A pulsating match propels Arsenal to the top of the table.
Seeing us at the league’s summit in January after such a rollercoaster season is a surreal sight but it is also a significant one. Momentum is building after back to back victories over Bolton and the confidence that being top of the table at this stage of the season will bring could be decisive. Our team still appears to have too many flaws to be considered favourites for the title but no team has been capable of league winning consistency so we definitely have as a good chance as we have had since 2004.
Bolton started the game much stronger and took advantage of Denilson’s invisibility in central midfield. Cahill plundered the first goal and Matthew Taylor doubled the visitor’s tally from the spot after Denilson’s rustiness led to him fouling Lee. Our Brazilian was not the only player to be struggling on return from injury as Gael Clichy barely improved on Armand Traore’s shaky showing on Sunday.
We were two nil down inside the first half an hour and were seriously struggling but with Fabregas on the pitch, there was never a sense of hopelessness. His competitiveness and sheer talent continued to shine through the mediocrity that surrounded him in the first half and eventually his influence inspired a response.
Tomas Rosicky fired the first goal past Jaaskelainen’s near post with a vicious strike and the fact that it came just before half time was crucial. There was a sense of inevitability about our come-back during the break which is a very unusual but welcome feeling. Usually going behind in a game brings with it complete dread but Fabregas has an air of invincibility about him at the moment that is carrying the team.
The captain intervened just 7 minutes into the second half following Gallas’ late and enthusiastic challenge, resulting in a nasty connection with Mark Davies’ ankle but there looked to be little malicious intent. Davies went down but the referee played on. The ball was bundled forward and eventually fell into the path of Fabregas who fired the ball through the keeper’s legs to level the scores.
It was only a matter of time before we took the lead and it was Vermaelen who delivered a flashing finish in the 65th minute after Diaby won a header in the box. Andrey Arshavin sent us to the top of the table twenty minutes later after some intricate passing and some fortunate deflections. There was an inevitability about the victory, despite our flaws, which inspires optimism for the forthcoming title race.