So we do things only the hard way. We needed to win by 2 goals to go top of the table. I'm sure that was top of everybody's mind - as much as it shouldn't have been. So what do we do? Defend worse than Sunday kick-about heroes, and find ourselves two down with less than half an hour played.
Now - first goal after 7 minutes was absolutely unbecoming of any table-topping team. Useless punt into the box. As Diaby rises to head it, I suddenly get a flash of his own goal at Old Trafford. He doesn't score another one, and I heave a sigh of relief, even if it's a crap header straight up into the hair. It falls to Clichy, who hooves it straight up into the air again. It falls to a Bolton head (as would be the pattern for the rest of the 90 minutes), drops onto a Bolton boot and it's 1-0. Simple as that. It was quite simply, pathetic.
So we rally. Or sort of. Some nice build up, but the final shot on goal was always crap. Most of all Eduardo.
Anyways, we rally. And rally, and rally. And then - set piece. Fail to clear. Scramble in the penalty box, clumsy challenge from Denilson. Penalty. 2-0. Great. Just great. We had a chance to top the table, and instead, we don't even show up and find ourselves 2 down to a team second from bottom at home.
Sure enough, up steps our current man for the moment - scored the last minute equaliser, and this time, he scores the crucial goal almost out of nothing. A screamer than Juicy Asskaleinien let in at his near post. You almost wished that half time would not come, as we probably played our best 5 minute spell of the season in those last minutes. We would have to wait.
The equaliser has been spoken out quite a little bit. Owen Coyle thinks Gallas should've been arrested for assault. Alright. Fine. But the ref saw nothing, waved play on and Cesc bundles into the penalty box and squeezes the ball through the Juciy Asskaleinen. Just sweet. And juicy. Now, how often do we get the chance to give Bolton just a tiny taste of the hard game?
2-2 and some 40 minutes left to play. You could just see it coming, and leave it to goal machine Vermaelen to do the deed from a set piece. It was almost Bolton-esque, how Diaby got his head in on a set piece, knocked it to TV, and he lashes it into the goal.
To cut a long story short then, we eventually get our fourth, when the Arsh stumbles his way into the Bolton box, then smashes another yummy peach past the Juicy Ass. Ah. That was poetic, how we eventually did it, even if it was painful and highly unnecessary. Theo could've and should've got himself a goal with his first touch, but for an Arsh who refused to pass it when Theo would've had a tap in. Yes, he won it himself. Yes, we were already 4-2 up, but I really would've rathered preferred to beat Bolton 5-2.
The highlights are here, but the player ratings should tell a fuller story:
Almunia 6.5 - One good save, and was left to look like a useless dodo with the first goal. Also should've save the penalty, which was a crap Matt Taylor effort. Had one good save but that was about it. You get the sense he doesn't really command the confidence of his back four...
Clichy 6.5 - Kept C Y Lee quiet, which given how the latter had basically given Traore a spanking the last time, was good enough. Took away one point for his crap clearance. Let's put that down to lack of clearing practice. But I think he's done that before too...
Gallas 6.5 - Buggered by Kevin Davies all night long. Every ball, every damn thing lobbed at Davies, Gallas is made to look like a twat. A defensive shambles, but almost all his adventurous runs were a thing to behold. Even that tackle on Gary Cahill. We've got a right 'ole traditional attacking centre half.
TV 7 - Good attacking runs too, and great goal. But again, his lack of height while never an issue, became crystal clear against the likes of Kevin Davies.
Sagna 7 - Thank god for someone you could really depend on for a quiet and effective performance.
Diaby 6 - Oh man. Now it's clear. We miss Song. We really do. Really. Really. Really. Let's not deceive ourselves. We're a defensive shambles without him, and Diaby's never going to do the job.
Denilson 6 - Given that he's just recovered from his heart attack, we'll forgive his lack lustre performance and sloppy penalty.
Cesc 7.5 - The heartbeat. So to speak. Had a few chances other than his goal that he could've taken, but he's our captain for a reason.
Rosicky 7.5 - If he keeps fit, Rosicky's going to be immense for us in the run-up. He does have that knack of the crucial goal it looks like. Always full of energy and running.
Arsh 7 - Not his best (again). But as always, showed with a few super passes, his goal and his run that should've let to 5-2 that you just need to give him one chance, and it usually happens.
Eduardo 2 - He was absolutely, indescribably, unforgivably bad. Slow. Lacking in confidence. What more could you ask? Now, Bent Nick aside, if Le Boss thinks we've got the striking fire-power to compete against Villa, Man U, Chelski and Pool in the coming weeks, dream on.
No doubt, this was a great result, which like the 2-0 a few days ago, was down more to spirit and graft than ability and performance. Too many were below par, and Ed continues to fail.
Our rise to the top has taken place at basically at a time when (a) we've taken a Champions League break, (b) there has been but one small FA Cup distraction, and (c) when we've also not had to stretch an already stretched squad in further Carling Cup exploits.
I am not sure how far this current squad can go - if not in the coming crucial 2-3 weeks, then in the more crucial months of March and April. Diaby has as expected done his usual, and we can expect - no matter how minor - that this injury will lay him off for 3-4 weeks. So what do we have? Craig Eastmond v Villa, Man U and Chelski. Up front, it's an embarassing Eduardo, and defensively, we have (as I've said on many occasions) Sol as back-up to Gallas and Vermaelen.
The spirit and momentum that we have right now is a thing to behold, but the fact is that a crocked hamstring is more than enough to confine this all to irrelevance.
Le Boss needs to buy. For sure.
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