Arsenal vs. Bolton: 5 Keys to an Arsenal Win

Arsenal face Bolton Wanderers tomorrow afternoon, with both sides anxious to eradicate some shaky recent league form.

Three points is a must for the Gunners just one week before the North London Derby.  It is imperative that Arsenal make the trip to White Hart Lane with some positivity surrounding the club.

An efficient home performance against a plucky Bolton side is the ideal preparation.  Here are five things Arsenal need to get right in order to lift the gloom around the Emirates Stadium and defeat Bolton.

The form of Ivory Coast forward Gervinho has been one of the few positives amidst Arsenal's terrible start to the season.

The former Lille star has been active and incisive, utilising intricate ball skills with some well-timed runs, making him a potent danger to any opposition defense.

Arsenal must work to frequently create one-on-one opportunities for Gervinho against cumbersome Bolton fullbacks Paul Robinson and Gretar Steinsson.

Gervinho has the trickery and pace to consistently expose the leaden-footed pairing.  He should be utilised as Arsenal's chief outlet against Wanderers. 

Brazil international Andre Santos provided enough evidence against Blackburn to suggest he can be a very productive attacking outlet for the Gunners.  Arsenal must make more use of Santos in forward areas against Bolton.

Santos has excellent skill and technique on the ball.  His control and touch are sure, and he moves forward with speed and grace.

He was particularly effective late on at Ewood Park, when Arsenal inexplicably found themselves attempting to claw back from a two-goal deficit.

One very pleasing aspect of his game was the quality of his final delivery.  Santos is capable of producing a precise and teasing ball into the box, which Arsenal's forwards and attacking midfielders should thrive on.

Arsenal must get Mikel Arteta on the ball against Bolton as often as possible.  After two solid but unspectacular performances against Swansea and Dortmund, Arteta was by far the best player on the pitch against Blackburn.

Arteta was energetic, dogged and determined in midfield.  He tracked back and put in plenty of tackles, and in possession he was the Gunners' most efficient player.

Arteta's goal was a welcome sight, and he also displayed plenty of the creative instincts that have been lacking since Cesc Fabregas left the club.

Against Bolton, Arteta will be key to taking advantage of the large gaps which occur between Bolton's fullbacks and central defenders.

His clever passing can help Arsenal return to the free-flowing style of football, which is their trademark.

This may be a contentious suggestion, given Arshavin's poor stamina and perceived lack of effort.  But the Russian international has the flair and invention to pose a legitimate threat to Bolton's back four.

The most worrying aspect of Arshavin's play this season is that the effort is often there, but the execution is now the problem.

In the past, many could almost excuse Arshavin's casual approach to the game on the basis that when he got the ball, he usually made something happen.

Now Arshavin can be seen buzzing around the pitch, attempting tackles and making runs.  But once he picks up the ball, he is often wasteful in possession.

Arsene Wenger should give Arshavin a full match to try and put it all together.  Persistence and confidence are the keys to turning Arsahvin's game around.

Creativity is what will take this Arsenal team forward, and Arshavin has this quality in abundance.  With Theo Walcott still failing to make the necessary runs that would make him a potent danger in a front three, Arshavin should be given the chance.

If Arsenal's record signing can no longer withstand 90 minutes, then it is surely time to part ways.  But if the mercurial Russian can recapture his form, there's no doubt he has the individual brilliance to drag Arsenal out of the mire.

This statement could probably be applied to every single Arsenal preview from now until the end of the season.  Bolton will provide another stern examination of Arsenal's ability to cope with an aerial bombardment.

Against bullish striker Kevin Davis and towering defensive duo Gary Cahill and Zat Knight, Arsenal will need to be aggressively committed to challenging for the ball in the air.

Whether Wenger opts to continue with a zonal marking system or not, Arsenal's players must take more responsibility when the ball is delivered high into the box.

Too often Arsenal defenders and midfielders fail to take action when dealing with set pieces and crosses.  Crowding the area like statues only makes Wojciech Szczesny's job more difficult.

It is up to defensive players like Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny and Alex Song to go and attack the ball.  They must take chances, throw themselves into the fray and stop playing so cautiously.

This feast-or-famine approach may not be the most sound remedy to this long-standing problem, but it couldn't yield any worse results than the current tactics.

A win against Bolton is vital for a beleaguered Arsenal side.  A fast start is crucial tomorrow to ease the tension at the Emirates Stadium.

If Arsenal can defeat Bolton and follow it up with victory over Olympiacos on Wednesday, there will be an important measure of confidence heading into the derby.