Bolton 0 Arsenal 2:IT IS as well that a club's new manager is always bolstered by zeal. Owen Coyle would otherwise rage against the football gods who send his Bolton side to meet Arsenal again on Wednesday. That rearranged Premier League match is at the Emirates and the test for him now is to preserve morale in a line-up second bottom of the table.
His one convincing ploy will be to reassure his men that many opponents will seem dishevelled against Arsene Wenger’s team.
Bolton did take credit yesterday because Arsenal’s win was anything but effortless. There were just 12 minutes remaining when the substitute Fran Merida scored the second, side-footing in an Eduardo Da Silva cross. Coyle would argue later that Eduardo had been offside when receiving a pass from the remarkable Cesc Fabregas, but the call made by Phil Dowd was too close for anyone to claim a miscarriage of justice.
That clincher was Merida’s first league goal. It is still unclear whether he will sign a new contract when the existing one expires in the summer. If Wenger is hopeful of his signature it will be because the player would be foolish to turn his back on Arsenal, even if there are doubts as to whether he can establish himself fully. Even experienced figures seem to feel a rising excitement.
After being out for three matches because of a hamstring problem, Fabregas returned here with a forcefulness that resisted every effort by Bolton to harry or outmuscle him. Coyle’s line-up had to settle for demonstrating an eagerness to survive that may serve them well against less-distinguished foes. The manager will not be pining just yet for the life he gave up at Burnley.
Fabregas gave the visitors the lead after a sharp interchange with Eduardo in the 28th minute. There were other openings too with Fabregas, for instance, miscuing and putting his finish wide on the verge of half-time following a cut-back by Eduardo. The creator on that occasion does not always convince and the side does still pine for the injured Robin van Persie, but the Croatian indubitably made an impression in this taxing away fixture.
It was only eight days since Wenger’s side had been fortunate to take a 2-2 draw at home to Everton, but the overall character of their season has been purposeful. They were never mistaken for fragile or half-hearted opponents here. This type of occasion, with the opposition desperate to show their credentials to a new leader, is full of potential menace. Arsenal mostly rose above all that and, when made to grapple, were convincingly competitive.
A clean sheet was completed despite the injuries and Africa Cup of Nations absences that required Craig Eastmond to be granted a first Premier League start. The youngster may be no Alex Song yet, but his work, until he tired, allowed Fabregas some crucial liberty. Bolton, for all that, could have altered the nature of the game. After 71 minutes, the substitute Gavin McCann released Matt Taylor. The player was utterly free, yet acted as if as if a pursuing pack of Arsenal players was about to fall upon him. He shot immediately when there was time enough to consider where to place the ball in the net. Taylor instead missed the target entirely.
The home side never completely abandoned hope of making an impression and not even Fabregas could always overshadow them. Under Coyle’s management, they already seemed to put more emphasis on control and passing, even if their best opportunity was traditional in tone. Kevin Davies supplied the flick-on and Ivan Klasnic flicked the ball up, before failing to convert on the turn just before the interval.
Bolton perhaps may find more composure when they are no longer stuck on the same pitch as Arsenal.
