Bolton boss Sam Allardyce has claimed Arsenal are just as good
time-wasters as any side in the Premiership.
Arsene Wenger was unhappy with Wigan on Sunday as Paul Jewell's
side attempted to hold onto their slender lead by taking as much
time as possible at every opportunity.
However, the tactic did not work as Arsenal came out on top 2-1
thanks to Tomas Rosicky's 85th minute winner at Emirates
Stadium.
Following Rosicky's goal, Gunners goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was shown
a yellow card for time-wasting, leaving Allardyce grinning.
Wenger has accused The Trotters of using the tactic on more than
one occasion, and Allardyce is hoping the Frenchman will again be
complaining after the FA Cup replay between the sides on
Wednesday.
"Arsene has been very clever in choosing to make a little
psychological profile of the time-wasting issue," Allardyce
said.
"It is as though the opposition always do it against them and they
never do it.
"But it doesn't fool us and it doesn't fool most of the other
managers either because we know they are just as good at doing it
as anyone else when they are winning in the final minutes of
matches.
"He criticised us heavily for time-wasting when we nearly beat
Arsenal last season, so hopefully he will be moaning about us again
tomorrow."
Meanwhile, Allardyce believes French strikers Nicolas Anelka and
Thierry Henry will be key in determining who plays Blackburn on
Saturday lunchtime.
He added: "The defining issue tomorrow will be who has their
sharp-shooting boots on.
"We have Nicolas, they have Thierry Henry. Both of them are capable
of turning a game in their side's favour in a moment.
"In the past, we have managed to beat Arsenal by capitalising on
the first or second opportunity that comes our way. It will have to
be the same again tomorrow."
