Live – Bolton v Arsenal

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    1548: By the way, you can listen to live commentary from the Reebok on BBC Radio 5 live (if you’re in the UK). Just give this page a manual refresh and you’re away…

    Infostrada Sports on Twitter: “Today, Robin van Persie will try to become the first player in Premier League history to score in seven successive away matches.”
    GavJB on Twitter: “Goodness, why are all these Bolton fans anonymous? I know it was a poor match for them, but it was an FA Cup semi after all!”
    1340: I don’t need much of an excuse to roll out the sunshine graphic and, besides, it is a glorious afternoon in Bolton. The players are out on the pitch warming up – and none of them seem to want to stand/run in the shade of one of the stands at the Reebok. They might have to once the game starts, though.

    From another anonymous Bolton fan, via text: “It was an ‘I was there’ moment last Sunday for the Super Whites, just not the memory I was expecting. We’ve all licked our wounds, expecting a good performance today at a sold-out Reebok. White Army!”

    1533: I was at Wembley last Sunday and it wasn’t pretty from Bolton’s point of view. In fact, I’m not sure how even Owen Coyle could take anything positive away from the day – and he is the most enthusiastic and optimistic manager in the Premier League. The important thing for them is that they don’t feel sorry for themselves, and I can’t see Coyle letting that happen.

    From anonymous Bolton fan, via text: “It’s a tough ask for the lads to ask then to banish last weeks Wembley nightmare against this Arsenal side. As long as they show they still have some fight I’ll be happy. Last Sunday was an unfortunate situation where the nature of the event got to all 11 of our players instead of just one or two. Think Owen has missed a trick by not including Mark Davies in today’s starting XI though.”

    dom_m1988 on Twitter: “Quietly confident Gooner. The days of fearing Bolton are long gone. Win today and ONE FINAL PUSH!”
    1525: Talking of strikers, probably the most disappointing thing about Saturday was that Jermaine Easter failed to get off the bench for Crystal Palace at Doncaster. Shouldn’t his selection have been mandatory this weekend?
    1520: Around 40 minutes until we get going at the Reebok, so let’s take a quick glance back at yesterday’s action, on a day dominated by strikers. You might have heard by now that Fernando Torres ended his goal drought in the rain at Stamford Bridge while, at the other end of the form scale, Lionel Messi managed his 50th of the season for Barcelona in their win over Osasuna. I know it is easy to get carried away with plaudits but I think that officially makes Messi better than Clive Allen, who managed 49 goals for Tottenham in 1986/87.

    BOLTON v ARSENAL TEAM NEWS
    Phil Dawkes reports: “In-form striker Daniel Sturridge returns to Bolton’s starting line-up after having being cup-tied for the FA Cup semi-final defeat to Stoke last Sunday. He replaces Ivan Klasnic, who drops to the bench. The only other change for Wanderers sees Matthew Taylor come into midfield in place of Martin Petrov. Arsenal make one change from Wednesday’s 3-3 draw at Tottenham, with former Bolton loanee Jack Wilshere, who impressed during his stint with Wanderers last season, coming back into the midfield in place of Abou Diaby.”

    Bolton boss Owen Coyle on how his side hope to respond to last weekend’s disastrous FA Cup semi-final defeat by Stoke: “He said: “I don’t want any of the supporters to think that after the game the players didn’t think about the match or they weren’t hurt or disappointed. Of course they were. It was a great opportunity but it’s passed us by and we can’t affect that now. What we can affect is what’s to come. The target is the same as last year, to finish as high up the table as we can. As horrible as last Sunday was, I wished there was a game on the Monday. There wasn’t and we’ve had to wait a week and now we have to make sure that when it comes about we’re ready to go.”

    Bolton v Arsenal line-ups
    Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Knight, Robinson, Lee, Elmander, Muamba, Taylor, Sturridge, Kevin Davies. Subs: Bogdan, Petrov, Mark Davies, Klasnic, Moreno, Cohen, Wheater.
    Arsenal: Szczesny, Sagna, Djourou, Koscielny, Clichy, Song, Wilshere, Walcott, Fabregas, Nasri, van Persie. Subs: Lehmann, Ramsey, Squillaci, Arshavin, Eboue, Gibbs, Chamakh.
    Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire)

    1515: BREAKING TEAM NEWS FROM THE REEBOK STADIUM
    Arsenal’s only change is Jack Wilshere’s return, in place of Abou Diaby, after the England midfielder was rested for Wednesday’s trip to White Hart Lane. For Bolton, Matt Taylor and Daniel Sturridge are back in Owen Coyle’s starting XI. More on all of this very shortly.

    OptaJoe on Twitter: “8 – Arsenal have won their last eight Premier League games against Bolton Wanderers in succession. Bogey.”

    BOLTON v ARSENAL (1600 BST)
    Phil Dawkes reports: “Last Wednesday’s north London derby draw was a belter for the neutral, but represented another two precious points dropped by Arsenal. After wins for Manchester United and Chelsea yesterday, the requirement is simple for Arsene Wenger’s side: they either win against Bolton or their title-challenge is all but over. The odds are stacked in the Gunners favour, having won the last eight matches against a Wanderers side still reeling from their 5-0 drubbing by Stoke in the FA Cup semi-final. But Owen Coyle has in-form on-loan striker Daniel Sturridge available again and ready to strike a blow, not only for his temporary team but also for parent club Chelsea.”

    halkooheji on Twitter: “I’m positive Bolton are gonna beat Arsenal at the Reebok today. Arsenal hate physical teams.”
    henrybenryo on Twitter: “As a Gooner, I just want to forget the title race and see us play our game at its beautiful best. Entertainment please!”
    1507: I want to hear what you lot think too, obviously. So, put your Easter eggs (or what’s left of them) down, and step away from the chocolate. I’m Chris Bevan, and you can tweet me at @chrisbevan_bbc using the hashtag #BBCFootball please. Or feel free to text me via 81111 (UK) instead.
    1504: Surely even Wenger will have to admit the game will be up if his side fail to take three points from Wanderers, though, which makes it a must-win for them in my book. But Bolton, still reeling from last weekend’s Wembley nightmare, will want to make up for their no-show in their FA Cup semi-final with a big performance in front of their own fans. I’ve got a feeling we are in for an Easter treat this afternoon – a potential Reebok Classic, perhaps?

    1501: Hmmmm. Should we assume that Arsene hasn’t glanced at a league table for a while then? Arsenal might be on a 15-game unbeaten run in the Premier League, and leaders Manchester United might still have to come to the Emirates but there are, ahem, a couple of reasons why people have already been asking him to explain why Arsenal have failed this season. Firstly, the fact that, even if they beat Bolton (KO 1600 BST) today, the Gunners will still be six points behind United with four games to go… and also their run of only one win from their last five league games since they crashed out of Europe and the FA Cup, which has seen Chelsea move above them into second spot.

    1456: “We are fighting for the championship and I am always sitting in a position where you force me to explain why we fail,” a defiant Wenger told the media in the aftermath of Wednesday’s pulsating 3-3 draw with Tottenham. “For me it’s not a comfortable situation because we are fighting in a period where the most important thing is to have belief in what we do and you keep saying ‘why have you failed to win?’. Let’s just play for it first and have a go. If there has been somebody better we will have to accept that. But at the moment I don’t accept that there is somebody better.”

    1452: So, is this the day that the door finally slams shut on Arsenal’s title hopes… or the start of their extraordinary late surge for glory? I wonder what Gunners boss Arsene Wenger thinks…

    See more here:
    Live – Bolton v Arsenal