Yesterday really felt like a do or die game for Arsenal’s season. I know that Bolton are a fairly poor team this year, and that the Premiership is no longer in our hands bar a miraculous turn of events, but like when we finally lost our unbeaten run in 2004, if we’d lost yesterday you could see us losing another four on the trot, with the trio of games against Liverpool followed by the game against Manchester United coming up next.
And at 2-0 down at half time, we looked down and out, despite dominating most of the half. We had spurned several good chances in the first twenty minutes or so, with van Persie looking direct and shooting on site, and Bendtner also getting chances, when Steinsson produced a great cross for the home team, which Taylor headed home having lost Toure at the back post. It got even worse soon, Diaby lunging in desperately in an effort to win possession after a scrappy period of play, but only succeeding in getting sent off for his crude challenge. And by the time Flamini dwelt on the ball for 5 seconds too long and gave Taylor the opportunity to put Bolton 2-0 up, which he duly did, Arsenal looked tired and forlorn. Even when Flamini was given a fairly straight forward chance to amend for his error which he skied, there seemed little hope of a comeback - Bolton had the game in the bag.
Or so it seemed, especially when they then dominated the possession and threat against the ten men of Arsenal, and with half an hout left to play Wenger went to three at the back, throwing on Adebayor and Walcott in a last attempt to salvage something.
Within a few minutes Fabregas’ good delivery was flicked on by Campo straight to Gallas who made no mistake. Having held the lead comfortably for so long, somehow Bolton managed to self destruct as soon as Gallas’ shot hit the back of the net, and it wasn’t long before the Gunners were level. A lovely backheel from Adebayor set up Flamini whose shot was saved, but came out to the onrushing Hleb who was brought down by Cahill for a penalty. Up stepped van Persie who made absolutely no mistake.
And having got the second, a third seemed like it was destined to come, van Persie going close again and again, once after fantastic work by Walcott which highlighted his immense potential once more. And in the final seconds of normal time, Hleb darted into the area, slipped the ball to Fabregas, who, with the aid of two deflections scored a wondefully scrappy goal against the kings of winning ugly.
That win keeps us fighting in the league, but more importantly gives us belief and confidence ahead of the Liverpool triple header. I just hope that the players’ fitness can hold up with the fixture list, as key players’ absences or fatigue could cost us the season.
