• Date: Sat 10 January 2009
  • Venue: Emirates Stadium
  • Ref: Foy, C
  • Attendance: 60,068

Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers

Team Lineups

Arsenal

Manuel Almunia
Gael Clichy
Johan Djourou
Bacary Sagna
Emmanuel Eboue (Nicklas Bendtner, 74)
Kolo Toure, K
Vassiriki Abou Diaby (Carlos Alberto Vela, 64)
Pereira Neves Denilson
Samir Nasri
Emmanuel Adebayor (Aaron Ramsey, 88)
Robin van Persie

Bolton Wanderers

Jussi Jaaskelainen
Jlloyd Samuel
Danny Shittu
Andy O'Brien
Chris Basham
Matt Taylor
Ricardo Gardner
Fabrice Muamba
Gavin McCann
Kevin Davies, K
Johan Elmander (Riga Mustapha, 39)


Live Text Commentary
Full time
 

Full-Time: ARSENAL 1-0 BOLTON. Arsenal keep themselves within three points of Aston Villa in the race for fourth place thanks to Bendtner's late winner that broke Bolton hearts.

90
Yellow Card
 

Ramsey collects a booking.

88
Substitution
 

The Gunners are making a final change now as Aaron Ramsey replaces Emmanuel Adebayor.

88

Another chance for Bolton as Taylor evades the challenges of Clichy and Nasri too deliver a superb cross and Obadeyi meets it but can't keep the header down.

87

Bolton are forced out of their defensive setup and Davies has a great chance to equalise but he tries to be too delicate and places the ball straight into the arms of Almunia. A big let-off!

85
Goal
 

ARSENAL 1-0 BOLTON. Relief all around the Emirates as BENDTNER steers Van Persie's drilled cross back past Jaaskelaien.

82

More frustration for Arsenal as Bendtner wriggles into the box but his shot is blocked by a combination of defenders and Bolton boot it away.

80
Yellow Card
 

Johan Djourou collects a yellow card for a foul on substitute Obadeyi.

78
Substitution
 

The Trotters are making another change and Riga, who came on in the first half, is replaced by Temitope Obadeyi.

77

Bolton are going to need all their spirit and strength in the final 15 minutes if they are going to hold onto their point today as Arsenal have suddenly found another gear.

75

Immediately a chance for Bendtner as he rises highest to meet Nasri's free-kick but its straight at Jaaskelainen.

74
Substitution
 

Second change for Arsenal as Nicklas Bendtner replaces Emmanuel Eboue.

73
Yellow Card
 

Gavin McCann is the second Bolton man to enter the referee's notebook.

72

The pressure is beginning to build! Perhaps Bolton are tiring but suddenly Arsenal are laying siege to their goal as Toure blasts one from range that forces a good stop from Jaaskelainen.

70

Van Persie strikes the post! The Dutchman evades two in the box and beats Jaaskelainen with a curling effort that bounces clear and Bolton survive their biggest scare.

68

Bolton are unable to get out of their own half at the moment but Jussi Jaaskelainen has barely been called into action at all.

65

Best chance of the match! Riga lets Adebayor out of his sight on the edge of the box but the Togo striker takes an age to shift it out of his feet and O'Brien is able to get across to block the shot when it eventually comes in.

64
Substitution
 

In fact, the Gunners are making a change as their exciting little Mexican striker Carlos Vela replaces the ineffective Abou Diaby.

62

Gary Megson meanwhile might have to make do with what he has on the field already as his subs bench is under-filled and inexperienced.

61

Arsene Wenger must be considering changes as we pass the hour mark here but he can only turn to youth.

57

Further frustration for the Gunners now as they begin to look even more unlike opening Bolton up but they really are missing the creativity of Fabregas.

54
Yellow Card
 

Having burst into the game a moment ago Riga now bursts into a tackle and collects a booking.

52

Half a chance for Bolton! Riga uses his pace to advance down the right and swings a long ball across towards Taylor who tries to loop a header over Almunia but the keeper is alive to claim.

