March 29th, 2008
Arsenal, I’m pleading with you: restore some pride.
The title is gone. That’s the first time I’ve said it, but it’s sadly true. All the good work of the first part of the season has been undone by the worst run in the history of Arsene Wenger’s reign.
At the moment it stands at no wins in five. After today, it will surely be six.
We started the game playing some excellent stuff, with Nicklas Bendtner then Robin van Persie both going close. Then, on Bolton’s first foray forward, a lovely move saw Matt Taylor get ahead of Kolo Toure nod pass a stationary Manuel Almunia.
Even then I thought we had a great chance of winning the game. Bolton were sitting back and we had room to use the wet pitch for some slick pass-and-move play. But then Abou Diaby comitted a truly horrendous tackle on the standing foot of Gretar Steinsson and was rightly sent off. After the Eduardo incident, we know the danger of high tackles more than anyone.
It looks pretty difficult for us to come back into it from here. We’ve had to leave just one upfront – a tireless but isolated Nicklas Bendtner. Our biggest threat going forward looks to be Kolo Toure, who has revelled in the room afforded him on the right flank. But with a two goal and one man deficit, a draw would now be a fantastic achievement.
I’m not demanding Arsenal go out there and perform miracles. But I’m asking that whatever happens, we try and restore some pride in this half. Look at the Bolton XI: it is bereft of quality. To trail to them by two goals is embarrassing. We are a side whose confidence is shattered by the fact that almost every opposition attack seems to end in a goal. It’s not good enough and it has to end here.
So come on Arsenal. Show us what you’ve got.
March 29th, 2008
Arsene Wenger spoke yesterday about Emmanuel Adebayor’s fatigue, going so far as to suggest he may rest the big man at Bolton today:
“I believe he has given a lot this year and so he would need a little breather, maybe. He has played a lot on his own up front and has had to fight very hard. So at the moment, to refresh him a bit would do him some good.”
On the face of it, it doesn’t seem particularly wise to rest our top scorer at a ground where we’ve lost in our last three league meetings.  But there are two factors feeding in to Arsene’s decision. The first is that we have four games against Liverpool and Manchester United on the horizon, where Adebayor will be urgently needed. But secondly, this Bolton side is not the Allardyce-led side of old. They don’t have the goal threat of Anelka, nor the danger at set pieces they provided in recent years. They’ve not won in eight, nor scored in four, and today their captain Kevin Nolan is suspended. With Nicklas Bendtner and Theo Walcott both in decent form, perhaps leaving Adebayor on the bench will not be so damaging. The truth is, every game between now and the end of the season is massive, and the temptation to play our best players will only increase from now.
If Bendtner does play, his aerial presence and ability to hold the ball up could be invaluable. Though arguably the greatest responsibility for our attacking play will rest not with the young Dane, but Robin van Perise. Van Persie has not had an explosive impact upon his return from injury, and appears to still be adjusting to the pace of the game. Having played ninety minutes in the week for Holland, he ought to be that bit closer to his former powers.
Finally, it seems that Cesc’s new agent may be none other than son of David, Darren Dein.  From what I understand, DD Jnr was a major player in one Thierry Henry’s move to Barcelona… worrying regarding Cesc’s future at the club. But then, Fabregas is his own man. He was brave/mad enough to move to England as a 15-year old in the search of first-team football. He’s resisted the overtures of Madrid and Barcelona until now. If he were ever to decide to leave Arsenal, it wouldn’t make a blind bit of difference just who his agent was: he’d get his way.
Five league games without a win. Spirits are down. We badly need a win. Let’s hope the boys deliver.
