It feels like years ago that Arsène Wenger put the scoring into boring Arsenal. His team passed a milestone here, having only a few minutes to bask in their 1,000th Premier League goal under their French tutor before swiftly moving on to number 1,001. Arsenal's lust for goals has never been the issue. Not in seasons past and not this term. It is their vague relationship with robustness that keeps the sceptics doubting whether they can be serious contenders for silverware.
Bolton did their utmost to expose Arsenal's famously soft centre, with Kevin Davies, at times, summoning the ghost of Sam Allardyce and those feisty battles of old – but quality prevailed. It helps to have the craft of Cesc Fábregas on your side. The Spaniard is not back to full match sharpness, but still managed to provide three assists. There was also the beginnings of a slightly stronger jaw from Arsenal. As Wenger noted afterwards: "From the two games against Blackburn and Bolton, two years ago we would not have taken six points."
To the newcomers to this hurly-burly division, the Premier League is nothing if not an education. Laurent Koscielny and Sébastien Squillaci, a new partnership at the back, probably exchanged a few choice French words at the end of a game that gave them a crash course in what to expect. For young Jack Wilshere came the realisation that, in some ways, it can be less painful playing for Bolton than against them. All came through some testing moments.
The visiting contingent sang for the boy who had impressed during a loan spell with them last season, but, on the pitch, the rendezvous was less generous and Davies gave the teenager an early whack with a poor, late challenge in the centre circle. Wilshere may not be the biggest boy in the playground, but he has a tough enough streak to suggest he will not let a few hard knocks get in the way of enterprising football.
He was pivotal in Arsenal taking a 24th-minute lead, arcing a pass towards the far post for Fábregas to tuck back to Koscielny. The defender, making his first competitive appearance at the Emirates, was thrilled to mark the occasion with a poked-in goal. On his birthday weekend, how could life get any better?
Oh. In first-half stoppage time, Koscielny wiped the smile off his own face with a casual backpass that gifted Bolton an equaliser. The excellent Lee Chung-yong was alert to the confusion and served up a perfect lofted cross for Johan Elmander to nod in. As per usual, Arsenal's dominance came undone in a moment of defensive inertia.
Bolton had their young goalkeeper Adam Bogdan to thank for half-time parity. The Hungarian saved well on his debut from Andrey Arshavin, Fábregas and Tomas Rosicky. The visitors emerged into the second half determined to tussle with Arsenal on a more equal footing. Wenger must have been all knotted up to see another of his new arrivals from France struggling to adjust to Premier League pace. Marouane Chamakh was caught dithering by Gary Cahill and Bolton caught a glimpse of goal. It seemed to wake up the Moroccan striker. A thumping strike with his left foot was palmed away by Bogdan and he powered in the second with his head. Unsaveable.
The temperature rose. The home crowd bayed for a sending-off when Davies clashed heads with Koscielny, and Paul Robinson escaped even a booking for a reckless lunge that put Abou Diaby out of the game. But so curious was referee Stuart Attwell's analysis of events he brandished his red for a follow-through by Cahill on Chamakh that was far from the worst offence. Bolton's fury was compounded because they felt Lee had been fouled earlier in the move. "It was one of the biggest free-kicks you'll ever see," lamented Owen Coyle, who insisted Cahill's challenge was only worthy of yellow and complained the decision spoiled a well-balanced game.
The pendulum swung towards Arsenal when Alex Song scored a landmark goal, skipping past Zat Knight and dinking the ball over Bogdan before Carlos Vela steered in at the end of a mesmerising move to give the result its gloss.
Source: Amy Lawrence, The Guardian on 11 Sep 10
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