Who Would Have Thought It? Thrown A Lifeline By Bolton!
Mar 29th, 2008 by 'holic
What an astonishing day. It didn’t start that well. Regular readers will have noticed that the last week’s posts ‘vanished’ around lunchtime. It wasn’t Gus Caesar’s people, honestly!
Having recovered just one of the posts, courtesy of Google’s cached pages, I set off for the local, via William Hill where I put the ‘holic pound, and a little more, on the 4-0 to the Arsenal I predicted in the preview you can no longer read.
Where to start with the action from Bolton. For over half an hour we were so much in control it was almost hurting. Particularly when from their one attack Bolton grabbed the lead. They managed to isolate Toure against Taylor at the far post and the Ivorian’s aerial weakness was once again exposed.
Then came what will surely be the turning point in Abou Diaby’s Arsenal career. If anybody should not be launching an over-the-top assault on an opponents standing ankle, it is Abou. His injury nightmare at the hands of Dan Smith at Sunderland should still be fresh in the memory. He was rightly red-carded today, and lost all sympathy for what has passed in one moment of madness.
Shortly afterwards Taylor celebrated a second goal, courtesy of a deflection from William Gallas, and astonishingly we went in at half-time two goals and a player down. What followed was remarkable, and I hope Diaby will share his week’s wages amongst those who dug us out of a massive hole.
We also owe something to Gary Megson and his players. In the first-half their game plan was clear. Sit ten men back, invite Arsenal on, and hope to nick something on the break. How many times has that worked for them. It was working again!
The second period saw an unbelievable degree of naivety from them. Two up against ten men you shut up shop, don’t you? Not Bolton. The greedy bastards showed more ambition, threw more bodies forward, and slowly but surely we set about inflicting on them their just desserts.
On the hour Gallas was left unmarked at the far post from a Cesc corner and the deficit was reduced. Six minutes later Cahill scythed down Hleb in the area and Robin van Persie converted from the spot to level the scores. Still Bolton didn’t learn their lesson.
As the final whistle approached Fabregas saw his speculative shot deflect off a couple of Wanderer’s to clinch a truly remarkable win. The manner of the comeback was almost beyond belief. Character was displayed in spades.
Let’s hope this is the turning point and the ‘month horribilis’ that was the Premiership month of March is in the past. Bring on the scousers!
14 Responses to “Who Would Have Thought It? Thrown A Lifeline By Bolton!”
And heh, I thought there was a post missing indeed, wondering what happened, but you donΓ’β¬β’t have to answer π
Already blogging?
Long story Ollie. Tech support input. You should know about that eh?
π
Oh ‘holic! I’m ecstatic! It’s 5.15am here and I can’t sleep! ECSTATIC!
It was a rubbish game really but them Trotters really did throw us a lifeline.
Check out my Cesc’s expression as he ran to celebrate with (was it?) Eboue! I love love love the lad.
What a good day! Here’s hoping that this is the start of our silverware winning streak.
xx
http://anotherarsenalblog.blogspot.com/2008/03/have-that-bolton.html
beautiful!
I really dislike Bolton which made it so sweet!
Delighted, although the feeling is still that the cup’s half empty.
Just to pick up on the Diaby point I have to say I find AW’s comment unacceptable – “I was not upset with the sending-off of Diaby because his foot was a bit high.
“I feel it was more a protective tackle than an aggressive one but he was too high – I don’t complain.”
No, of course you don’t complain because it was a horrible tackle. How can it be deemed “protective”?
Diaby, of all people, should know better and, given his response to the Taylor incident, so should AW.
If we are to take the moral highground there can be no excuses for this sort of crap.
If Diaby needs any help finding the Exit I’m sure Eboue can show him the way – please . . . .
Why is everybody nailing Diaby thanks to goodnes we hadnt loss if we had , then someone might have commited suicide . to be realistic,how many Red card is Eboue gilty of this season alone. C`mon guys lets free this guy, its part of football. Congrats to all gooners out there, the fight still continues
with regards to diaby, although i still believe it should have been a sending off due to the potential damage it could have caused to the oppostion player (steinson?) I think that Diaby was anticipating the big hoofed ‘cross’ from the player and went his body to cover that, hence the reason he landed on the players standing foot. unfortunately for diaby, the boton player laid it off and diaby caught his standing foot.
essentially i am trying to say that diaby in no way meant to catch the players ankle, nor did he me to get the ball but clatter the man.
as i said previously, i do not believe that this absolves him from any guilt but it might show that there was no intent to harm or necessarily, even touch the player.
i am not biased towards diaby by the way, unless he starts playing in the middle
This is a superb fight back!!!!i love you soooo,arsenal!
