Bendtner's slide show is just in time to unravel threadbare Bolton

Arsenal 1 Bolton Wanderers

With four on the bench and nine at the back, Bolton's aspirations for this match were clear – dig in for a point and try to steal a goal. It was terrible to watch but hard to play against.So successful was the approachthat the only save in the first hour was made by Arsenal's goalkeeper, Manuel Almunia.

Arsenal overcame Gary Megson's patched-up side, but if Nicklas Bendtner's 83rd-minute goal earned them three points it could not disguise the creative flaws that have undermined Arsenal's season. Bereft of Cesc Fabregas, they are grinding out wins rather than easing to victories. Arsenal have not won a Premier League match by a two-goal margin since October, when an own goal helped them defeat West Ham 2-0.

"It was a difficult game, and for an hour we did not find a way through because our passing was not incisive enough," said Arsène Wenger. The Arsenal manager added, in reference to his substitutions: "We had to finish in a good old-fashioned 4-2-4 to win the game."

Megson would have loved the opportunity to do likewise. Suspen-sions, injuries and a general shortage of bodies meant he named just four players on the bench. Three were yet to start for the club and the fourth, the 27-year-old Ghanaian Mustapha Riga, despite playing in four European leagues and collecting the nickname, in Spain, of 'The Bullet', had only been given two League starts since joining in August. He came on when Megson lost Johan Elmander to a hamstring injury, but had such a limited impact he was himself replaced.

Megson's selection problems were underlined by the inclusion of Chris Basham, whose previous experience extended to a handful of starts onloan to Rochdale last season and two minutes as a late substitute at Sunderland, in the match better known for precipitating Roy Keane's resignation.

Basham, Arsenal fans might argue, was an appropriate name for a Bolton defender, but although the Gunners have acquired a reputation for struggling against Bolton's physical game they had won the previous five meetings. In the circumstances Megson's cautious approach was understandable, if not edifying. He put two banks of players in front of the goal area, leaving Elmander an isolated forward.

The game quickly took on the shape of a training exercise, attack v defence. For an hour the defence won comfortably, with Arsenal creating just two openings. After 12 minutes Samir Nasri drilled a pass into Robin van Persie on the edge of the box. The Dutch striker brought the ball down smartly, but shot over. Sixteen minutes later a half-cleared set-play fell to Van Persie, who again volleyed over.

In the second half Wenger switched Nasri to the centre, hoping his creativity would have more effect. It did, but not before Matty Taylor's header forced Almunia into a diving save. Jussi Jaaskelainen was finally exercised after 62 minutes; Denilson fed Gaël Clichy on the left and his cross reached Emmanuel Adebayor, who turned neatly but shot weakly. Three minutes later Nasri's pass gave Adebayor another chance, but he delayed his shot and Andy O'Brien blocked.

Arsenal at last built a head of steam. Van Persie, played in by Adebayor, hit the post; Kolo Touré, from distance, stretched Jaaskelainen; Bendtner, with his first touch, headed into the goalkeeper's arms. Finally Clichy released Van Persie, whose cross was met by Bendtner sliding in at the far post ahead of Jlloyd Samuel. Even then Kevin Davies put a good late chance straight at Almunia.

"We have been more creative in the past, but we look stable defensively, 1-0 wins are a good basis," said Wenger, confirming that even idealists are pragmatists in times of need.

Attendance: 60,068

Referee: Chris Foy

Man of the match: O'Brien

Match rating: 6/10