Almunia to start against Bolton

Just a quick update on the starting team and injuries before the Bolton match.

Wenger has revealed that he will be starting Manuel Almunia for the match, and leaving Jens Lehmann out of the side completely. Regular readers will already know that I am absolutely delighted about this. While he mentions that Lehmann is indeed fit, one has to assume the reasoning behind this is the comments the German has made in recent weeks. Subsequently, Lukasz Fabianski will sit on the bench.

Jens Lehmann has been kept out of the starting team by Wenger, and rightly soIt also seems that Tomas Rosicky will not make it back into the starting lineup and with the rest of the midfielders fit it should be Abou Diaby who slots in on the left. The other option would be to play Alexander Hleb on the left and put Theo Walcott on the right, so we will have to wait and see what Wenger does. It seems the manager also favours Eduardo da Silva over Nicklas Bendtner up front, so expect the Croatian to start and the Dane to sit on the bench. He explains that Bendtner is more likely to play in place of Adebayor than alongside him.

Just in case you didn’t read yesterday’s match preview, Robin van Persie and Philippe Senderos are unavailable through injury and William Gallas will be starting at centre-back alongside Kolo Toure in place of the Swiss defender. As I mentioned previously, it will be either Eduardo or Bendtner who replaces van Persie.

Finally, Cesc Fabregas and Arsene Wenger have been named as the official Player of the Month and Manager of the Month respectively for September. May there be many more of those awards to come.

What do you think?

Have your say on the Arsenal-Bolton clash by leaving a comment.

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Comments

  1. I thought it was obvious that AW would get the Manager of the month because we won all our games in September. Its also good to see Cesc getting award, Arsenal done what Man City done – got the player of month and manager of thr month. ” sven and Richards ” i am predicting a 3-0 win over Bolton but an Anelka goal is inevitable.

  2. The big thing for me is that he’s completely out of the squad. Wenger obviously has had enough of it, and it’s good to see this.

    I’m disappointed in Lehmann more than anything. He was given a position of leadership in the team, and this is how he responds to circumstances.

  3. Only a couple of hours away from KO. Come on Arsenal, i really want Villa to do what they did to chelsea but to man utd today. Anoter win would insure us at the top but if man utd slip, a bigger gap will open

  4. I think that’s exactly what the team will be like as well as the subs bench.I say 4 – 0 to us.What do you think?
    Almunia
    Sagna
    Clichy
    Toure
    Gallas
    Flamini
    Hleb
    Fabregas
    Adebayor
    Eduardo
    Rosicky
    Subs:Fabianski,Walcott,Eboue,Diaby,Diarra,Bendtner,Gilberto

  5. Damn I keep posting in the wrong place. 🙁

    I think Lehmans comments have back fired on him because Wenger not only left him out of the team but out of the squad, if he did any thing other than that then he may have looked weak. That weren’t too smart for a supposed experienced player. However I think Fabianski will be the number 1 keeper next season and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the starting 11 before the season ends (not just Carling Cup.)

    Just get Eduardo to wear his Croatia shirt under his Arsenal shirt and I’m sure he’ll score. 🙂

    Please SF delete the other post.

  6. 4-0? I hope the players aren’t thinking like that as it might turn out to be similar to the match against Sunderland. I predict a niggly 2-1 or even a 2-2.

  7. It has been a banana skin in the past but lets hope a rudderless Bolton should hit the rocks!

  8. This is not the Bolton of last sseason and managerless.You just don’t drop points at this type of games. Otherwise forget about the title.Only a convincing win should do and send out a message that arsenal mean business this season.

  9. This is not the same Arsenal from last season!
    Excellent play by Walcott.Who said we will struggle without Van Persie?
    Yeah Walcott last two games is making a difference now.Theo Walcott the new Thierry Henry!

  10. You must be mad if you think we didn’t struggle without RVP, did you even see the first half? It was absolutely hopeless and it was EXACTLY the same Arsenal as last season. My prediction of it being scrappy and Arsenal only just about managing to score two goals was spot on.

  11. While I’m not supporting Jens outbursts I still feel that Jens is the better GK and that Arsene should consider recalling him for the MANU and the POOL games. Almunia may be okay but he’s short on the big games and don’t have what it takes to be No.1

  12. Almunia wasn’t tested toady so he’ll carry on in the goal. The first half gainst Bolton wasn’t good.It was just like arsenal of last season lots of chances no end product. The Eduardo Adebayor parternship just didn’t work nothing positive to take from it.Adebayor looked lost without RVP and his finishing was poor. Once again Theo comes to the rescue fantastic pace quick feet.I’m slightly concerned. I was hoping to see something to carry to the liverpool and M.utd games. ON a positive note once again we showed we can keep going to the death.I would love to see Theo upfront one day.

  13. ColonelMarquand,
    You must be mad if you think we didn’t struggle without RVP!
    Learn how to give comments and be like educated.

  14. I think it was a really positive game – you all sound like we lost! we won by 2 goals – got a clean sheet – WE ARE TOP OF THE PREM, 2 POINTS CLEAR OF MANU WIV A GAME IN HAND, yeah we didnt play brillaint, but we still won 2-0

  15. Transfer News – Arsenal and Manchester United are locked in a battle to sign 19-year-old Argentine midfielder Angel Di Maria.

    Everton, Liverpool and Arsenal are competing for the signature of Monaco midfielder Yohan Mollo.
    -Arsenal are interested in signing Dynamo Kiev’s Croatian midfielder Luka Modric.

  16. jos asante,
    “Learn how to give comments and be like educated.”
    Errr, I think you need to heed your own advice before advising others on their English and grammar.

  17. Hleb was excellent. He should always play in the center against the more physical teams I think. He has the ability to do a lot of damage with very little space.

