We have to beat Bolton 13 April, 2007

If we don’t we’re going to be in a lot of trouble. If we lost they will overtake us and be in 4th place and we will drop to 5th and out of the Champions League places. If we draw they will be just one point behind us and I do not want to be in that position. We do have a game in hand over them but we shouldn’t have to rely on that. A win would create a bit of a gap but it’s our fault we’ve let them catch up. A few weeks ago we had 4th pretty much in the bag and we were just playing for 3rd, we’ve slipped up recently and allowed Bolton back in the race.

Wenger’s gone a bit mad with the team selection recently, he’s put Diaby up front in the last game and Gilberto had a run in defence not long ago. We’ve suffered a lot with injuries this season but still the teams been a bit strange. This is how I’d set the team out tomorrow:

Defence: Obviously Jens Lehmann in goal. His future’s still uncertain and he says he hopes to sort out his future in the next few days but until we bring in a replacement he’ll be our no.1. Then at right back I’d have Kolo Toure, I know Wenger will play him in the middle and have Eboue there but Kolo’s done brilliantly when put out wide and frankly I’ve had enough of Eboue. Then in the middle I’d have Johann Djourou and William Gallas, possibly Senderos instead of Djourou but I think Johann will be better suited to this game and he’s in better form. Then at left back I’d have Gael Clichy obviously. It’s a shame he doesn’t really have a competition for his place. Gallas can do a job at left back but other that that it’s really Armand Traore who plays there. There’s talk we might go in for a left back in the summer but I’m unsure Wenger will.

Midfield: Hleb will play but I hope to God he doesn’t, he really is shocking. This season near the beginning I thought he actually was improving but he’s back to his old self giving away every ball and making all the wrong decisions. At right midfield I suppose I’d have Freddie Ljungberg, I’d rather have someone else in there but we have other options. Arsene reckons Diaby can play out wide but he is definitely a central midfielder. That’s one position we really need to invest in, in the transfer window and that’s out wide. Then in the centre I’d play Abou Diaby, Gilberto and Cesc Fabregas. I’ve been really impressed with Diaby this season and I think he is the sort of player that can really make the difference tomorrow. Cesc, we all know the boy’s talents, he might not be in the greatest of form at the moment but it’s hard to leave him out the team. Then on the left wing I’d put Tomas Rosicky who has recovered from that problem that saw him miss the Newcastle game. I do like Rosicky but he really needs to do a lot more if he’s going to completely fill Pires’ boots.

Attack: Well I suppose I’d just go for Emmanuel Adebayor as the lone striker. I don’t like us playing 4-5-1 but really we have no other strikers to play. There’s Baptista and Aliadiere but to be perfectly frank, they’re shit. ‘The Beast’ has the first touch of a rapist and Aliadiere is simply not good enough, he runs around for a bit, never gets himself into the right positions and wanders around daydreaming most of the game. Diaby and Cesc will have to contribute from the middle and with the 2 wingers getting forward I think we should have enough attacking presence.

Well that’s how I’d play it tomorrow anyway. I know Wenger will put in Eboue, Hleb and probably Baptista but I wouldn’t. We shouldn’t be scared of Bolton, we must win and I know we can. We need the crowd to get behind the team to, there’s no point in having the home advantage if we don’t use it. I’ll get a match report up asap, c’mon you gunners.

P.S. “Oops”