Arsenal 4-1 Bolton

[Chris Rabz]

I know it's over a week away but the majority will agree we just do not care about the International scene. We've made a strong start to the season, better than we have for a good few years, and sit high up in 5th - albeit only after three league games. Coyle's strategy seems to be working at the moment and winning a lot of people over, but now its for a real test. Blackpool started the season with a 4-0 away win, but came away from the Emirates with a 6-0 good hiding.

I think its a tall order to expect us to get anything, but can we? A win for me seems out of the question, but we started so fast last season and Arsenal had to be at their very best to come back to beat us. And I don't know about anyone else, but with Coyle in charge I actually feel like we have a decent chance in any game we play - much like I felt under Big Sam.

I'm going for an optimistic draw, 1-1 with Elmander getting back on the goal trail.

[Le God]

6-0 to them im afraid.

we are due a mauling.

[Jamster26]

Stick Davies on that Lorient fella. He'll give him a warm experience to the Premier League. If we can keep it tight in the first half, then we have a chance.
Concede early though and it is night night baby.

[Tom]

Whenever I've seen him Laurent Kolscielny has looks awful, Davies would walk all over him.

I'm going to say 3-1 to them.

[Jamster26]

Slightly contradicting Tom.

[dh1985]

I think we'll lose but it'll be a close run thing, with maybe a goal or two in it tops.

2-1 Arsenal. They'll go 2-0 up, think the game is up and we'll get one back off a set play (Cahill to show Wenger what he missing) to set up a nervy last ten minutes. Sadly, Arsenal will see it out for our first defeat.

Like you Chris, I feel that we can get something from any game we play in now. While it may not happen, at least we're not going to the big teams with the sole intention of trying to come away with the smallest defeat possible. Contrast the last two away games against Arsenal; we lost them both - under Coyle we lost 4-2 having lost a two goal ead; under Megson, we lost 1-0 having spent the entire game camped in our half. Both tactics eventually returned zero points, but I felt a lot better after the game under Coyle, despite losing a lead, than i did waiting for the inevitable defeat under Megson.

Under Coyle we gave it a good go and, ultimately, we were beaten by the better side (with a questionable refereeing decision to boot). Under Megson, we might have well just forfeited the match and saved ourselves the trouble.

While I think Arsenal will win a week tomorrow, I fancy we will give them a game. 

[Chris Rabz]

Exactly. Even the home game I feel we matched them for the most part in Coyle's first game with us, but we were eventually beaten by two moves of world class pedigree and when that's what beats you sometimes you just hold your hands up and say "well done". But now at least we know that if teams want points off us, they are going to have to work hard to earn them. We start every game with at least a point, and we need to make sure teams have to wrestle it from us if they want anything more.

[Batman]

I hope we kick the shíte out of every single one of their sneaky, cheating foreign tosspots. I hope Davies plants his elbow on Koscielny's face. I hope Muamba smashes Fabregas early on, and that Cahill ruffles Chamakh's hair so that little tart has gel in his eyes.

I fully expect Wilshere to score the winner, for us.

Easy.

[traf]

3-1 defeat.

[Didledee]

Not gonna do a prediction just yet, Elmander went off for Sweden tonight after 49 minutes with suspected concussion, can't see it lasting 8 days, not an expert though like.

What we need is Bogdan on form[unlike Jussi v Arsenal away last season] and a ref that will actually send off a player if they do something like Gallas did to M.Davies and to take the chances we get.

[Bwfc4eva]

Coyle will be have to be a very brave man if he is to name a 4-4-2 formation.

I'd go with 4-5-1

Bogdan
Steinsson
Cahill
Knight
Robinson
Lee
Muamba
Holden
Petrov
Taylor
Davies

I can only see a loss. 3-0 to them.

[traf]

Bogdan
--------
Steinsson , Cahill , Knight , Robinson
--------
Ricketts , Muamba , Holden , Alonso, Samuel
--------
Andy O' Brien

[Chris Rabz]

Admittedly... I'd forgot we're without Jussi. My prediction may be changed soon.

[Natasha Whittam]

Our defence has been piss-poor so far this season, luckily we've been up against piss-poor attacks.

5-0 Arsenal. Coyle will suggest it was a close 5-0.

[aarons2009]

I see a heavy defeat on the cards to be honest, if they target Steinsson as our main weakness with someone like Nasri then were in for a long afternoon.

[dh1985]

I'd looking forward to seeing Robinson keeping Walcott in his back pocket. Tenner on Robbo for the first yellow card. As for the match, I'd play;

GK: Bogdan
RB: Steinsson
LB: Robinson
CB: Cahill
CB: Knight
DM: Muamba
CM: Holden
CM: M Davies
RW: Taylor
CF: K Davies
LW: Petrov

Stick Muamba on Fabregas to try and man mark him out of the game. Mark Davies and Holden can play a little so hopefully they'll be able to do something with the ball the occasional times we're in posession. Basically, fcúk any idea of fancy football. Go long to Davies every time and get Petrov, Taylor and Holden close by for his knock downs.

We have to play 451 against Arsenal. Birmingham managed to go through our midfield with ease on Sunday, even when we had eleven men, and Arsenal have ten times the quality. Need to keep it compact, soak up the pressure and, above all, take our few chances when they come along.

Either way, we won't get hammered. People who say we will either overrate Arsenal, underrate us, or both. Arsenal hammered ten man Blackpool. We're a far tougher test. Not saying we'll win, but we'll give them a game!

[BWFCb0y]

Well said dh - Anyone else got tickets yet???

[pfk]

I don't think we'll score but we might frustrate them and manage to keep it to only 2 or 3 nil.

[RUREADY2ROLL]

Our defence has been piss-poor so far this season, luckily we've been up against piss-poor attacks.

5-0 Arsenal. Coyle will suggest it was a close 5-0.

Why dont you just bugger off the manure site

[Natasha Whittam]

Why dont you just bugger off the manure site

Great post. How do I bugger off the manure site? Is it like a hand job?

[RUREADY2ROLL]

Great post. How do I bugger off the manure site? Is it like a hand job?

You never have anything positive about Bolton Wanderers so why spend your time here

[Le God]

You never have anything positive about Bolton Wanderers so why spend your time here

to wind up people like you clearly.

[RUREADY2ROLL]

to wind up people like you clearly.

No he/ she is just a di.ck

[Didledee]

0-1

                        Cahill

Man of Match = Bogdan

[Natasha Whittam]

You never have anything positive about Bolton Wanderers so why spend your time here

So you're predicting a Bolton victory? Thought not.