Bolton Wanderers defender Chris Forino grew up in Arsenal country and cannot wait to face the club he supports in the EFL Cup on Wednesday (19:45 BST). The 24-year-old St Lucia international was born in Islington and lived about five minutes from the Emirates Stadium. Now the lifelong Arsenal fan hopes to come up against, who he regards as, the best central defenders around - Gabriel and William Saliba.
Forino's love affair with Arsenal started with a game against Portsmouth in 2008 and continues to this day. He watched the dramatic 2-2 draw against Manchester City at home with team-mate and childhood pal, Jay Matete, and has been counting down the days to the cup tie.
Forino is ready to match Arsenal’s dark arts as he goes for glory against his boyhood team. The Bolton centre-back says the League One players have had goose pimples ever since they were drawn against Mikel Arteta’s giants. Islington-born Forino will have 42 family and friends at the Emirates tonight — all Gunners fans like him. He says making his first appearance there will be a “dream come true” — but that will not stop him chasing a giantkilling act.
And if that means resorting to the same streetwise methods displayed by Gabriel, Jurrien Timber and William Saliba to get it done, then so be it. Ten-man Arsenal formed a human shield throughout a second-half Manchester City siege in Sunday’s dramatic 2-2 draw at the Emirates. Plenty was made of how that trio’s work in a packed rearguard was anything but pretty. Yet Forino loved watching every minute of the battle, with their defiance breached in the end by John Stones’ 98th-minute equaliser.
Now he is prepared to repeat the process if necessary, saying: “As something of an old-school defender myself, I admired so much of what the likes of Gabriel and Saliba did. The dark arts of defending may not exactly be what people want to see. But it’s always been a part of what us central defenders have to do when push comes to, yes, shove. You can’t teach it. The dark arts just come as a sort of instinct. It’s not something you learn on the training ground. You just do what you have to do when necessary. You’re paid to protect your goalkeeper and your goal and put your body on the line no matter what.”
Forino tuned into the game with team-mate Jay Matete, who, like him, is a lifelong Gunners fan and who was brought up just a stone’s throw from the Emirates. St Lucia international Forino, 24, who joined the Trotters from Wycombe in the summer, added: “Me and Jay were just glued to the TV. At times we couldn’t believe what we were watching. We couldn’t believe that Mikel Arteta had decided to stick all his players behind the ball and guts it out for a whole half. Not against a team like City. Yet they so nearly did it and that defensive display was an inspiration for me. It was amazing to watch. Some people say that the dark arts of defending are anti-football but whether you like it or appreciate it or not, it’s part of the game. Of course, I know how tough it’s going to be for us against Arsenal but I’m ready to give my all, no matter what.”
Forino and midfielder Matete, 23, on loan from Sunderland, have been mates since they were kids, with the defender revealing: “We used to play against each other. We grew up playing on Highbury Fields, both of us dreaming that one day we’d play for the Arsenal. Now we’re going up against them and I started getting goose pimples the minute the draw came through. My dad, Barry, will be there leading the family and many friends who want to see me play at the Emirates. It’s going to be a fantastic experience for them, just as it will be for me. Who knows? I might even get the chance to score a header, just like Gabriel did against City.
My first time at the Emirates was in 2008 to see a game with Portsmouth. When I was a kid, Thierry Henry was my idol — although I had so many of them in that team. Now whatever happens — and, yes, we believe we can do it and win — I’d love to come away with a shirt. There would be so many of them I’d like but, right now, if I had a choice of asking any of them to swap I’m edging towards Gabriel. That’s because he and Saliba are the kind of defenders you would always want to be.”
Bolton defender Chris Forino has played four games since joining in the summer, and his phone was buzzing once this tie was announced. His boyhood hero was Thierry Henry, but with his professional eye, he recognises the quality of Arsenal’s central defensive pairing, especially Frenchman Saliba, who is still only 23. Forino told BBC Radio Manchester: “Gabriel and Saliba have transformed the club. Attacks win games but defence wins you leagues. Hopefully they can do it in the league, but not on Wednesday.”
Forino's career has taken a different turn as he came through non-league before being taken on by Wycombe Wanderers. He moved up north to Bolton in the summer and his phone was buzzing once this tie was announced. The Premier League is a different style of football to League One, but Forino still admires Saliba's talent, saying: “I remember looking at Saliba’s first season a couple of years ago, his breakthrough season, and thinking he's the pinnacle of what defenders want to be nowadays.”
Forino's unwavering support for Arsenal adds a unique twist to this cup clash. His experience in the lower leagues, combined with his admiration for the Arsenal defense, suggests he could be a formidable opponent for his former idols. The game promises to be a fascinating encounter, with Forino's 'dark arts' potentially playing a pivotal role in the outcome.
The clash between Bolton and Arsenal is more than just a football match. It’s a homecoming for Chris Forino. This is a chance to test himself against the club he has loved since childhood, while also potentially causing an upset. This is a story of a lifelong Arsenal fan, who has now reached a stage where he can face his heroes on the field, with a chance to deliver a memorable victory to the team he now calls home.
