Mark ModiArsenal vs Bolton: Match Preview and Team News
Link: marcmm03.blogspot.com
International break is over and looks like everybody happy to welcoming back the club football in Arsenal blogging world starting this saturday and a home game against Bolton. We have another 4 weeks to enjoy our beloved Arsenal playing before another international break and hopefully not another break out of new injury news following suit. Good news is Theo won't be fit to be feature for England at the next international game. Anyway back to Arsenal news.For this saturday match against Bolton, I would like to welcome Koscielny and Squillaci for their home debut. Good luck for both of them. I tip they will both start. I just cannot see Djourou will be fit enough to play or I will see Arsene gamble on Djourou fitness after all the injuries he have endured.
Bolton will be a great test for our new defensive pair. Like the game against Blackburn, they will provided a major test in term of aerial bombardtment and set pieces. Long throws, corner and free kicks will test the set piece defending from Arsenal. Almunia, Kos, Squil, Diaby, Song and Chamakh will be the key man in defending the set pieces. I do see some improvement in our defending at set piece against Blackburn but I just don't want to be overconfident yet at Arsenal defending the set pieces. Almunia show a great character against Blackburn while other goalkeeper might have been fall and fragile when this sort of thing happen to them.
Apart from set pieces, Bolton will look for counter attack. That is where Arsenal main weakness is. Last season Arsenal lost a lot of games as they let in a lot of goals when the opposition counter attack. Games against chelsea and man utd is the example. With the like of Clichy and Sagna always look likely to supporting the attack when in possession, it will leave our centre backs exposed to the counter attack. The games against Blackburn is another evidence.
For Arsenal line up, I cannot see much changes. Only some cover up for the injured players otherwise we will see the same starting line up against Blackburn. Hey, I just cannot see why need to change unless to cover up some injuries. Like the saying goes, "If It Ain't Broken, While Fix It". If they can do it against Blackburn away, I believe they can do better against Bolton away.
Almunia will surely start. I will take something special for others to displace him and I didn't mean by injuries. Arsenal didn't need anymore injuries. At the defensive unit, I'm sure we will see all French defender and I'm also sure the media and pundit will take a swipe at Arsene for failing to put an English players even though we have Gibbs which they (the media and pundits and of course Harry Redknapp) feels not good enough for England starting place. But I love to watch, and probably beg Wenger,to start Gibbs against Chelsea. I would be direct head to head battle for the England number 1 and 2 left back. Sagna, Kos, Squil and Clichy will make the back four.
There is no problem at the midfield. With Walcott out, the will be the likes of Eboue, Rosicky, Nasri, Arshavin and Wilshere that can be deploy at the right hand side. Arsenal might miss the pace of Walcott at the right, a good news for the left back, but Arsenal also might need some new dimension in certain games and the cover up players all have different dimension and aspect of play in them. Anyway I would love to see Walcott vs Cashley Cole battle. At the middle I believe Song and Diaby starts with Diaby will be at his usual box to box position and Song as a cover for our centre back. Fabregas might start at his usual advance role. At the right wing I think Eboue will start and Arshavin on the left. Rosicky might have to settle another game at the bench.
Arsenal attack will be Chamakh as a lone striker. There are no choice since Arsenal are out of striker with RVP11 & NB52 are both out. Unlike last season where Arsenal have to use Eduardo and Arshavin as the lone striker, which fail big time, Chamakh provide a better cover up front and Arsenal are in better position to dealt with when RVP and NB are out.
The subs will be like this. Fabianski. Djourou, Rosicky. Wilshere, Vela, Nasri and Gibbs. Maybe Denilson will make a place at the subs if Nasri is not fit or prefered compares to Vela. Rosicky and Wilshere will be feature anyway. The third subs will be either Nasri, Vela or Djourou (if Arsenal lead by 3 or more goals).
My preferred line up and the strongest line up in my opinion will be like this.
---------------ALMUNIA------- --------------
SAGNA-----KOS----SQUIL-----CL INCHY
------------SONG----------DIA BY-----------
------------------FABREGAS--- --------------
---EBOUE--------------------A RSHAVIN---
---------------CHAMAKH------- -----------
My score prediction will be 4-1 win to another Arsenal win. Arsenal might concede on the counter attack. Head to head match for me will be Koscielny and Cahill. Koscielny will have a point to prove to all the fans, pundit and media out there. They want Cahill but Arsene want Kos. Kos will have to prove at this match why Arsene prefer him.
