Arsenal To Beat Bolton Despite Mounting Injuries

At last it's back to the real action of the Premier league today as Arsenal entertain Bolton at The Emirates in a 3pm kick off. Before this weekend's games we are in second place in the league on seven points from three games. We're two points behind league leaders Chelsea who are the only team with a 100% record so far although the quality of our opponents has hardly been comparable to theirs. We have taken four points from trips to Liverpool and Blackburn and beaten Blackpool by six clear goals at home as well.

Bolton are unbeaten as well with one win and two draws so far and they did very well in their last game at home to Birmingham to snatch a 2-2 draw after going 2-0 down and having their goalkeeper sent off. They fell back on their old style of play that they depended on prior to Coyle taking charge in that game as they had their backs to the wall and it worked very well for them. We can expect them to use those same tactics as often as possible today as they know they can't outplay us and it comes naturally to play like that for players like Kevin Davies.

With the news yesterday that Vermaelen will miss the game with an achilles injury it means that we will get to see Squillaci make his debut for the team. The boss said yesterday that he would play after he managed to get 90 minutes under his belt for the reserves on Tuesday night in their 4-3 win over Blackburn. It means that we'll have a brand new central defensive partnership of Koscielny and Squillaci and hopefully they can form a useful partnership that will give us plenty of options for the season.

It also means that we will have an all French back four as Clichy and Sagna should play in their usual full back roles. Of course Almunia will continue in goal and hopefully he can show us some more of the form he showed against Blackburn. He wasn't great but he was good enough not to be a hindrance and that's a good start. Hopefully the full backs can get themselves forward often enough to get some decent crosses into the box for our one and only fit striker - Chamakh.

In midfield I expect the same three players to play from the start as the last game with Song holding the fort behind Cesc and Diaby. Cesc will hopefully be able to play the full 90 minutes this time if he's required to but hopefully he can go off for the last 20 minutes if we have a comfortable lead. I don't expect Nasri to start even though he should be in the squad after returning early from injury. The boss said he's available and it looks like he'll be saved for Braga on Wednesday night. 

In attack we are running very short of players and our options are very limited. Chamakh will lead the line as we have no other central striker available and Arshavin is sure to start on the left. That only leaves the right hand side to be filled and the way I see it the choice is between Rosicky and Eboue. I think Rosicky will get the nod and hopefully he can continue the very good form we have seen from him this season.

Despite all of our problems in our attack we should still have far too much in our locker for Bolton. I say this before every game but all we have to do is play our own game at our own high pace and pass the ball quickly and cleanly and the chances will come. I'm hoping for Cesc to have got over the World Cup final and all his other trials and tribulations and to show us exactly why he is the best attacking central midfield player in the world in my opinion. Apparently Diaby had a great game for France on Wednesday night and more of the same from him would be great, particularly if he doesn't take too much out of the ball.

Of course Bolton will target our new central defensive partnership and our well known difficulties at set pieces but we need to stand strong when they do get a chance to get at us. The defence will need help from Song and Diaby at times as their size and strength will come in useful under any aerial assault. I'm sure we'll see Chamakh back there helping out too at those set pieces but I do wish that we would leave at least one player up when we are defending corners. It's some much easier to break quickly if we have someone to play the ball out to when we win it back. Even a player of the stature of Arshavin could do it as any outlet ball could be played to his feet.

With plenty of good aerial supply to Chamakh I'm sure he will take at least one chance that comes his way and I have a funny feeling Cesc will get his first goal of the season too. I'm predicting a 3-1 win for Arsenal and I'll be watching it on the TV along with my fellow Wicklow Gunners in The Strand in Bray. Of course I'd prefer to be at the game itself but at the moment my finances won't stretch to a trip to England.   

That's it for today but I'll be back tomorrow with my review of the game and hopefully the video highlights too.

See You Tomorrow.