The EFL Cup tropy. Image: Wikimedia Commons.
I’ve only been to Bolton once and it wasn’t for a football match. In 2016 I was involved in a charity project and one of the people we helped was Paul. Paul was 39, a lively, successful manager of a big car dealership in Bolton and a fanatical Bolton supporter. He went to work one morning with a headache, subsequently had a brain stem stroke when he arrived at the office and was paralysed from the waist down and unable to speak normally.
By the time I met him he had made real progress .He had a hi- tech wheelchair with a voice synthesiser and his first Hawking-like words to me were “I hate the Arsenal. Southern softie fancy-dans . Bolton are going to crush you when we play you again”.
All delivered with an impish smile and a tap on my knee to suggest he was … probably … joking! We conversed as best we could about the recent history of Bolton/ Arsenal clashes which usually involved Sam Allardyce getting his team to rough up Arsene Wenger’s “fancy-dans”. I told him about watching Nat Lofthouse score two goals in the 1958 Cup Final, just post-Munich against Manchester United, the first game I ever watched and a 1963 game I described on here a few years ago when Arsenal came back from 3-1 down to beat Bolton 4-3. He mentioned all the tough games they gave us under Allardyce and I winced! But we did virtually clinch a title there in 2002 and sadly by the time I met Paul Bolton had plunged into economic disaster and playing ignominy.
Bolton were relegated to Division One in 2015 having survived a winding-up petition earlier that year and ultimately ended in Division Two. Under Ian Evatt, the former Barrow manager, they have climbed back up to Division One where they are currently 18th after a 5-2 win over Reading at the weekend. They play Crawley early on Saturday and the local press has them prioritising that game over the trip to Arsenal. We are very much a free hit for them.
Bolton are one of the founder members of the Football League and a famous old club with a history of FA Cup glory and top international players. However, they travel to Arsenal on Wednesday as massive underdogs but at the same time with nothing to lose. That can be a dangerous combination and much will depend on how seriously Mikel Arteta views the competition. On one hand it is a Cup competition with a relatively quick route to Wembley (although why have two semi-finals?). Oh I forgot … money! It offers the best opportunity for a club in
Arsenal’s position to blood young players in the first-team and it can throw up exciting Cup football. But for Arsenal , in our current position, it may be a Cup too far. Having lost Odegaard, Merino, Zinchenko and Tomayisu and with Ben White partially crocked apparently, and after a fearsome run of away fixtures it is a distraction we could well do without. But I will still be urging on the team on Wednesday night, albeit it from my sofa. Since my illness last year I’m trying to conserve energy, the game is on TV (I will be reporting on it from there) and at the last Carabao Cup ties I attended I was surrounded by strangers whose level of interest in the game was highly dubious and I found it hard to concentrate on the action. And we lost!
The titanic effort at the Emptihad on Sunday after such an exhausting recent programme will have undoubtedly drained the players and I think we should rest as many of our first team players as we can. We also have a number of talented players who will want to press their suit for inclusion in first team affairs and some young tyros who merit a chance to shine on a bigger stage.
I put this team into the blog the other day:
Setford[*]
Timber Kiwior Calafiori Lewis-Skelly
Jorginho Oulad M’Hand
Nwaneri
Martinelli Jesus Sterling
[*] Seaford may be short after illness so Porter may play – he’s 16!
There is some method in my madness . Timber is building back after last year’s injury and this should be less demanding than a league match. Kiwior hasn’t started at all and Calafiori has a chance to build on Sunday’s sensational performance. MLS and Nwaneri look likely to start and Oulad M’Hand has impressed many observers and if I recall, impressed CER at Orient recently.
Martinelli needs goals and Jesus and Sterling need games. Exciting young talents like Kabia , Gower and Kacurri can join from the bench if the match situation allows. I would be very careful with our subs. Raya is slightly crocked, Saka, Rice, Saliba and Gabriel are too important to risk in a game like this and while I expect Havertz to be on the bench I hope we don’t need to play him.
I think we will prevail but after a tough game possibly 2-0 and I hope Paul up in Bolton gets a chance to watch his team and they make him proud. After we met we contacted Bolton and they made him guest of honour at their next home game. It was, he said, the “proudest moment of my life”.
I used to dislike Bolton intensely during the Allardyce era but they are a club that has battled to survive and after meeting Paul I have a very soft spot for them in my heart. I fervently hope we beat them nevertheless and show the quality that Southern softie fancy dans inherently possess.
Editor’s note.
Due to cirumstances that you may speculate upon, we only realised we would need a preview (and a report) a lttle before 12:30. TTG stepped in at the shortest of notice to provide the above article. On behalf of the management, I extend him the greatest thanks.
