Cohen kills off Arsenal hopes

Man of the Match: Daniel Sturridge. His touch and vision posed a big threat in and out of the box, making two great chances for Lee before pouncing for the opening goal.
Moment of the Match: Tamir Cohen's emotional tribute to his late father after scoring the last-gasp winner which dashed Arsenal's title hopes.
Save of the Match: Wojciech Szczesny's block to deny Chung-Yong Lee from close range in the first half.
Miss of the Match: Samir Nasri had a great chance to put Arsenal in front when clean through with 20 minutes left but he fired too close to Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Talking Point: How much longer should Arsene Wenger be given at Arsenal? Are his players chokers or simply just not good enough?Arsenal's title hopes are now surely over after Tamir Cohen's late winner gave Bolton a 2-1 victory at the Reebok Stadium.

Daniel Sturridge gave the hosts a deserved 38th-minute lead, although Gary Cahill's initial effort may have crossed the line first.

The visitors, who needed to win to close the gap on league leaders Manchester United, looked set to go 2-0 down when Sturridge won a penalty just 30 seconds into the second half.

But Kevin Davies' tame effort was saved by Wojciech Szczesny and just a minute later Robin van Persie amazingly drew Arsenal level with a well-worked equaliser.

The Gunners then spurned a host of chances to go in front, with Samir Nasri the biggest culprit, before Bolton sub Cohen headed home from Matt Taylor's 90th-minute corner.

The Israeli midfielder then removed his shirt to reveal a picture of his late father Avi, the former Liverpool player who died in December following a motorcycle accident, before breaking down in tears.

That left Arsenal's title bid in tatters, as although they host United next Sunday, they are now nine points adrift of the Red Devils with four games left. Now only second-placed Chelsea have any realistic hope of denying United the Premier League crown.

The first half was a familiar story for Arsenal fans, with Arsene Wenger's men bossing possession but struggling to create clear-cut opportunities, while Bolton's more direct approach paid dividends.

Theo Walcott saw a shot parried by Jussi Jaaskelainen early on and Nasri's follow-up effort was blocked by a combination of Cahill and Zat Knight.

The Gunners' pace looked to be their greatest threat and from a quick break, Cesc Fabregas forced Jaaskelainen to turn a 25-yard effort round the post.

Bolton were giving as good as they got, though, and they probably should have been ahead in the 24th minute when Sturridge caught the Arsenal defence napping with a superb through ball for Lee Chung-yong but he flicked the ball inside for Taylor and Alex Song cleared the danger when Lee should have gone alone.

The Korean midfielder had another golden chance in the 37th minute, with Sturridge again the architect courtesy of a lovely chip into the box from the right, but Szczesny blocked Lee's shot.

There was no denying Bolton from the resulting corner, though, as Lee's delivery was headed goalwards by Cahill and, although Nasri blocked it at the far post, Sturridge was on hand to convert a diving header from barely two yards for his seventh goal in nine games for Bolton.

Fabregas almost levelled things before the break but his 20-yard drive cannoned off a post with Jaaskelainen well beaten, and things got worse moments after the restart.

Sturridge's neat turn took him past Johan Djourou and referee Mike Jones pointed to the penalty spot when the on-loan Chelsea striker went down under pressure from Djourou.

It was perhaps a harsh decision but the Gunners will have felt justice was done when Bolton skipper Kevin Davies dinked a tame effort down the middle and Szczesny easily blocked the spot-kick.

Then barely a minute later, Van Persie picked up the ball on the right and played a one-two with Fabregas before sweeping the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

It was the seventh successive away game in which the Dutch striker had scored, setting a new Premier League record.

Nasri then ran on to Van Persie's superb through-ball in the 65th minute to go clean through but Jaaskelainen made himself big to block Nasri's shot, with Cahill tracking back to block Nasri's second effort from a wide angle.

Nasri would have had another glorious chance within a minute had he latched onto a knock-down by sub Marouane Chamakh, before the Frenchman snatched at another effort down the right when he had time to control.

Bolton defended superbly as Arsenal pressed and it was the hosts who created the clear-cut chance Arsenal craved when Johan Elmander got in behind Djourou down the right to charge into the box before seeing his shot turned wide by Szczesny.

And Djourou was at fault again from the resulting corner as Cohen got in front of the Swiss centre-back to head Taylor's corner home at the near post.

Cohen broke down in tears as he was mobbed by his team-mates but it was Arsenal who were left distraught moments later as Jones blew the final whistle.

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Bolton crush Arsenal title hopes

Arsenal's Premier League title challenge is all but over after they lost to a last-minute goal at Bolton.

The Gunners were below par in the first half and trailed at half-time to Daniel Sturridge's header following a corner.

Early in the second half, Wojciech Szczesny saved a Kevin Davies penalty and a minute later Robin van Persie slotted in an equaliser for Arsenal.

The visitors had enough chances to win the match but were left shocked by Tamir Cohen's poignant late header.

The substitute celebrated his match-winning goal by revealing a t-shirt in honour of his late father Avi (a former Liverpool player), who died after a motorbike accident in December.

But while Cohen's sentiment was touching, Arsenal will be left with litttle reason to lift their mood.

