Bolton Wanderers vs Arsenal, 2010-2011 Barclays Premier League

· English Premier League

Bolton Wanderers

38': Daniel Sturridge
90': Tamir Cohen

FT
2 - 1

Arsenal

48': Robin van Persie

About

Bolton Wanderers are hosting Arsenal at Toughsheet Community Stadium, Bolton, England, starting on . The match is a part of the English Premier League.

Match Commentary

0': Good afternoon everyone and welcome to live coverage of Arsenal's trip to Bolton. The Gunners have to win to stay in the title race, while Bolton want to bounce back strongly after their FA Cup semi-final hammering by Stoke.
0': Arsenal bring in Jack Wilshere from the team that drew 3-3 with Tottenham during the week, with Abou Diaby missing out while Bolton bring back Danny Sturridge after he sat out the Wembley mauling last week.
0': After draws against Liverpool and Spurs, Arsenal know only a victory will do today to cling onto their faint hopes of winning the Premier League title. After Manchester United's win against Everton, they are nine points behind.
0': Arsene Wenger: "We are inspired by the quality of the game we played on Wednesday and we want to continue that today."
1': KICK OFF
2': A glorious day for football, but not much silky passing yet.
3': Wilshere gets down the right and crosses but Jaaskelainen gets there before Van Persie.
4': Chance for Arsenal as Walcott gets inside the area and forces Jaaskelainen into a good save. Nasri can't convert the rebound.
5': More joy down the right as Walcott takes on Robinson and wins a corner. He suggests to the ref it might have been a penalty.
6': The replay shows Robinson didn't get any of the ball as he challenged Walcott and that should have been a penalty.
7': The game has come alive! A Lee cross causes panic in the Arsenal box but as they break, Walcott gets down the right again and squares for Fabregas who blazes over from the edge of the box.
8': Muamba is a little late on Wilshere as he dribbled forward. A talking to would have done it.
9': Zat Knight is down for Bolton after a clash with Van Persie. Looks like his shoulder that is the problem.
10': Knight is fine to carry on as Djourou ends a series of headers with a touch back to Szczesny.
11': Now Davies is late on Song, a terrible tackle, and he gets a word and no cards. Poor refereeing. Song needs treatment. Van Persie not happy.
12': The referee made a rod for his own back with that early booking. Had he not carded Muamba, then he could happily have carded Davies and set the benchmark for the game. Now he just looks stupid.
13': A good move from Bolton now as they work the ball wide for Lee but his cross is nodded clear by Djourou.
14': Elmander bursts through the centre but Koscielny hoofs the ball out of play. Interesting to see how the Swede gets on in centre mid.
15': Good hold up play from Sturridge, who feeds the ball wide but Davies can't get an effort on target from Steinsson's cross.
16': Great run from Fabregas as he collects Nasri's ball and shoots powerfully but Jaaskelainen tips his shot wide then saves a looping Van Persie header from the corner.
17': Nasri charges forward and finds Van Persie but the return ball is cleared by Knight.
18': Another chance for Fabregas to run at the back four but his ball for Van Persie is poor and easily cut out.
19': Fabregas again finds Van Persie but he can't connect with a volley. Bolton need to get tighter in midfield here.
20': Now Taylor is late, with studs up, and he gets a yellow card. Davies argues. He'd do well to keep it buttoned given his earlier misdemeanour.
21': Panic at the back for Arsenal as Sturridge took a great touch from a Davies flick and only a last ditch clearance by Sagna prevents him getting a shot off.
22': Mix up between Koscielny and Wilshere after another Davies flick on. the midfielder finds his keeper when the centre half wanted to clear.
24': A fantastic ball from Sturridge rips Arsenal apart, Lee is in on goal and he tries to square it for Taylor! Shoot man, shoot! He was clean through. Incredible.
25': Djourou misses a clearance, then ambles after it but Taylor's low shot is right at Szczesny.
26': Vital interception from Knight as Fabregas looked to slide in Van Persie. Great game this.
27': Now Szczesny fumbles a Taylor cross at the near post! Djourou tidies up. End to end stuff at the minute.
28': How is this game goalless? Now Fabregas overhits a ball for Nasri before Sagna wins a corner.
29': At last, a lull, and a chance to catch our breath.
30': Great work from Van Persie to find Nasri but Matt Taylor is back to clear his lines.
31': Davies wins a free kick from Song. A round of "Super Kevin Davies," rings round the Reebok. He's missed one league game in three years we are told. Fair play.
32': Sturridge is flagged offside after a ball from Taylor over the top. Very tight.
34': Sturridge is a very tricky customer when he is in possession. Wilshere closes him down this time.
35': Walcott battles with Robinson and gets a cross in but Knight clears.
36': Nasri gets a good opening in front of goal, 20 yards out, but drags it wide.
37': Good save from Szczesny! A lovely dink from Sturridge over the top and Lee's volley is blocked by the goalkeeper before Koscielny nods behind for a corner.
38': GOAL Sturridge! Cahill got up from the corner and Nasri cleared off the line but Sturridge finishes it off from three yards.
39': Seven in nine for Sturridge, who has been brilliant this half. Wenger winces on the touchline.
40': It looks as it Cahill's initial header may have been over the line. Mind you, had Sturridge not followed up I doubt it would have been given.
41': Van Persie lays-off to Clichy but neither Fabregas nor Walcott even bother to go for his cross.
43': Fabregas hits the post! He rifles a shot in from 25 yards, Jaaskelainen doesn't move and it cannons back off the upright.
44': Another Fabregas shot is blocked on the edge of the box. Bolton have got to get closer to Arsenal's skipper.
45': A poor tackle from Muamba on the back of Fabregas and Arsenal have a free kick on the edge of the box.
45': HALF TIME What an awful effort from Van Persie. Miles over the cross bar. And that is half time. A superb 45 minutes of football, Arsenal dominating but Bolton creating the better chances. A big half approaching for the Gunners.