A very touching preview, TTG, and impressively produced at such short notice.
My starting team for Bolton, assuming Setford is not available:
Porter
Nicols – Kacurri – Kiwor – Lewis-Skelly
Nwaneri – Jorghino – Salah-Eddine Oulad M’Hand
Kabia – Jesus – Sterling
No seniors with even a niggle on the bench. No fit seniors who played more than 45 mins to come on except in extremis. Regardless, I expect Arteta will start Saka, but hopefully, if he does, Kabia will relieve him early doors.
I wonder if we shall get a sighting of Jordi Osei-Tutu, once of this parish. A right back of promise in the Academy, although blighted by injury, he never got closer to the first-team than a pre-season friendly before departing for Bochum.
An exemplary short-notice preview TTG, rustling up pearls in a trice to cast before swine*! (*a fine old English phrase, used too infrequently in this era characterised by the regular use of prolific profanities – and before whom else does one cast pearls?).
I would lean towards Ned’s XI and keep our knackered heroes and walking wounded wrapped safely in cotton wool.
Great impromptu work, TTG, cheers!
Injury problems you say? Then why not just play nine. Certainly, Oulad in M’Hand is worth three in ze Bush.
Thanks for the preview, TTG.
(Gets coat and closes door.)
Potentially positive news. I have never heard of 5 of the 7 referees taking charge of Carabao Cup matches today and tomorrow including the referee of our game (let’s call him JS so as not to maje him overly notorious before his time). There is also the slim possibility that they will have jettisoned VAR for this competition but I am sure that Ned or another if the learned few will correct me if needed.
Sep 24, 2024 Man City vs. WatfordDavid Webb
Sep 24, 2024 Chelsea vs. BarrowOliver Langford
Sep 24, 2024 Walsall vs. LeicesterTom Nield
Sep 24, 2024 Wycombe vs. Aston VillaSamuel Allison
Sep 25, 2024 Arsenal vs. BoltonJosh Smith
Sep 25, 2024 Liverpool vs. West HamAndy Madley
Oct 1, 2024 Newcastle vs. AFC WimbledonCraig Pawson
Josh Smith is only 32 and appears to come from a line of referees . That’s unusual as it’s not usual to be able to establish paternity with most refs. I sense he is a fast riser up the EFL list and this might be his first outing at one of the big Premier League teams ( that’s us! )
Interesting, TTG. What about that Webb for the City match. Any relation?
After weeks in an Arsenal desert, like the proverbial London bus situation, an oasis of two games in a week promises to slake my thirst.
Grandson Henry and I swanning down to view the game in Club Level tomorrow night. Tickets are £50 a pop, so with Camden Hells retailing at £7 per pint in the stadium, my thirst curing endeavours need to stretch to 8 free half time beers to ensure that I leave in profit. Nae bother, Jimmy – at least not for me but Forecast /Henry may struggle.
We’re looking forward to seeing Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly doing there stuff in the flesh and to a high scoring home win.
BtM can you wave at me and my son in the cheap seats?
bt8@6: Carabao Cup VAR rules are a curate’s egg. It is used in the final, because that is at Wembley, where there are cameras installed. It is only used in prior rounds if all the games in the round are being played where VAR cameras are installed. EFL thinks that is fairest. However, the FA has a different notion of fairness. In the FA Cup, it is used in any tie being played on a ground where it is installed, regardless of it not being available in some other games in the same round.
Josh Smith was the ref when we lost 2-1 at Fulham in the PL last season, assuming it is the same Josh Smith.
Thanks TTG – a grand effort and touching story at no notice.
If we have that many injuries maybe we could replace some painful joints with some
Bolt-on parts.
Thanks TTG, much appreciate your valiant, and skilled, efforts.
Side looks about right, but I also expect MA to play more regulars than many of us would.
I am not worried either way how it goes, but winning is always a good habit to have.
Superb effort, TTG, and I offer meas culpas for not realising the game wasn’t in the list.
A truly heartwarming story about that Bolton fan. For my part I find that doing a good turn, vicariously in this case, frees me up to revert to type for the rest of the day. In the spirit of which, I hope we absolutely hammer them. Memories of their quite deliberately “doing” Keown, amongst others ,in that game up there many years ago are still too painful.
I like the look of Ned’s team above @2. Leicester played a firmly 2nd XI last night as did poor, downtrodden, victims of the establishment C115y last night. No doubt if and when we do likewise, we will appear as the first club in history to have done it in our not at all bought and paid for football media. I’m at the point of giving significantly fewer than no xxxxs at all what they say anymore.