  18. ok i watched this arsenal game and i thought they were poor…..second half they were better when rosiky and theo came on….firstly hleb was playing on the left but i didnt see him on that left wing once he drifts inside every time….now if clichy is going to be there so called left wing then against united they will be in trouble because ronaldo will keep him up the field in a defencive position the whole game……on the right Eboue was very average at best…..edwardo and ade dont combine well at all….i watched liverpool, united and arsenal play on the weekend and on reflection id say united were the best, then liverpool then arsenal……dont be suprised if arsenal lose there next two matches…..without RVP arsenal are in big big trouble

  19. i look forward to watching tevez and rooney run riot when they face arsenal….there movement and vision on the ball is exceptional….in all honesty and not rubbing it in, without RVP i noticed a very very different arsenal side

  20. There is nothing wrong with asking for more from the team. Yes we won great. But this is Bolton we are talking about and at home. We need to be lethal upfront scare the hell out of those teams who come to the Emirates thinking they can hold out for a nil / nil draw. So the likes of Liverpool and M.United quake in their boots when we see them next time. Psychology has a lot to do with it. RVP gave us that cutting edge. He is out for a long time .We need an alternative and fast. But I have a feeling Theo will come good very soon. Ok Man utd played well but Aston Villa’s defence was shambolic and they didn’t park the bus like Bolton did. On the Liverpool game Liverpool had a fantastic player dressed as a Ref. I Felt sorry for Everton. We shall see.

  21. I think Theo can change a game – he did yesterday. He is our weapon if we are to get points from our next 2 prem games, so i say play him against Slavia Prague – see how he does and see whoelse pplys well. The Slavia game is not going to be easy but it is a chance to see who plays well and not well. I must say tho Liverpool and Manchester Unitefd will not find it easy t oget past Sagna-Toure-Gallas-Clichy.

    Ronlado7 – When we beat man utd i want to hear your reaction becuz you think we have no chance, but i belive otherwise. RVP only 3-4 weeks from fitness.

  22. I think an ade + bendtner partnership is possibly overlooked. Recently most partnerships have been a tall and short striker. Bendt and ade are both lanky, but have differing playing styles. Having them together might overwhelm a defence lacking height?

  23. I think Adebayor is tall and so has the height for headers and has incredible shot power and Walcott is small, VERY FAST and is form. A good partnership could happen in the absense of RVP. We need to find a partnersgip in the Slavia game, so try Walcott n Ade.

  24. Quote from Arsenal site:

    The Dutchman has damaged medial knee ligaments and will be out for four to six weeks however there were fears the injury might have been to cruciate ligaments. That would have seen him sidelined for the vast majority of this season.

    “His injury is a medial knee ligament,” said Wenger at Monday’s press conference. “At one stage we were scared it was a cruciate but we had good news and the scan was positive. But it is still a long injury.”

    ARSENAL FANS WISH YOU QUICK RECOVERY.

    DESPITE THE ARSENAL WILL STILL BEAT LIVERPOOL AND MAN U

    ARSENAL 3 LIVERPOOL 1

    ARSENAL 2 MAN U 0

  25. Quote from Arsenal site:

    The Dutchman has damaged medial knee ligaments and will be out for four to six weeks however there were fears the injury might have been to cruciate ligaments. That would have seen him sidelined for the vast majority of this season.

    “His injury is a medial knee ligament,” said Wenger at Monday’s press conference. “At one stage we were scared it was a cruciate but we had good news and the scan was positive. But it is still a long injury.”

    ARSENAL FANS WISH YOU QUICK RECOVERY.

    DESPITE THE INJURY ARSENAL WILL STILL BEAT LIVERPOOL AND MAN U

    ARSENAL 3 LIVERPOOL 1

    ARSENAL 2 MAN U 0

  26. That means he’s had a serious injury three seasons on the run, I feel sorry for him and Arsenal are already missing him. 🙁

  27. We can’t have a season where an important player is injured. ” seasons ago: RVP, last season: henry, RVP, this season: RVp. It isn’t his fault. Get well soon.

  28. If the Gunners can come out at least even over the 4 match-ups with Man U and Liverpool, and generally avoid dropping points against the lower teams (including Chelsea?!) then we’re well on the way to the title. So far, so good … Unlike some other teams, I think we have the capacity to get a large number of goals from midfield (Hleb, Rosicky, Cesc and others) even in RvP’s temporary absence. And Theo’s emergence is a real boost too.

    I just hope Eduardo comes good, as he has done for Croatia.

    Based on the highlights, Villa defended really poorly on Saturday against Man U (whose finishing was very sharp but on chances they should not have had), and Liverpool seemed to be very lucky.

  29. Not for certain but according to the latest news, finally Theo is starting upfront with Adebayor which I think good news. I’ve been waiting for this to happen. Good luck to Theo he really deserves it he’s been a real pro he’s been running the flanks for sometimes and comes on as a sub but never complained or said a word just got on with it. I really hope he can do some damage to Slavia Prague. And if he does well, he’ll start against Liverpool and possibly M.utd.

  30. I am a fan of Walcott and now AW has given him a chance – Theo is going to work really hard to make AW realise he is the man to fill in RVPs boots right now! He is very fast and is deadly at the sight of goal. he assisted goals againsnt sunderland nad bolton and laos hit the post vs. sunderland. he has deservedly got an oppurtunity and i ma glad to watch the game now. Slavia prague knocked out Ajax in qualifiers, so they aren;t no walk in the park but Sevilla beat them 4-2 so we cna beat them aswell.

  31. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is chasing £40m-rated Lyon forwards Karim Benzema, 19, and Hatim Ben Arfa, 20.

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