Bolton Wanderers v Arsenal | Matches

FC Dynamo Kyiv V
Arsenal
17TH SEP 2008

Saturday 20th September
Kick off: 17:30
Reebok Stadium

Bolton Wanderers
1 – 3
Arsenal

Arsenal V
Sheff Utd
23RD SEP 2008

HIGHLIGHTS

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Bolton Wanderers 1-3 Arsenal (September 20, 2008)

Live Text isn't live anymore, this is a record of the match events.

Full Time BOLTON 1-3 ARSENAL: A very convincing display from the Gunners sends them to the top of the Premier League. They trailed after 14 minutes but responded with two goals in 90 seconds from Eboue and Bendtner. Nothing came of a slump in the second half and Denilson rounded off the victory late on
90

... he plays it short and that is game over
90

One last chance for Arsenal as Fabregas lines up a corner...
88

And within a minute it could be four. The Bolton stopper with a stunning save to thwart Walcott
87

GOAL! - Denilson 1 : 3 BOLTON 1-3 ARSENAL: Game over! It is all thanks to Walcott. The youngster shows a clean pair of heels to fly past three bodies, feeds Adebayor who in turn flashes the ball across the area to Denilson to thump home from close range
85

Substitution Arsenal make their final change. Eboue comes off to a good ovation from the travelling fans. He is replaced by Aaron Ramsey
84

A fine double save from Almunia. Vaz Te wastes a glorious opportunity with the Arsenal stopper grounded, but he gets up to smother the effort
82

... Steinsson should do better but thankfully for Arsenal he heads well over
82

Riga to send in a corner for Bolton...
82

Substitution A final change for the hosts as they go for broke. Muamba makes way for Ricardo Vaz Te
80

...this one is glanced clear at the near post
80

But here we have yet another corner for Arsenal...
79

... and as with most of the afternoon's set plays, it comes to nothing
79

Lovely dink from Denilson almost sets Walcott on his way, but the result is a corner...
76

Riga's centre comes to nothing
76

Yellow Card Boton have a chance to fling in a free-kick from the right channel. Song is booked for the foul
73

Substitution It's time for Theo Walcott. Arsenal are in need of fresh legs and call on the young Englishman. He replaces Bendtner
72

Riga is proving the difference. He has changed the game for Bolton since coming on
69

Arsenal remain on the back foot here and the hosts are playing with a confidence not seen from them yet today. Nolan heads over
65

Bolton strating to wrestle the upper hand away from Arsenal, buoyed by unrelenting chanting from the home fans
64

...but Almunia claims
64

... and another...
64

But Bolton have another corner...
63

.. it fails to beat the first man
63

They do just that and Riga forces Almunia into a low save. Corner to Bolton...
63

... it is cleared and Bolton could break
62

Yellow Card Ex-Arsenal man Muamba becomes the second man to be shown a yellow card. A chance to fizz in a free-kick from the left flank...
61

Substitution Gavin McCann is called upon. He replaces O'Brien
59

Up the other end and Joey O'Brien flashes wide
58

Careful probing from the visitors and Adebayor heads wide from a deep Djourou cross
56

Substitution A first change for Bolton. Debutant Ebi Smolarek is off and Mustapha Riga is on
55

Mature approach from Arsenal as they opt to play keep ball. It is doing well to take the sting out of the tempo of the match
52

A much more open affair in the early part of this second half
49

Almunia saves well from Gardner
47

New half, but the same old story. Neat and give and go between Song and Adebayor with the former thumping an effort towards goal. Jaaskelainen claws it away at full stretch
46

Yellow Card So a reshuffled Arsenal start the second half. Also Fabregas was shown a yellow card earlier.
46

