JAMES MAKES THE BOLTON MEN KEEP ON WANDERING
ARSENAL - BOLTON 5:0
— "Vagrant" | 04/05/1931 —

It was not necessary for Arsenal to do anything dramatic in their last game of the season to convince their supporters and others that they are worthy champions.

All the same, a victory by five goals over Bolton Wanderers was a fitting "coping stone" to a great season. It was a victory earned by what I think can best be described as typical Arsenal methods.

On the face of it the Wanderers seemed to be just as good as Arsenal. They had practically as much of the midfield play. How, then, can you explain the margin of five goals in favour of the champions?

One explanation is that Arsenal were much more direct in their methods. The Bolton forwards could get the ball into their opponents penalty area, but having got it there they seemed intent on keeping it there rather than on putting it into the net.

The Arsenal kept the game open; they used their wing men to the maximum extent, and with those wing men responding quickly the inside forwards were left with the road to goal open. And there was no hesitation in putting on the final touch.

I thought that the genius behind the Arsenal in the attacking sense was rather more than usual, Alec James. Watching James this season I should say that I have seen him much more tricky, perhaps much more elusive, but I have seldom seen him more effective. His good passes — he made some bad ones — were so precise, so perfect, that goals were easy to obtain.

FIVE GOALS.

There was no Arsenal movement which produced a goal in which James did not play a prominent part, and there were several movements initiated by James which might have produced goals, but did not. Anyway, in the first half, Jack scored a goal and Lambert scored two goals, both of which were really due to James.

In the second half James sent Hulme away and was in position for the return pass to score a goal himself, and, finally, there was another goal by Jack, just to show his one-time colleagues that he is still a really good inside right.

If I have emphasised the part which James played in the Arsenal attack this should not be accepted as an indication that it was a one-man side. Practically every man played up to the form which wins championships.

John at left half-back, Hapgood at left full-back, and Harper in goal, are deserving of special mention, the goalkeeper for intelligent anticipation rather than dramatic saves.

The Wanderers defenders, never finding the right answer to the James conundrum, often looked sadly at fault. Indeed it struck me that half-backs and full-backs have something to learn about the art of covering.

The forwards, with certain limitations, were the best part of the side, but they lacked punch at the finish. In the effort to find finishing power Butler and Rimmer changed places in the second half, but the new formation was not much better than the old.

Arsenal: Harper; Parker, Hapgood; Jones, Roberts, John; Hulme, Jack, Lambert, James, and Bastin.

Bolton Wanderers: Jones; Wagstaffle, Finney; Goslin, Howarth, Wright; Butler, Rimmer, Blackmore, Gibson, and Westwood.

Referee: W. Thomas Walsall.