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Freddie Ljungberg is expected to return tomorrow lunchtime for the visit of Bolton. Le Boss said yesterday that Freddie was back in full training. It seems likely that Pires will return to the left flank and Reyes will move up front alongside Thierry Henry. Not because there's anything wrong with Dennis but just because he's played 2 full games already this week and due for a rest.
Sol Campbell is not ready to return to action just yet, but will be soon. One possible change though is in midfield where there are rumours that Edu will return in place of Gilberto.
Chelsea boss Jose Moanionio has been saying that Arsenal have had it easy so far this season. Of course, he's right. At the start of the season one almost suspected that the Premier league wanted us to set a new unbeaten record. PSV on Tuesday was our toughest game so far this season by a long long way. Bolton may turn out not to be any easier.
They're 3rd in table on merit and have some attacking flair to go with their battling defensiveness. Central partnership Bruno N'Gotty and Radhi Jaidi have been keeping former Real Madrid star and Spanish international Fernando Hierro out of the side, and are likely to be joined at the back by Ricardo Gardner who was rested for the draw with Man Utd last weekend after a long trip during the international break.
Loan striker El Hadji Diouf, apparently, impressed during a second half sub appearance in that game and will be hoping for a starting place. He has been joined at the Reebok by a fellow Senegal World Cup star from Inter, midfielder Khalilou Fadiga (who is unlikely to feature having not been playing). But the Kevins Davies and Nolan, Gary Speed, and Jay Jay Okocha will probably be the threat sto look out for, along with Euro2004 winner Giannakopoulos. And let's not forget Henrik Pedersen who scored a screamer to claim a point off us at the Reebok last year. Les Ferdinand has only been used as a late sub so far this season. When he scored against Man Utd he becasme the first player to score for 6 different clubs in the Premiership. What a tart. If he plays at Highbury it will be his 400th career league appearance.
Sam Allardyce has been heaping praise on the Gunners, "This is the ultimate challenge against a team that looks as though they are never going to get beaten.... The best way to get at Arsenal is for their team to have an off day and for six or seven not to play as well as they can"
But at the same time he's trying to put pressure on the ref. "We have always done well there but always been hindered by the referee. Far too many times we've had things go against us, " he says. Perhaps he could try not telling his players to try to kick ours off the pitch...
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