Enjoy the game, all those venturing out to the game into what is likely to be a sultry and very damp night. I shall be in a pub in the City celebrating someone else’s having escaped from the clutches of employment.
Cheers Ned @ 11.
That EFL rule sounds slightiy odd to me, but hey, whatever floats their boat.
Re the squad for tonight and following up on TTG’s point in the article, I see that of the U-21 players whom 21CG and I saw win away at Orient earlier this month and who were all impressive, both Heaven and Kaccurri played 45, Josh Robinson and Salah Eddine Oulad M’Hand played 70 and Jimi Hendrix, I mean Gower, played 90 last night for the U-21s away at the hell hole that is Stoke. I take from that that all of them are highly unlikely to start tonight.
That U-21 game was Monday night, so perhaps it doesn’t preclude them from being in the bench tonight….
CER
I’m endebted to you for pointing out the U21s played on Monday – and won on a cold night which answers one of the questions we always ask about the ability of lads hoping to break through .
Not knowing there was a game my suggestions are likely to be wide of the mark for starters among the lads . There are two Oulad M’ Hands- Ismail and Salah Eddine and I had Salah down to start . That wont happen. We may have to use more first-teamers. Where is Mo Elneny when you need him?! Heaven was withdrawn at half-time .
MLS and Nwaneri may start but not sure who will join Jorginho in midfield . Please don’t be Declan Rice .
My pleasure TTG. Heaven came off for Kacurri, I believe, so maybe they’ll both be available on the same basis tonight?
It was, indeed, the older Oulad who played at Orient. 70 mins on Monday oughtn’t preclude him from the squad. Kabia was nowhere to be seen on Monday. I’m rather hoping he starts in the right with Sterling in the left….
Other than that, I’d advise all those ‘Holics in attendance tonight to bring their boots as it looks like they’ll have a decent chance of a game….
CER @ 20: and gloves! 😉
So did anyone go to Reading 5 Arsenal 7 back in the day? I know the Guvna did!
Team news
Team news
Porter
Nichols Kiwior Calafiori MLS
Rice Jorginho Nwaneri
Saka Sterling Jesus
Jack Porter’s Mum has asked that nobody swears at him and tgat he has a nice warm drink at half time. He is to be in bed by 9.45 latest as it’s a school day tomorrow
Porter looks more like 26 than 16.
That’s a lovely goal. Great defence splitting pass from MLS, great run and cross from Sterling nice finish by Nwaneri.
Maldini Kacurri, for an 18 year old, is one big old unit. He is Albanian, so probably warms up with a double espresso.
https://x.com/the_gfp/status/1839041841431249328?s=61&t=cVFjCyGkt4y-Ne45LtfqkQ
On that showing, Nwaneri and MLS look first-team squad ready. Nwaneri has that top-players’ ability to take the ball on the half-turn and find himself in a yard of space. Both of them have an eye for a pass. Josh Nichols looked like someone desperately making sure he remembered the homework Arteta had given him correctly, but settled and supported Saka well. Porter didn’t have much to do. Collins would have had to have messed up for the youngster to save the goal, although he had a big let-off with a misplaced pass out. Can they do it on a cold, wet night in N5? It seems they can.
Good result, couldn’t watch but I will find the highlights later
as it’s be nice to see that the kids are alright!
So in the next round we have …….
Preston away
That’ll do me.
HC100@22- A very young 21CG and I did. I gad a very early flight next morning to somewhere far more pleasant, for work, and we went on the club coaches. At half time, 4-0 down or whatever it was, we looked at each other and said, “if we’d driven, we’d go home now”.
Oh at a wonderful decision to go by coach. Despite the fact that roadworks on the M4 meant that we got home at about 1.45 am and I had to be up at about 4 to get to the airport. Oh the sacrifices we make!
I echo Ned’s comments about Nwaneri and MLS.
Both are elegant, play with their heads up and move very smoothly .
I saw Cesc Fabregas play his first game against Rotherham and his first touch
( he was 16 ) was very similar to Nwaneri tonight . Watching a quality footballer is very exciting rather like watching a thoroughbred racehorse with acceleration off the charts . I would have liked to have seen more of Kabia and felt he deserved more than 11 minutes . We could have subbed Saka earlier . I was also very pleased with Sterling’s performance. I might have managed his goal even now but his movement and tge crispness of his crossing were most impressive . It looked like Arteta had been working with him to good effect already
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2024/09/26/ethan-nwaneri-arsenal-talent-academy-martin-odegaard/
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>