0':
The man of the moment, Danny Sturridge.
0': As ever, Arsenal have played some superb football but they lack a cutting edge in the final third. Apart from Fabregas' shot that hit the post, they haven't created much, while Bolton could and perhaps should be 2-0 up.
0': Arsenal now have 45 minutes to rescue their title bid.
46': Right, we're off again. Can Arsenal salvage their title ambitions?
46': Bolton penalty! Djourou brings down Sturridge!
47': A clumsy one from Djourou, but Sturridge went down very easily.
47': Szczesny saves! Justice is done!
48': Clever play from Sturridge to get round Djourou but it was a very soft award. Speaking of soft, Davies' attempt was awful. Straight at Szczesny. Arsenal breathe again.
48': GOAL Van Persie! The Gunners are level! Superb goal, Van Persie feeds Fabregas, who touches it back and the Dutchman fires into the bottom corner.
49': What a start to the second half!
49':
Sturridge scores the opener.
50': The Gunners will be jubilant after the penalty save and then the equaliser. They are the ones with their tails up now.
51': Walcott charges down the right after Elmander is caught in possession. His deep cross is turned behind for a corner.
53': Song is booked for clipping Lee after he was caught in possession.
54': Song's pass for Walcott is ambitious but Robinson shields it out of play.
55': Sagna's charge down the right is halted by Robinson, who wins a goal kick for good measure. Wenger moans at the fourth official.
56': Sturridge moans at the ref after being whistled for a foul on Wilshere. Very innocuous.
57': Now Bolton win a corner after Steinsson robbed Nasri of possession.
58': Arsenal clear the corner but play is stopped as Steinsson got a crack on the head from Cahill as they went for the ball.
59': Knight's back header nearly puts Nasri through but Cahill clears, then Arsenal spend a good minute camped on the edge of the Bolton box without forcing a way through.
60': Nearly but not quite again for Arsenal as Walcott nearly latches onto a Van Persie pass inside the box.
62': Robin Van Persie has now scored in seven successive Premier League away games, which is a new record. Impressive.
63': Chamakh is getting ready to come on. The forgotten man....
64': A slight cruncher from Wilshere on Lee, but he did win the ball. No worse than the one Davies got away with.
65': Nasri chases a long ball but Jaaskelainen is out to clear. Song makes way for Chamakh.
66': Fabregas floats in a free kick and Van Persie wins a corner.
67': A gaggle of players hit the deck as the corner comes in but the ref sees nothing wrong and Bolton clear. then as Arsenal come forward again Van Persie drags a shot wide from 25 yards. The cross was a better option.
68': All too intricate for Arsenal again as Wilshere gets into the area. He tries a cute pass when he could have had a go on goal. Before that Lee got round the back for Bolton but Djourou cleared.
69': What a chance! Van Persie puts Nasri clean through, but Jaaskelainen stands up tall, saves his effort, then Knight is back to make sure Nasri can't convert the rebound.
70': Another chance as Chamakh gets in over the top and tries to square to Nasri but it is just in front of him and he can't squirm it goalwards.
71': Muamba off, Mark Davies on in his place.
72': Arsenal most definitely should be in front now. Nasri's chance was glorious. Wenger screamed: "No! No!" as Chamakh tried to pass to Nasri from the ball over the top rather than go for goal.
73': Arshavin comes on and Walcott departs.
74': Wilshere works it wide for Sagna and his cross is diverted behind by Robinson. Huge pressure on Bolton now.
75': A Fabregas free kick is cleared, then Van Persie's follow up cross is headed clear. Now Nasri is over the top again, but wide and his attempted pass is right at Jaaskelainen. He had time....
76': Great Arsenal break as Van Persie finds Arshavin, he runs into the area and swings left but his cross is blocked. Corner.
77': Van Persie's header is over the bar.
78': More comedy from Wenger as he slams the ball into the turf after a throw in call goes against him.
79': A very nasty one for Robinson, who is usually the one dishing out the reducers, Chamakh slipped into him and is carded. Clumsy, not malicious.
80': Elmander, who has been peripheral at best, tries a shot from 40 yards. A waste.
81': It's getting desperate for Arsenal now. Tension from their fans and from the touchline. Can they deliver?
82': Nasri wins a corner.
83': Davies is playing as an extra defender now as Arsenal throw everything at Bolton.
83':
Will they be celebrating in ten minutes like they were after the equaliser?
84': Wilshere goes off, to a good reception and Aaron Ramsey comes on. Sturridge departs too, and Tamir Cohen is on.
85': Arshavin wins another corner after Van Persie played the ball wide.
86': An errant ball from Fabregas finally gives Bolton some breathing space.
87': The ball is in Arsenal's box for the first time in a long time and Sagna hacks clear.
88': A long overdue card for Davies after a late bump on Koscielny.
89': Elmander bursts clean through as Djourou misjudges a header, Szczesny saves low down.
90': GOAL Cohen scores! Arsenal's dream is over now! He gets up to nod the corner home and the Gunners are crushed!
91': Cohen took off his shirt to reveal a picture of Avi Cohen, his dad, who died recently after a motorbike accident. A very emotional celebration.
91': Five minutes added....
92': Elmander goes off and Ivan Klasnic comes on.
93': There are some deflated faces on Arsenal's bench, as you'd expect. They know this is the end of the road.
94': Lee wins a free kick off Clichy and time is almost up. Arsenal's fan look like their team is about to be relegated.
95': Wenger looks bereft.
96': FULL TIME A great win for Bolton and Arsenal's title challenge is over. Van Persie rages at some of the Bolton players as Arsenal's players file from the pitch.
96': Wilshere heads over to the Arsenal fans and throws his shirt into the crowd - he's the only one left on the pitch. It was a typical Arsenal display, silky and smooth, but not potent enough. They are nine points behind Manchester United now and gone.