Title chances now minimal - Wenger

After wins for league leaders Manchester United and rejuvenated challengers Chelsea on Saturday, the equation was a simple one for Arsenal: win, or essentially wave goodbye to this year's title challenge and their last remaining hopes of silverware.

Three points here would have left the Gunners knowing that victory over United at the Emirates next Sunday would have taken them to within three points of the leaders, but they now trail Sir Alex Ferguson's men by nine points with only 12 to play for.

Having spent much of the season as United's closest challengers for the league, Arsenal now face a battle to secure second place in the table, with Chelsea holding a three-point lead and a superior goal difference over them.

There was a time, not long ago, when Arsenal's performances at the Reebok represented a central tenet of the argument that Arsene Wenger's side were a soft touch.

Three successive victories at the Reebok in a run of eight straight wins in total over Bolton prior to Sunday had helped them to hit back at accusations of their physical fallibility.

But doubts remain about the Gunners' mental strength, which was further fuelled by their sacrificing of a two-goal lead in last Wednesday's 3-3 draw at north London rivals Tottenham, and will now come under the severest scrutiny.

Yet a victory in Lancashire would not have flattered Arsenal. They fashioned enough chances in the second half alone to comfortably win the game. The fact that they did not, when you suspect their title rivals would have, is telling.

Samir Nasri will be wondering how he did not score with two clear opportunities in the second half, firstly when Jussi Jaaskelainen saved his shot after he had been released by Van Persie, and then when the Frenchman failed to connect with a header back across the box to him from substitute Marouane Chamakh.

However, the visitors had only themselves to blame for being in such a frantic second-half state.

They had plenty of possession before the break, but too often let themselves down by over-playing in the final third, and often lacked focus in defence.

This gave encouragement to a Bolton side determined to make amends for their FA Cup semi-final hammering at the hands of Stoke last Sunday.

The clearest goalscoring chances in the first half were fashioned by the home side.

Coyle delighted with turnaround in form

Midway through the half, Sturridge split the Gunners defence with a pinpoint pass to unleash Chung-Yong Lee, but inexplicably the midfielder opted for an elaborate flick pass to Davies and Song was able to intercept and clear.

Minutes later, Johan Djourou's mistake gave Matthew Taylor a clear shooting opportunity, but Szczesny was able to save the 20-yard angled drive low down.

It was no surprise when Wanderers opened the scoring, seven minutes before the break, and it was equally predictable that the in-form Sturridge would get the goal.

Gary Cahill's header from a corner was blocked on the line by Nasri and Sturrdidge was first to react, nodding in his seventh goal in nine games since joining on loan from Chelsea.

In the first minute of the second half the 21-year-old made another major contribution, falling under the challenge of Djourou for a penalty.

However, Szczesny was able to save Davies' poorly taken spot-kick with his legs to keep alive Arsenal's hopes of victory.

These were raised further when, a minute later, Van Persie fed Fabregas in the box and then ran on to the Spaniard's lay off to side-foot in an equaliser.

This prompted a 40-minute siege of the Bolton goal, but a second away goal refused to come.

Instead Arsenal's growing desperation left them increasingly vulnerable at the back, and Bolton capitalised when Lee's corner was headed home by Cohen.

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Ancelotti defiant on title hopes

Ancelotti refuses to give up on title

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti insists his side will not give up hope of retaining the title despite trailing leaders Manchester United by 11 points.

The reigning Premier League champions could only draw 1-1 away against Stoke on Saturday, almost certainly ending their already slim hopes.

But Ancelotti said: "We have to continue to do our best.

"The gap [to United] was not easy before and now it is more difficult but we have to think game by game."

Chelsea fell behind to an early Jonathan Walters strike and despite drawing level and dominating the first half, the hosts were good value for their point.

Ancelotti's side still have one game in hand on Man Utd and have to visit Old Trafford.

Sir Alex Ferguson's men must also face second-placed Arsenal but Ancelotti knows his side are rank outsiders in the title race.

"We didn't think about this before this game and we don't have to think about it after this game," Ancelotti said.

"The gap is more open now but we have to play our game. It is not about Manchester United.

"I think it is very difficult - we said that before the game.

"We did our best. It was a good result because Stoke had opportunities.

"They could have won, we could have won. It was exciting.

"It was a really tough game. Both teams could have won. We had a good reaction after we conceded a goal and the game was in balance.

"We are not so happy for the result but it was the right one for this game."

Stoke boss Tony Pulis felt his side gave Chelsea too much respect in the first half but was delighted with their second-half efforts.

Pulis impressed as Stoke 'match' Chelsea

"It was a great start and Jon scored a great goal," Pulis said. "But we sat back and gave them the impetus and in the last 20 minutes of the first half they showed what a great team they are.

"We had too many players after we scored sitting back and watching them pass it around.

"In the second half we pushed on to them with better quality balls up to Kenwyne Jones and got more bodies up there and it made for an entertaining game.

"We had the chances to win it but Chelsea are a great side with great players and you have to give them credit.

"They have a massive Champions League game against Manchester United on Wednesday and I thought their attitude was first class."

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