*Toure fires Gunners*
Arsenal kept up their perfect Premier League record at Emirates
Stadium with two second-half goals against Bolton.
The Trotters' temporary manager Archie Knox organised his troops
well in the first 45 minutes as Jussi Jaaskelainen was rarely
troubled.
But Arsene Wenger made a double change just past the hour mark -
bringing on Theo Walcott and Tomas Rosicky - which sparked his
side.
Kolo Toure finally fired Arsenal in front in the 67th minute when
his free-kick from 25 yards found the bottom corner.
The substitutes combined for the second with ten minutes remaining
as Rosicky finished from six yards out after Walcott's cross.
Early struggles
Arsenal were dangerous down the flanks in the first period and a
cut-back from Alexander Hleb from the left almost picked out
Emmanuel Adebayor in the six-yard box, but the Togo striker could
not make clean contact and the ball was hacked clear.
The gangly Adebayor was again the target when Bacary Sagna swung
over a cross from the right. This time his glancing header flew
wide.
The visitors were happy enough to break up play whenever possible
and also get physical when necessary.
And on 20 minutes, there was a flashpoint when Gavin McCann
clattered into Sagna, with both feet in a sliding challenge.
Tempers boiled over and, following a brief melee, Fabregas and El
Hadji Diouf were shown yellow cards by referee Mike Riley, along
with McCann for the original foul.
The home fans were soon screaming for a penalty when Adebayor went
down under a sliding challenge from McCann, but the referee was
correct to rule the Bolton player had won the ball.
Arsenal slowly started to up the tempo in the final 10 minutes of
the first half.
On 42 minutes, Croatia striker Eduardo - in for injured top scorer
Robin van Persie - floated over a high ball from the left to the
back post.
Adebayor was unmarked, but timed his jump all wrong and was only
able to put a tame downward header behind.
Arsenal had a great chance to take the lead at the start of the
second half. Bolton failed to clear from inside their own six-yard
box, with McCann knocking the ball into the path of Emmanuel
Eboue.
However, the Ivory Coast international rushed his angled shot and
slashed it across goal and high into the stands.
A well-worked counter attack then saw Fabregas teed-up on the edge
of the penalty area, but his shot was straight at Bolton keeper
Jaaskelainen.
Adebayor then exchanged a neat one-two with Eduardo and struck the
ball just wide of the top right-hand corner from 20 yards.
Key change
With 28 minutes left, Wenger introduced Walcott and Rosicky, for
Eduardo and Eboue.
Fit-again Arsenal captain William Gallas came close to snatching
the lead when he diverted a corner goalwards from inside the
six-yard box, but Jaaskelainen reacted quickly to make a
point-blank save.
However, Arsenal did not have to wait much longer for the goal to
come. A free-kick some 25 yards out was tapped back to Toure, and
the Ivory Coast defender drilled a low strike into the bottom left
corner.
The relief around Emirates Stadium was clear, and the hosts were
soon looking for the cushion of a second goal.
Adebayor raced clear and rounded the Bolton keeper, only to then
theatrically tumble near the goalline as he looked to cut the ball
back to Walcott in the centre.
The England Under 21 winger then turned provider with 10 minutes
left. Walcott was fed in on the right side of the area by Hleb, and
his low cross was turned in by Rosicky from close range.