Statistics

ARS		BOL
14	Fouls	14
3	Yellow Cards	4
0	Red Cards	0
0	Offsides	2
9	Corner Kicks	3
5	Saves	5
67.9	Possession	32.1
19	SHOTS	12
6	ON GOAL	7
0.3	On Target %	0.6
0	Penalty Goals	0
0	Penalty Kicks Taken	0
440	Accurate Passes	155
530	Passes	259
0.8	Pass Completion %	0.6
3	Accurate Crosses	4
38	Crosses	9
0.1	Cross %	0.4
40	Long Balls	50
23	Accurate Long Balls	26
0.6	Long Balls %	0.5
6	Blocked Shots	2
12	Effective Tackles	21
14	Tackles	26
0.9	Tackle %	0.8
0	Interceptions	0
17	Effective Clearances	29
30	Clearances	46

Game Information

Competition: English Premier League

Venue: Toughsheet Community Stadium
Location: Bolton, England
Attendance: 26,881

Premier League Standings

#	TEAM	GP	GD	PTS
1	Manchester City	4	+8	12
2	Arsenal	4	+5	10
3	Newcastle United	4	+3	10
4	Liverpool	4	+6	9

Full Standings

Line-Ups

Bolton Wanderers (4-4-2)

No.	Name
22	Jussi Jaaskelainen (GK)
12	Zat Knight
5	Gary Cahill
4	Paul Robinson
2	Grétar Steinsson
9	Johan Elmander
6	Fabrice Muamba
7	Matthew Taylor
27	Lee Chung-Yong
15	Daniel Sturridge
14	Kevin Davies

Bolton Wanderers Substitutes:

Tamir Cohen, Rodrigo, Martin Petrov, David Wheater, Ivan Klasnic, Adam Bogdan, Mark Davies.

Arsenal (4-2-3-1)

No.	Name
53	Wojciech Szczesny (GK)
6	Laurent Koscielny
20	Johan Djourou
22	Gaël Clichy
3	Bacary Sagna
19	Jack Wilshere
17	Alex Song
10	Robin van Persie
4	Cesc Fàbregas
8	Samir Nasri
14	Theo Walcott

Arsenal Substitutes:

Marouane Chamakh, Aaron Ramsey, Emmanuel Eboué, Sébastien Squillaci, Andrey Arshavin, Kieran Gibbs, Jens Lehmann.

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