Two words…Superb Comeback!!
Still can’t believe it…
I started watching the game on 16th minute when Arsenal was 1-0 down and the commentators was fking Arsenal around like they always does..and the first word from my mouth was “DAMN!”..we were 1-0 down again and so early…so early game me some hope to keep watching.
Then came Diaby’s stupid and unwanted tackle and it could have caused much serious inury although the bolton prick made so much fuss about it..not that bad compared to the tackle on Eduardo..correctly red card..I believe Diaby can be a good prospect but he needs more games..which will be best for Arsene Wenger to send him out for loan.
After the sending off I kept watching with no much hope..and came Taylor’s goal..damn why did the Arsenal players (clichy and flamini) passed around the ball so near to the goal and they was punished..deflection off gallas not senderos..2-0 down and a man down..i switched to discovery channel and realised there was no hope.
After a while i switched back to the game..hoping for a miracle and damn i was proven loser for not watching the game fully..it was 75th minute and arsenal was 2-2 (great comeback!!)…and i prayed from that point to the end for a winner, just seconds before Fabregas’s deflected shot i was thinking that i will take even a scappy or own goal..and bang goaallll!!
Damn that was huge relief after the draws and loses plus it was a superb comeback! Great to see the confidence in Van Persie penalty and he got a goal which will be a great boost for him. All players showed the hunger and passion to win and a great character to comeback from our bogey team with 2-0 down and 10 men in a horrible condition away from home. Everything and everyone was againts Arsenal getting something out of the game (including me!) but the proved everyone wrong and crafted a great comeback to turn around bad form..hope they will carry on the confidence into the triple header with liverpool and defeat MU at old trafford…and till the end of the season!
Only one area Wenger should change which is to start Walcott instead of Diaby on the left..ahead of Eboue..he was electrifiying and his pace will trouble anyone..and he is getting better and better with each game, never had a bad game at all this season..just love the way he ran and created the chance for Van Persie but VP missed the shot totally.
Overall a great relief and hope this win will bring the lads back to the form which they had before and push MU until the end and win the title! 6 points behind and they still have to play at Stamford Bridge and we have to play them at OT.
And all of the press/media n arsenal fans that was hunting Gallas down for not being a great leader eat your words and go fly kites! He scored the turning point goal and he lead the team by example. His attitude at Brum showed a true leader that cares about the club more than his dignity and selfrespect. As wenger said when the team was winning Gallas was praised and now when the team start on a bad form (over now) everyone start hunting him down??! Pricks!
He is a true leader and a born winner, that’s why losing and drawing matches is hard for him..for me and many of you too!
ARSENAL ROCKSS!!!!!!!
And’
Bolton is going to get relegated because of ARSENAL!! Double joy!!!
stupid tackle from diaby, he of all people should realise that moments like that can inflict serious damage. Dock him a weeks pay, if he cant be arsed to stay focused in the tackle then make an example of him.
other than that the win shows that the ‘mental toughness’ is more than just paper talk, it’s real, all we have to do now is learn how to score first and keep more clean sheets and we’ll be champions once more….maybe next year.
i know we’ve had our disagreements over things goonerholic, but i just wanted to pop on and say a HUGE thank you from Birmingham City FC for beating those northern monkeys!!!
Cheers A_n_E, hope you’re ok.
You’ll see I didn’t like our boy’s tackle either.
I think the bottom 3 have found their level now. Pleased for you.
yup i was glad you commented on diaby’s tackle π shame wenger tried to side-step it but i guess what he says in public and what he says in private to the player are 2 different things.
i’m hoping the bottom 3 stay that way (as i cant see the geordies getting themselves relegated now!)
good luck for the rest of the season and in the champions league too, i thought perhaps your team has lost their ‘bottle’ a bit recently but yesterday when we were at the game and heard you were 2-0 down and down to 10 men we all agreed that if any team would come back from such a position it would be arsenal. and boy were we glad when you did!!