We are top of the league, said we are top of the league! Certainly not a chant I, nor I suspect even those who never question Arsène Wenger, expected to hear anytime soon after the 3-0 home defeat to Chelsea less than two months ago. And yet, there Arsenal sit, defying seasoned observers and I’d venture, those who witnessed the first half an hour of last night’s game.

But points mean prizes, and there is no doubt the team are picking them up. And long may that continue. Everybody is talking about the next four league games, and rightly so. It’s tight at the top, so points taken off those immediately around Arsenal have become especially important, not least psychologically. The team’s belief in itself must continue and without it, they would have been dead and buried against Bolton.

The side was actually relatively experienced last night. Keeper and back four have all been round the block a few times. Up front, Eduardo was a relative youngster between Arshavin and Rosicky. The real inexperience – by which I mean unproven talent – was in midfield, alongside the captain. Neither Diaby nor Denilson can claim to have really achieved anything in the game so far, and defensively, you can possibly see why, going on their performances when Arsenal did not have control of the ball.

It would be incredible if a team without the recognised ability to defend to any competent level could win the title. But it is just like watching Brazil. At least before the Dunga-managed era when taking measures to prevent the opposition scoring was way down on the agenda. 4-2 was a fairly typical scoreline. The other incredible aspect of the performances at the moment is that the attack is so totally unorthodox, without a real hold up player of any description. Perhaps that is one of the reasons the midfield does so little to help the defence. They are too pre-occupied with the workload required in possession, given the fact that the team can only really gain territory by moving forward with the ball. There is no ‘out ball’ to speak of in the way that past days would have seen a long pass played wide for Thierry Henry to collect.

At times, there is so much space allowed to the opposition in the Gunners’ own half, that a bit of me expects to see galaxies and black holes form at any minute. Crosses and shots are almost invited as the players back off. And yet, generally, the team will compensate by simply going up the other end and scoring more. And that, ultimately, is the aim of the game. So this is not intended as a criticism of the style of play, just an attempt to come to terms with years of football logic being turned on its head. As an Arsenal fan who has watched some excellent football from sides able to both attack and defend, I am having difficulty coming to terms with a team that does things so differently.

Arsenal need to take six points from each of their set of fixtures against the teams that will finish in the bottom half of the table. Bolton are currently in the relegation zone. Job done. But it was an evening of pure drama that took the Gunners to the top of the pile, and no-one in the stadium can complain that they didn’t get their money’s worth last night. At 1-0 down, the team were playing in such a fashion that you felt the equaliser was just a matter of time. 2-0 deflated that belief a bit, but all the while, you felt that – in spite of the relative gifting of the two goals to the opposition – this group of players is always likely to score and could still get back into the game.

The side seemed at their best when players took the initiative and tried to beat the opposition by running at them. Sod the pretty passing, just have a go at them. This is how the first goal came, and the value of a fit Tomas Rosicky was made clear in this moment. He needed to create just a foot of space to lash in a near post effort. 2-1 and game on. No-one wanted to hear the half time whistle, such was the drive and purpose of the home side.

Bolton regrouped and the second half took a while to get going again. Gallas’ challenge on Bolton’s Mark Davies was the turning point of the game. The referee saw it as an accidental clash, but in fairness, if a Bolton player had made that challenge, the crowd would have been screaming for a red card, let alone the award of a foul. However, a type of justice had been done. Bolton were giving it out left, right and centre. Gallas – Arsenal’s most experienced player - knew that the only response was to fight fire with fire. A bit of their own medicine. This was nothing to do with the beautiful game, but it was just what was required.

Arsenal now, thankfully, play to the whistle if an opponent is down and they are in a position of obvious advantage. This they did, and the equaliser resulted. As time wore on, fatigue set in and Bolton were unable to prevent defeat.

Can Arsenal play against teams at the table’s summit with such poor defending and get away with it? Things weren’t exactly rock solid with Alex Song playing, but they looked a hell of a lot better than they did with Denilson in the holding role. The Cameroonian can’t come back soon enough, so come on Tunisia in their decisive group game this afternoon! Victory for them would have Song back in time for the visit of Manchester United and maybe even the Villa game next Wednesday.

I’ve watched the news this morning and – as I feared – the Gallas challenge is very much on the agenda. I hope there’s no retrospective punishment as – poor as Arsenal are at defending – it is not the central defence that is to blame by any means, and both the existing incumbents must remain available if the team are to continue winning matches.

The visit of Bolton saw the good, the bad and the ugly. And just maybe it’s the latter that has been in particularly short supply in Arsenal’s performances of late. But why should Wenger’s team turn the other cheek? You give it out, you should expect it back. Let’s hope that the two games against Bolton have instilled a spirit in the side that can take them forward over the next three weeks. Yes, there are huge doubts, and finishing ahead of both Chelsea and Manchester United would certainly defy perceived football wisdom. But maybe this is the season when Wenger’s promises of silverware from this developing side are finally delivered. There won’t be any significant arrivals in the transfer window to strengthen his hand – a decision that might come back to haunt the manager - so if there is success, it’ll be done on a wing and a prayer. Hold on to your hats, the ride’s about to get hairier still.