Coyle’s pain from Spain

THIS match was all about the return of favourite sons.

For Bolton, new manager and cult hero Owen Coyle was returning to the club where he spent what he has described as his “two best years” as a player back in the early 90s.

For Arsenal it was the comeback of Cesc Fabregas, the Spaniard who had missed their last three matches with a hamstring problem.

Fabregas went home the happier. He mercilessly gate-crashed Coyle’s homecoming, underlining again that Arsenal’s Premier League title aspirations and Fabregas’s availability go hand in hand as he scored Arsenal’s first, engineered their second and ran the show at the Reebok Stadium.

“He was very influential again,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said afterwards before claiming that there is still so much more to come from the midfielder.

“What is very interesting for us is that Cesc gets stronger and stronger and has more personality on the pitch – like the whole team.

“He will be 23 this year but he is just at the start. He is only starting.”

Coyle, the former Burnley manager, was unveiled to the fans before the game but in keeping with his unfussy nature he returned the Reebok applause for less than 10 seconds. The intent was clear: it was time for the talking to end and for the football to begin. He was almost applauding in a more vigorous manner just 45 seconds into the encounter as intelligent play down the right wing from Chung-Yong Lee enabled Kevin Davies to dribble into the box but he could not control the ball and the chance went begging.

The spark the first half required came, predictably, from Fabregas, who went down heavily in the box courtesy of a challenge from Jussi Jaaskelainen. Had referee Phil Dowd been better sighted, he might not have ruled out Arsenal’s vigorous claims for a penalty.

Bolton matched the visitors in terms of possession and attacking intent but they sorely lacked the refinement required to make the most of their opportunities and Arsenal made them pay for that shortly before the half-hour mark.

After some impressive build-up play, Gretar Steinsson gave the ball away to Fabregas on the edge of the box and it proved to be fatal. In a split second, Fabregas looked up, and took a deft return pass from Eduardo before slide-ruling the ball past Jussi Jaaskelainen almost before Bolton had a chance to react.

It proved that his reflexes and brain was still razor sharp despite his recent lay-off and he continued to be at the heart of the visitor’s play following his intervention.

Soon after the goal, Fabregas had a second penalty appeal turned down and just before the interval, only Eduardo’s unsuccessful back-heel upset Fabregas’ rhythm sufficiently to deny him a second.

Bolton’s early second half tempo had the feel of an Owen Coyle half time gee-up to it. It had the desired effect and they had enough chances to get back in the match.

“I thought the level of performance was terrific and what we offered for the duration, on another day would have got us points, whether one or three,” he said.

“We had real gilt edged chances. We created from the first minute of the match. I think if you are going to analyse the game then we were certainly deserving of a result.”

Gilt-edged the chances certainly were, particularly for Matty Taylor who could have scored a hat-trick but ended up with none. Lady Luck was in no mood to oblige. Taylor blasted over from inside the box when completely unmarked and then compounded that error when he wasted another fine opportunity on 70 minutes, opting to shoot hurriedly from 30 yards when in the clear.

And Bolton were made to pay when substitute Fran Merida made the most of lax defending to double Arsenal’s advantage with 12 minutes remaining.

Fabregas was again the instigator as he charged forward and he found Eduardo and although his cross was headed away by Knight, it fell straight to the feet of Merida who could not, and did not, miss.

Bolton learnt the cruel lesson that when chances appear against teams of Arsenal’s calibre then they need to be taken. They also learnt that on his day, Cesc Fabregas is completely unstoppable. “His finishing is of the highest standard,” Coyle lamented afterwards.

“He is just a quality player and Arsenal are very fortunate to have him.”

REFEREE: Phil Dowd 6 - Tried his best to let the game flow although he looked too eager to appease Arsenal at times particularly when surrounded by Fabregas and friends.

MATCH RATING: *** – It was passionate and lively and Arsenal were good value for their win but Bolton certainly gave them a game for an hour.