them to the top of the table – a place that has seemed so close, yet so far for Arsenal fans all over the world for the past several years. Sure Bolton new boy Owen Coyle has become relatively known for transforming his former Burnley into a passing team that actually plays somewhat attractive footie at the top level. I don’t doubt that he’ll do the same at Bolton, but for the time being, he has the same personnel that he was ‘blessed’ with when he took the job last week. The same personnel that is flirting with relegation and 42 games in the Championship next year.
So Arsenal now have the chance to go top of the table against a team they outclassed on several days prior, all while playing in the comfort of their own ground. The script went awry for Wenger’s men when his side conceded twice in the first half and looked to be getting outplayed themselves. Eduardo and Arshavin both had several efforts on goal that didn’t seem to bother Bolton. Things started looking very bleak for the men in red. Just before the half, however, Tomas Rosicky pulled one back – an absolute bomb from an awkward angle near the top right side of the box. Zat Knight – you want to give Rosicky time and space to drop a bomb? Feel free. Just be prepared to help your keeper lift the net while he digs the ball out of the back of it. A man with that amount of class should never be given an invitation to shoot from the top of the box. 2-1 Halftime. Game on.
It didn’t take long for Cesc Fabregas to score the equalizer for the home side. At 2-2, Bolton were probably thinking they should step up the physical intensity of the game and battle for a draw. If they were lucky, they could nick another goal and hope for the best. But Arsenal had other plans. The tackles started coming in harder from not only the team in white, but also the team in red. The Gunners were fighting back, and when Thomas Vermaelan scored the go ahead goal in the 65th minute, a Bolton player lay writhing on the pitch in agony from a William Gallas tackle. Owen Coyle, as well as the rest of the Bolton personnel went ballistic. Any manager would – a possible foul had been missed and a goal resulted from it. Shame. But where was the referee when Matt Taylor tripped and pulled Cesc Fabregas’ hair in the box in the first fixture. Or when Jaaskelainen clearly brought Cesc down in the box in the second game? Yes, Wenger complained. Yes, Cesc complained. But they got on with it. And they fought hard. And they tackled hard. And at the end of the game, when the ref blew the whistle to signify that the 90 minutes was up, Arsenal walked off the pitch 4-2 winners. At 2-0 down, things looked bleak for Arsenal. I’m sure many in the stadium and in the world alike doubted the eleven guys in red had the cajones to fight back and get a win. But they did. They managed to continue their passing style of play. They continued their off the ball movement that leaves heads turning and mouths dropping. They managed to score four times in fifty minutes. And they did all that while fighting and tackling against a team that is known for fighting and tackling.
If Arsenal is able to maintain this no-nonsense ‘we don’t give a f@#$ ‘ attitude until the end of the season while passing and scoring teams off the pitch, then I think the times may be shifting in favor of the red side of London.
