Arsenal:
                Almunia
  Hoyte (Beast 70) Toure Senderos Clichy
Walcott (Aliadiere 86) Cesc Flamini Rosicky
             Henry Adebayor

The visitors had the best of the first half. Lots of long balls into the box, and long throws too. And when the ball got there Kevin Davies won almost everything in the air. In the first minute a long throw was headed out for a corner, which Davies headed down and goalwards - Manuel Almunia managed to get down to make the save, and although he spilled it he was able to recover and grab the ball a foot from the line before Ivan Campo could get to it.

5 minutes later Tomas Rosicky hit a great ball inside the full back for Gael Clichy's run into the left side of the box. He squared for Thierry Henry who shot from just inside the box but didn't make good contact and dragged it a yard or two short of the near left post.

Almunia came out bravely to the edge of his box to deny Davies, who clattered into him prompting a bit of attention from Gary Lewin on the keeper's knee. Davies had every right to go for it though. It looked like there had been some miscommunication between Almunia and Kolo Toure, creating the need for the keeper to come out like that. A little worrying, since Tottenham's first goal last week came about through similar misunderstanding between these 2. Anything that makes Kolo look less than perfect needs to be addressed). There had been a nice moment just before when Hoyte ducked suddenly to allow a cross through to Almunia. Clearly it's not that the keeper doesn't ever call for it.

Mathieu Flamini, filling in for the suspended Gilberto, burst into the box well after a one-two with Henry, the skipper's return ball chipped over the defence. But a defender did well to get alongside Matty and shepherd it back to Jaaskelainen.

A Bolton corner was flicked on at the near post and hooked over the bar by Campo, possibly with a deflection from a defender's block (didn't look like it but another corner was given, which Almunia came out well to catch).

Davies landed awkwardly, twisting an ankle, but after going off the pitch to get strapped up he returned and continued to cause trouble in our box.

Theo Walcott went on a good run, coming in from his wide position on the right, and hit a low shot which forced a near post save from Jaaskelainen. Overall, Theo had yet another indifferent game. Of course, he's young and needs more time. But there's no denying that on balance his decision making seems a little out of sorts. He runs into defenders too often. Bolton were double-teaming him a lot but he needs to be able to judge when to go at them and when to use the fact that they're giving him so much attention by passing back or infield to exploit the space that it creates for others. It was also noticeable, as on Wednesday, that he became more effective when he started coming infield more. Looks like he's not an out-and-out winger and maybe never will be. That needn't be a problem. All our wingers for years have preferred to come infield. It's just been a bit odd that this one, who probably doesn't think of himself as a winger, has been resticting himself by being over-disciplined. I guess it's not surprising, maybe he's too young to have to confidence to play to his own strengths rather than to the role he thinks he's been given. It looks a bit to me like maybe Wenger's started telling him to come central more often, and it can only be a good thing.

Flamini had an effort from the edge of the box, after a cross from the right was cleared to him on the other side, which he aimed for the far top corner but which picked up a slight deflection taking it over.

Five minutes before the break, a Bolton defender headed back towards Jaaskelainen but Henry was lurking and got a foot to the ball just before it reached the keeper, positioned by his left hand post. The ball came out wide of the post and Henry followed it, then surprised the keeper with a back-heeled shot which beat Jaaskelainen and would have been a memorable goal if not for Meite's goal-line clearance. You've got to give the defender credit for getting into the right place.

Emmanuel Adebayor went down ever so easily in the box as he tried to burst through the defence, and may have been lucky not to get booked for it (hard to say, it was up the other end of the pitch). Arsenal had ended the first half on top, having raised the tempo and started getting at the visitors' penalty area more and more.

Optimism was short lived after the break though. For a few seconds Bolton passed like Arsenal, and Arsenal defended like god-knows-who - watching as they carved us apart. Anelka was intrumental, picking up the ball outside the box on their left, drawing 2 players to him, then spotting Davies in space on the other side of the box. It looked to me like Davies went for a shot when Anelka's pass found him, but he mishit it sending the ball through the box, threading past 2 defenders and turning into a perfect pass to Nolan who was level with Almunia's right hand post. He fired just inside that post, past despairing lunges from Almunia and Hoyte.

Moments after the restart, Davies was put through on Almunia and very nearly got past him, but the keeper came out to make a crucial save near the edge of his box. Possibly the most significant moment of the game.

From that moment on, it was all Arsenal. Partly because Bolton had a lead to defend, partly because we started playing with an urgency and directness that was irresistable, if a bit frantic.

A nice move brought Adebayor (having another great all-action game) to the goal-line on the left, his cross found Walcott in space just inside the box on the far side but Theo sliced his volley a bit sending it a foot or two wide.

Gael Clichy was having an awesome game, still in the form that's making the Ashley Cole/William Gallas deal look better and better. Not only did we get the better player plus cash, but we got it while we still could. If Ashley had stayed at Arsenal he'd have been in the reserves by now, watching Clichy establish himself firmly as first choice. I suppose Ash would have been useful in the League Cup but it woould have been a shame to stunt the progress of Armand Traore. Clichy's speed and energy was crucial in this mad last 40 minutes. Time and time again he wasinvolved in lightning attacks up the left wing, and time and time again he was racing back to snuff out a Bolton break. Toure was everywhere too. A nice attack started by Gael ended with Walcott winnign a corner on the far side. He played it infield, into the path of Toure's run... Kolo burst through into the box and hit a firm drive low to the near post which Jaaselainen got down to save.

Adebayor was sent clear down the left, and passed into the box for Henry only to see Jaaskelainen come out well to save at his feet.

Cesc Fabregas had a shot from outside the box which Jaaskelainen saved but couldn't hold, the rebound coming to Hoyte just inside the box on the right. The ball was bouncing up at him making it very difficult and he couldn't keep his volley down.

With 20 minutes to go, Julio Baptista came on for Hoyte, and Flamini went to right back. With Cesc and the Beast as central midfielders, and Clichy Flamini and Toure getting forward at every opportunity, we were leaving loads of space for Anelka to use on the break. But full credit to the Arsenal defence who always managed to make up the space to get back and stop anything worrying develping in our own half. Philippe Senderos got himself booked for a blatant push on Anelka as the former Arsenal cup-winner looked set to race away from him up their left wing - a crucial and worthwhile foul.

On 77 minutes, a Bolton player finally managed to persuade the ref to give Cesc a free kick (Cesc managed to get clear of him twice but the whistle went the third time that the Arsenal man's shirt got halfway off). This was maybe 10 to 15 yards outside the box, to right of centre. Cesc chipped the free kick in towards the far post... it took a slight deflection off the wall but it didn't change the direction and the ball found Kolo Toure in space beyond that left post. He stooped and dived forward to head it into the ground, sending it bouncing up and past Jaaskelainen for the equaliser.

Soon after, Anelka fouled Flamini on the right. This time Cesc's free kick did clear the wall, and Baptista had snuck round in front of it, but his header looped wide of the right post.

Jeremie Aliadiere came on for Walcott, but went to the left wing with Rosicky moving over to the right. He got booked for diving.

In injury time a throw from the left was headed on by Henry on the near side of the box and came through to Adebayor whose header was looping inside the right post when Jaaskelainen got over to make a good flying save.

The home game against Manchester City has been postponed again thanks to the valentines day replay. We can win this and go through, but we probably need to score first. Do that, and Bolton could be ripe for a thrashing. It's got to happen sooner or later. Please.

Incidentally, I'm guessing our replay will be televised which'll make it 10 in a row.