Source: Daily_Mail
Bolton 0 Arsenal 2: Fran Merida and Cesc Fabregas ruin Owen Coyle's homecoming
Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas produced an impressive display on hisreturn from injury to spoil new Bolton manager Owen Coyle's 'homecoming' at theReebok Stadium.[LNB]The Spain midfielder, who missed three matches with a hamstring injury, scoredhis 10th league goal of the season in the 28th minute after a neat one-two withEduardo.[LNB]His surging run then led to substitute Fran Merida scoring the second 12minutes from time as former Wanderers' player Coyle's reign got off to a losingstart. [LNB]Clincher: Fran Merida scored the Gunners second[LNB]Arsenal's victory, which saw then soak up plenty of pressure from a strugglingBolton side trying to play their way out of trouble, lifted them to within threepoints of league leaders Chelsea. [LNB]With these two teams due to meet in the return fixture at the Emirates Stadiumon Wednesday, Arsene Wenger's side could well take over at the top in the nextfew days. [LNB]The Gunners, unbeaten in the league since the end of November, owed everythingto their inspirational captain, who, even though his influence faded in thesecond half, was instrumental in the win. [LNB][LNB]Vital: Fabregas put the Gunners on their way to victory[LNB]How Coyle, who swapped one relegation battle with Burnley for another withBolton, must wish he had a player with half the drive and invention. [LNB]The paucity of resources available to the Bolton boss was evident by the facthe named exactly the same starting XI and bench as predecessor Gary Megson haddone in his final game - the 2-2 league draw with Hull on December 29. [LNB]Initially he will have been pleased by what he saw as the new manager factorhad an immediate effect with Kevin Davies having a close-range shot blocked andIvan Klasnic drilling a 20-yard effort past Manuel Almunia only to be flaggedoffside in the opening two minutes. [LNB]The transition from Megson's long-ball tactics to Coyle's football is somethingthat will obviously take a while to get used to but there were fleeting glimpsesof the 'new' Bolton.Davies, Gretar Steinsson and Klasnic combined down the right in a short passingmove to set up Tamir Cohen 20 yards out but he fired well over. [LNB]Arsenal, with Fabregas at the heart of everything, had struggled to create aclear opportunity until they took the lead in the 28th minute. [LNB]Steinsson slipped on the edge of the penalty area to hand possession toFabregas and the Spain international capitalised, quickly exchanging passes withEduardo before slotting a low shot past Jussi Jaaskelainen's outstretched righthand.[LNB]Arsenal's 19-year-old midfielder Craig Eastmond, making his first league start,almost doubled the lead four minutes later with a first-time shot from Fabregas'corner, which Jaaskelainen saved on the line with his legs.[LNB][LNB]Fab Gunner: Fabregas combines with Eduardo to put the Gunners ahead[LNB]And the excellent Gunners captain should have had a penalty in the 33rd minutewhen he was caught by Zat Knight but referee Phil Dowd waved away claims.[LNB]Two minutes before the interval Fabregas missed his easiest chance from onlyseven yards from Andrey Arshavin's cut-back before Klasnic mis-kicked from evencloser range in added time at the end of the first half. [LNB]Bolton began the second half as they had the first, with both Matt Taylor andCohen causing Almunia concern in the early stages.[LNB]Lee Chung-Yong, Wanderers' best player, had caused Armand Traore problems allgame and, having out-stripped the left-back once again, his low cross wasdeflected goalwards by William Gallas but Almunia collected. [LNB]Only way is up: Arsenal ruined Owen Coyle's first game in charge[LNB]Taylor was guilty of not testing the Arsenal goalkeeper in the 61st minute whenKlasnic spun on the edge of the area to release him on the left only for histeam-mate to blaze over. [LNB]Taylor was again the culprit in the 70th minute when he sprang the offside trapfrom substitute Gavin McCann's lofted pass but tried to beat Almunia from 35yards despite being well clear of the nearest defender and ended up shootingwide. [LNB]Arsenal's response was for Thomas Vermaelen to curl a 25-yard free-kick on tothe top of Jaaskelainen's net.Fabregas had been quieter after the break but, when he did take control again,it set up the second goal 12 minutes from time. [LNB]His surging run into the penalty area allowed Eduardo to cross to the far postwhere Merida side-footed home to clinch victory.[LNB] Bolton v Arsenal: How the game unfoldedArsenal boss Arsene Wenger says Bolton will be turned into pass masters Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger demands tighter rules on club ownership
