By comeback I don’t just mean last night, I also mean having been 11 points behind Chelsea after they beat us and now being level on points with them and top of the league. After that defeat pretty much everyone wrote us off, even I thought we had little chance of being in the mix with the leaders. But football this season is very open, we have had a great run of results that has seen us climb back up there to now and we are top of the table.
Last night though was not all fun as a fan. I arrived at the ground hoping that the two goal margin required to take us top of the league was a mere formality, given the way the players set out I think they had the same mindset. Bolton started pretty well and were closing us down and often first to the ball. We had a few chances but nothing that was really a goalscoring opportunity. Then a swipe at a clearance by the returning Clichy saw the ball end up in the middle of our box, a few headers and the ball fell to a Bolton player and it was in the back of the net. 1-0, this wasn’t meant to be happening.
The crowd were still behind our players and urged them on, but it didn’t seem to transmit onto the pitch. We were still coming off as the second best team and Bolton had plenty of attacks. One such attack was ended by a clumsy challenge from Denilson which gave away a penalty. From my seat on the opposite side of the goal it looked like a penalty and there was no surprise when the ref pointed to the spot. Almunia went the correct way but the ball still ended in the back of the net. We were 2-0 down to these cloggers and only 28 odd minutes had been played.
The first half continued with very poor play from us, many people sat around me were saying this was the worst they had seen us play in a long while, and I have to agree – we were awful. I recall Cesc stood at the restart after the second goal shouting and clapping his hands, but it hadn’t seemed to encourage the players that much. However on 44 minutes the team released the handbrake, dipped the clutch and selected first gear, we were playing at last! Rosicky was fed a ball on the right of their area, took a few paces then smashed it past Jaaskelainen, it looked a great goal live. It was 2-1 just before half time. Maybe, just maybe the comeback was on. The fans got back behind the team and the atmosphere really kicked up a gear.
The second half started much as the first had ended, we clearly had stepped up a gear and the players looked like they thought we could win this. Our passing was better and we began to break down the 5 man midfield that Bolton had brought. Then there was the controversial moment, Gallas challenged Mark Davies and the Bolton player stayed down (more on this in a bit) and Arsenal played on. The ball broke to Cesc on the edge of the area and he shot into the net. 2-2. We went wild in block 6, I recall my shoulder (which has been sore for fucking ages) hurting even more after jumping around and hugging grown men stood near me. That goal was another for our captain fantastic in what has been a great season for him.
Davies had to be stretchered off the pitch, the crowd did antagonise the situation and with hindsight it probably wasn’t the best thing to do but we have been on the end of many a “hard challenge” in the past when teams like Bolton “get in our faces”. And remember Gallas is a good, honest pro who doesn’t usually go out to injure opposition players.
The impetus was clearly with us and the Bolton players looked dejected after throwing away a two goal lead. We pressed and pressed and I felt that we had plenty more goals in us, the win was on. It didn’t take too long, after a few corners the ball fell to Vermaelen and he got back to his scoring ways by hitting the ball into the net from about 12 yards out, had it not been for Cesc and Alex Song the Belgian would be our player of the season so far. 3-2 in front and more pandemonium in the stands. The crowd were really behind the team and hopefully that had a positive effect on their game.
But at 3-2 I was a bit nervous, whilst I wanted to be top of the league all that was important to me now was the win. Another goal was needed, but we looked to ease up a little and Bolton had a few chances that made it difficult for me to relax. But that goal was to come, Arshavin the scorer this time and it was 4-2, the goal was met with chants of “we are top of the league”.
Walcott and Vela were introduced late on to keep the attacking threat up, and we nearly got a fifth; Arshavin and Walcott broke, Theo was in the clear but Arshavin was very selfish and took a shot. Theo went ape shit at him, he was screaming at him during the ensuing corner, which is fair enough as that should have been a goal for Theo which would have really wrapped the night up for us. But no bother we won 4-2 and are top of the league!
Now going back to the Gallas challenge. It didn’t look too bad at full speed but these things often don’t when the players are close together. There were calls for Arsenal not to play on, but against Everton they played on, and more importantly later on in yesterday’s game a Bolton player went down and BOLTON played on – you have to play to the whistle, it is the ref who stops the game. Afterwards Arsene said this:
“I am sorry if the (Gallas) tackle was not good. I apologise.”
No doubt there will be a backlash against this, but I doubt Gallas meant to cause a severe injury, he doesn’t have that reputation. We have been on the receiving end of a number of hard challenges from physical sides like Bolton, Blackburn etc in the past, perhaps it is time we showed that we have that tough edge to our game.
Diaby limped off late on, it looks like he has a calf injury which was caused by a kick in the first Bolton game, but this is a worry as he has been a good player in our sparse midfield lineup.
But we can revel in being top of the league for a few days. We are well clear of 4th place at the moment and properly in the title hunt. It’s good to be a Gooner!