Substitution Bad news ahead of the second half I am afraid. Clichy is off to hospital after that tackle by Davies. He has been replaced by Johan Djourou
Half Time BOLTON 1-2 ARSENAL: Finally the half comes to an end after four minutes of stoppage time. One lapse in concentration has taken the gloss of a brilliant first half display from Arsenal. Eboue with his first goal in the Premier League was followed 90 seconds later by Bendtner who rounded of a stunning counter-attack
45

Their is some concern over Clichy here. He is being taking off momentarily
44

Yellow Card It hasn't been that sort of game but Davies with a late challenge on Gael Clichy results in the first yellow card of the afternoon
40

Awesome at one end, amazing at the other. For all the attacking prowess of the visitors, they are very nearly pulled level. Kolo Toure first with a sublime last-ditch tackle, followed by Almunia pulling off a save high to his left
36

Confidence oozing through the Gunners' ranks. Another counter-attack stretches Bolton and only a last-gasp tackle prevents a third
33

The hosts starting to find their feet again but Almunia, barring that one stunning save earlier and of course the goal, has had little to do
30

It is still one-way traffic with Bolton clinging on by their finger tips
27

GOAL! - Nicklas Bendtner 1 : 2 BOLTON 1-2 ARSENAL: Just like London buses. You wait and wait and then two come at once. Arsenal have been superb since going behind and Bendtner, the creator of the first, grabs the second from Denilson's centre
26

GOAL! - Emmanuel Eboue 1 : 1 BOLTON 1-1 ARSENAL: Finally! Arsenal have been knocking louder and louder and eventually it pays off. Eboue grabs his first Premier League goal latching onto yet another delicious pass from Bendtner
23

You wouldn't believe it. Song is now denied by the post. Luck deserting Arsenal at the moment
22

Vintage Arsenal! The visitors soak up a bit of pressure and in a flash are in the Bolton area thanks to a delightful release by Bendtner. Adebayor benefits but his shot canons back off the inside of the upright
19

The ball wasn't cleared properly and Toure has a chance to strike goalwards just inside the box. Just wide
19

... but Danny Shittu meets it first
18

The Gunners stay on the front foot and earn yet another corner...
17

Denilson lashes over from distance as Arsenal look to respond
14

GOAL! - Kevin Davies 1 : 0 BOLTON 1-0 ARSENAL... and Davies nods it home! The Bolton man rises unchallenged by the six-yard box and tucks the ball inside the post
14

A bit of a bundle at the far post results in a Bolton corner...
12

Having said that they go close. Bendtner threading a neat pass into Adebayor but Andy O'Brien nips in to swipe the ball away at the last minute
12

A positive start from the visitors without really showing too much by way of penetration
9

... cleared at the near post
9

... and another...
9

Yet another corner...
8

... that flies right through the crowd and away to safety
7

A swift break from the Gunners results in a corner
4

.. again it comes to nothing
4

Nolan with a speculative effort from distance draws the very best from a back-pedalling Almunia. Corner to Bolton...
2

... comes to nothing
2

Denilson's deep cross forces an early corner....
Kick Off Bolton get us started
Finally before we got underway, after Liverpool's stalemate earlier, a win today for Arsenal would send them top of the table
Whenever Arsenal face Bolton it is hard to ignore speculation of the Trotters being a bogey side. But speculation is all it is because a win today would be the fifth in a row against the Whites in all competitions
One other thing worth noting is that Denilson is making his 50th Club appearance
Afternoon everybody. A few interesting omissions from both team-sheets today. Robin van Persie is rested with Nicklas Bendtner coming in to partner Emmanuel Adebayor up front. Theo Walcott is also on the bench with Alex Song taking over in midfield. For Bolton Johan Elmander is not fit meaning Kevin Davies leads the line alone. One name of note is Fabrice Muamba, the one-time Arsenal man, who lines up for the hosts
Welcome to Bolton Wanderers v Arsenal. Our programme starts at 16:45 and continues after the match with post-match discussion.
Don't forget: You can email your thoughts and contributions during and after the match - direct to our Commentary Team - at www.arsenal.com/studio