Tottenham Hotspur Match Preview 10

Match Preview: Bolton Wanderers v Tottenham Hotspur

Reebok Stadium, Burnden Way, Horwich, Bolton

Saturday 3rd October 2009, Kick Off 15:00

Premier League, Match 8

Bolton Wanderers: 13th Premier League, 7 points from 18

Tottenham Hotspur: 4th Premier League, 15 points from 21

Referee: Mike Jones

Assistant referees: Michael Murphy & Gary Stott

Fourth official: Carl Boyeson

COMMENT:

Tottenham Hotspur travel to the north-west to face an improving Bolton Wanderers, who's form has picked-up in recent weeks. Spurs have scored ten goals in their last two matches, both of which were against opponents from the north-west - a 5-1 win over Preston North End in the League Cup and a 5-0 win against Burnley in the Premier League. Harry will be looking to keep Spurs' record-breaking early season form going at the Reebok Stadium as the current points haul of 15 from the first 7 matches is two better than the previous club Premier League record, which was set in season 1999-2000.

Both previous matches produced hat-tricks for Tottenham's strikers with Peter Crouch netting three against Preston and Robbie Keane scoring four against Burnley. Together with Jermain Defoe's League hat-trick away to Hull, this means that three different Tottenham players have already chalked-up hat-tricks this season. The last time that happened was back in season 1994-95 with Jurgen Klinsmann (v Watford in the League Cup), Teddy Sheringham (v Newcastle United in the League) & Ronnie "The Rocket" Rosenthal (v Southampton in the FA Cup).

Both Bolton and Spurs were in the draw for the League Cup 4th Round on Saturday. Bolton are due to play Chelsea at Stamford Bridge while Spurs were drawn at home to Everton. Bolton have never won the League Cup but have been losing Finalists twice.

This match marks Harry Redknapp's 38th Premier League game in charge of Tottenham Hotspur.

His record so far is: P37 W19-D7-L11 F57-A40 Points won: 64.

TEAM NEWS:

Bolton striker Johan Elmander is definitely out after suffering a hamstring injury in a reserve match.

Trotters boss Gary Megson may start Lee Chung-Yong after the Korean scored the winner against Birmingham last week.

Jermain Defoe could be fit to face Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium tomorrow after suffering dislocated fingers last weekend against Burnley. The striker was forced off early in the second half of our 5-0 win, but has trained this week wearing a protective cast.

In today's press conference, manager Harry Redknapp said: "Jermain has looked ok and trained fine today, so hopefully he could be ok but we will see tomorrow." Meanwhile, Harry also revealed that Luka Modric has stepped up his recovery from a fractured fibula after his protective boot was removed this week.

Ledley King (groin), Roman Pavlyuchenko (Achilles), and Jonathan Woodgate are also continuing their recoveries. However, the news is not so positive on Giovani Dos Santos after the ankle injury he picked up in our Carling Cup win at Preston last week.

Harry added: "He is going to be out for a good few weeks unfortunately. He came back and was in good form and showed a good attitude and looked nice and sharp so this is a setback."

Despite keeping Spurs' first clean sheet of the season, Carlo Cudicini will probably be replaced by Heurelho Gomes in goal.

BIG MATCH FACTS:

Head-to-head

• The Trotters lost their first Premier League encounter with Spurs at their former home Burnden Park, but they have not lost any of the subsequent nine games at the Reebok Stadium.

• Matches between the sides in the Premier League have thrown up just three away wins in twenty matches.

• Kevin Davies has scored four goals in his last five appearances against Spurs at the Reebok.

Bolton Wanderers

• Tamir Cohen has scored three goals in four games for Bolton this season after scoring just twice in the previous 18 months.

• Three of Bolton's eight goals have come in the final five minutes of matches.

• Kevin Davies and Fabrice Muamba have both committed 20 fouls this season - more than any other player in the Premier League.

• Bolton have taken as many points (seven) in their last three Premier League games as they had picked up in their previous 11 matches.

Tottenham Hotspur

• Spurs have won only one of their last 15 Premier League trips to the north west.

• Tottenham kept a clean sheet for the first time this season against Burnley.

• Spurs have kept only one clean sheet in their last 14 Premier League away trips.

• Jermaine Jenas became Tottenham's eighth league scorer in seven games with a goal against Burnley on Saturday.

LEADING GOALSCORERS

Bolton Wanderers

Cohen: 3 goals (3 league)

Tottenham Hotspur

Defoe and Keane: 6 goals (5 league)

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS

Bolton Wanderers (W 2-1 v Birmingham City, a):

Jaaskelainen, Samuel, Cahill, Knight, Ricketts, Muamba, Taylor, Gardner (McCann 71), Cohen, Davies, Klasnic (Lee 54)

Subs Not Used: Al Habsi, Steinsson, O'Brien, Davies, Elmander

Tottenham Hotspur (W 5-0 v Burnley, h):

Cudicini, Corluka, Bassong (Dawson 88), Huddlestone, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon (Bale 84), Palacios, Jenas, Kranjcar, Keane, Defoe (Crouch 57)

Subs Not Used: Gomes, Hutton, Naughton, Bentley

MARK LAWRENSON'S PREDICTION (BBC):

Tottenham tend to bully teams lower in the table and can score goals from all sorts of different areas. But Bolton are on a good run themselves and this will be a big test of Spurs' away form.

I know there have not been many draws in the Premier League this season but I can see this one ending up all-square, which wouldn't be the worst outcome for either team.

Verdict: Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur

PREVIOUS MEETINGS:

Saturday afternoon's match will be the 97th meeting between Tottenham Hotspur and Bolton Wanderers.

Here are the results of all the previous 96 games with Spurs' score shown first:

30-Apr-1898

Friendly

2 - 2

Joyce, Crump

18-Nov-1899

Friendly

4 - 0

Rule, Pratt, Cameron (2)

19-Sep-1908

Division 2

25,000

2 - 1

Minter, Middlemiss

23-Jan-09

Division 2

24,000

1 - 0

Steel R

11-Dec-09

Division 1

20,000

1 - 1

Minter

23-Apr-10

Division 1

3,000

2 - 0

Humphreys (2)

16-Dec-11

Division 1

20,000

0 - 1

20-Apr-12

Division 1

18,000

1 - 0

Minter

09-Nov-12

Division 1

23,000

0 - 1

15-Mar-13

Division 1

25,000

0 - 2

01-Jan-14

Division 1

30,000

0 - 3

10-Apr-14

Division 1

39,020

3 - 0

Joyce, Cantrell, Bliss

28-Nov-14

Division 1

8,000

2 - 4

Clay (pen), Cantrell

03-Apr-15

Division 1

11,000

4 - 2

Cantrell, Bliss (3)

18-Dec-20

Division 1

33,000

5 - 2

Seed, Cantrell, Bliss (2), Dimmock

01-Jan-21

Division 1

45,000

0 - 1

29-Aug-21

Division 1

31,771

1 - 2

Thompson

05-Sep-21

Division 1

40,000

0 - 1

17-Feb-23

Division 1

30,000

0 - 1

11-Apr-23

Division 1

15,000

2 - 0

Cantrell, Dimmock

22-Sep-23

Division 1

35,012

0 - 0

29-Sep-23

Division 1

25,000

1 - 3

Lindsay

30-Aug-24

Division 1

42,000

3 - 0

Clay (pen), