Arsenal 1-0 Bolton Wanderers: What the papers say

Monday January 12th, 2009

Image via Wikipedia

How the press reported the Wanderers defeat at the Emirates Stadium

- The Observer suggested Bolton’s rearguard action was feeble in comparison to the robust performances against Arsenal of yesteryear, even suggesting that despite the Arsenal’s players’ and fans’ melodramtic reaction every time Kevin Davies made a tackle, it was actually Bolton who came off worse for wear in the physical battle… just ask Johan Elmander. There was little sympathy for Gary Megson’s limited selection options, though, with the reporter implying our depleted bench was a non-to-subtle message to Phil Gartside to blow the cobwebs from his cheque book.

- The Times was kinder both to the Wanderers’ tactics and under-strength bench. Well, they at least pointed out that Bolton aren’t the only team in the Premier League to employ stifling tactics against the big four: ‘Criticism of Bolton for their unambitious approach is futile. An attack policy would have left them vulnerable and their ranks were depleted, anyway, with Gary Megson, the manager, able to name only four substitutes.’

- In The Sun, even Arsene Wenger admitted that there are times when the big four employ these tactics too.

- The Independent was also at least good enough to recognise that the poor quality of the game was as much down to Arsenal’s inability to create chances, as it was to Bolton playing nine men behind the ball.

- The Telegraph blamed the Gunners too, saying they are ‘not playing the football to which this stadium is accustomed’. It also pointed out that some Arsenal fans – or ‘spoiled brats’ as they call them – had started booing Nicklas Bendtner before he scored the winner. There was a positive conclusion for the Whites, though: ‘Though a third consecutive defeat is a worry, there is plenty of fight left in Bolton.’

- There was similar disdain for the Arsenal ‘boo boys’ in the News of the World, which incidentally was the only paper to point out that naming only four subs isn’t that big a deal, given you can only use three anyway.

Have your say on the game in the comment box below…

Read the fans’ view on the Arsenal v Bolton game here.

Watch Nicklas Bendtner’s winning goal here.