Although we didn't get the game live, it was shown in full at 3 in the afternoon, so I made sure I avoided all media and sat down to watch the game at 3pm my time.


An injury time goal from Gilberto saved Arsenal from yet another defeat at the hand of Bolton


We had gone behind to Kevin Nolan’s goal in the 12th minute and,certainly on the first half performance, Bolton deserved their lead. In the 2nd half, Arsenal put constant pressure on the Trotters and deserved the equaliser when it eventualy came.

Follow up:

Jaaskelainen was finally beaten in the 92nd minute when Francesc Fabregas crossed from the right and Gilberto steered his volley into the left hand corner of the net. The Bolton keeper had done as much as anyone to deny Arsenal this afternoon, in fact he was rightly given 'Man of the Match' on Fox Soccer Channel.


For the first 20 minutes of this game, Bolton were the better side in fact Bolton could have scored twice within the first two minutes. After 40 seconds, Matt Jansen burst down the left and sent a cross deep into the Arsenal box. Nolan met it at the far post and Jens Lehmann showed excellent reactions to tip the ball over the bar. Adebayor cleared the corner but the ball was returned immediately to the far post and Bruno N’Gotty headed past Lehmann but the ball bounced off the bar.


Arsenal had calls for a penalty waved away when Jose Antonio Reyes was brought down in the area, the replay looked like it could have been given.


Bolton finally took the lead deserved in the 12th minute. Senderos made a good challenge on Jansen just outside the area, the ball could have gone anywhere but, as is our current woe, the ball bounced up kindly for the unmarked Nolan. He lobbed the ball over Lehmann and into the far corner. It was a quality finish, but we could have done without it. But at least it wasn't that cunt Stellios.


Bolton had a good chance to make it 2-0. Nolan again burst into the area and looked to go round Lehmann before Johann Djourou made a superb tackle to take the ball of his toe. I think that helped the young fella's confidence because he had a decent game after that.
The main talking point of this game happend on the half-hour, Abdoulaye Faye went in 2 footed into Jose Antonio Reyes. The Spaniard went down clutching his lower leg and was stretchered off, we await to see if it is indeed a broken leg. Faye should have been red carded, no question, but only recevied a yellow.

The Ref was shit all game in my opinion, in fact Flamini made an equally bad 2 footed challenge on Ricardo Gardner about 10 minutes later and he didn't even get a yellow. Sure he didn't make contact, but if he had, it would have been no different: The Ref was a wanker basically.
So Bobby Pires came off the bench to replace Reyes, not that it made much difference to the way we were playing, first half.


Arsene Wenger made his second substitution at half time - Ljungberg for Diaby, but within 30 seconds of the start, we had another let off. A cross from the right and Stellios just failed to reach it and the ball went accross the area and was cleared.

Ten minutes later, a big clearance from Senderos turned into a decent through ball for Adebayor to chase, but a heavy first touch to go around the keeper took him too wide, he pulled the ball back for Pires who sent a shot fizzing over the bar from just outside the box.


Bobby came even closer to scoring in the 57th minute. His free-kick from 25 yards looked like it was heading inside the far post, but Jaaskelainen got his left hand to it at pushed the ball wide for a corner.
Arsenal continued to create chances, but could not find a way through. Bergkamp was brought on for Larsen as Arsenal added more attacking players to try and get the equaliser.


Henry flashed a long-range effort just wide and Pires stretched Jaaskelainen with a curling shot form the edge of the box. Fabregas and Djourou both tested the Bolton keeper as Arsenal piled on the pressure.

Gilberto met a half volley as sweet as you like but it was a little too close Jaaskelainen, so he manged to get it away. Three minutes later, Henry miskicked from five yards with the goal at his mercy and in the final seconds of normal time, Adebayor just failed to connect with Ljungberg’s long ball.
It looked like it was going to be another one of thise days and I had just about resigned myself to a undeserved defeat when this time Gilberto had more luck had his volley found the net. Henry even had a chance to win the game a minute later. His chip beat Jaaskelainen, but Ricardo Gardner headed the ball off the line.


All in all, I think it was about fair. Big Fat Sam says his boys are gutted, I guess they would be after wasting all the time, only to be done by an injury time goal from Gilberto. Still I would have been just as " Gutted" if we had lost this game, the 2nd half performance did not warrant a defeat.


I thought both central defenders did well, Senderos to me is getting back to looking like he did at the end of last season. Liverpool on Tuesday will be another tough test, but the young players can take a lot of credit from this game.