50

Arsenal fans are up in arms as they want a penalty for handball by Samuel, it would have been harsh but you have seen them given. Remarkably none of the home players appealed though.

48

The second period has started in a very similar pattern to the first with Arsenal passing around but lacking any real penetration.

Second half
 

The second half kicks off with Arsenal in desperate need of a goal but Bolton have looked defensively sound so far.

Half time
 

Half-Time: ARSENAL 0-0 BOLTON. The Gunners have enjoyed plenty of the ball in the first half but without really looking like unlocking the door as Bolton look defensively solid.

43

With half-time fast approaching it looks like Bolton will reach the break on level terms with the Gunners left frustrated by a lack of real openings.

39
Substitution
 

Trouble for Bolton now as Johan Elmander has to limp off to be replaced by Mustapha Riga.

37

Emmanuel Adebayor has been anonymous today but Robin Van Persie has been lively and he twists in the box to pull the trigger but Andy O'Brien gets a vital block in.

34

There could be a problem here at the Emirates now as roughly half the floodlights have gone out. For now it looks okay but soon it could be too dark without the rest of them.

32

Bolton have, in the words of Mourinho, parked the bus in front of their own goal today with all ten outfield players trying to keep themselves goalside and they are managing to frustrate the Gunners.

29

What a waste! Van Persie finds space in the box again but he leans back on his shot when unmarked and it goes harmlessly over the bar.

27

Bolton on the break and Elmander is in behind but this time he has gone a split-second too early and the linesman raises his flag, correctly.

25

Samir Nasri wins a free-kick and dusts himself down to take it himself from just outside the box but its a poor effort and Jaaskelainen can watch it over comfortably.

21

After that little burst the game has drifted back into a midfield battle where Bolton are able to limit Arsenal's creativity with good pressure on the man in possession.

18

This is better! Arsenal are beginning to take control in all thirds of the pitch and Nasri is the latest to try his luck but his effort curls wide.

16

Suddenly its come alive at the Emirates as Nasri and Clichy play a one-two and the latter bends a cross in for Van Persie once more but his volley is miscued and easy for Jaaskelainen.

15

Big escape! Jaaskelainen launches it forward and Almunia needlessly flies out of his area, only to crash into Kolo Toure and is lucky to see the ball roll out of play before Elmander can capitalise.

14

Nasri shows the first real bit of creativity as he beats Basham and fires into Van Persie's feet and the Dutchman brings down mesmerically with his left foot and flashes his effort just over the bar.

11

No chances at either end as yet with both sides struggling to get into the final third. Arsenal are dominating possession but too little effect.

8

You get the feeling that if Bolton are going to force a result here today they might have to take a more physical approach and in Kevin Davies they have the perfect man for the job - in his usual style the big striker commits an early aerial foul.

4

The hosts have made a useful start as they have already begun to dictate the pace of play with their trademark passing style.

2

The Emirates is at its raucous best in the opening stages as the home fans look to spur their team on - but will it last if the Gunners continue to frustrate?

1
Kickoff
 

Chris Foy is the man in charge this afternoon in North London and he gets us underway.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Bolton meanwhile are in the strange situation of having just four substitutes on the bench as a string of injuries take their toll on Gary Megson's squad.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

With Willaim Gallas and Mikael Silvestre added to the treatment room this week, Kolo Toure is back in the fray despite speculation linking him with a move to Man City.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Basham, Shittu, Andrew O'Brien, Samuel, Taylor, Muamba, McCann, Gardner, Elmander, Davies.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Toure, Djourou, Clichy, Eboue, Diaby, Denilson, Nasri, Adebayor, Van Persie.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Bolton are in a wretched run of form of late as they have slipped to defeat in four of their last five league games and could slip as low as 16th if results go against them this weekend.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

The Gunners need a positive result today after Aston Villa's win in the West Midlands derby earlier on if they are to avoid falling further back in the race for a Champions League place.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Welcome to the Emirates Stadium where under-pressure Arsenal entertain Bolton Wanderers.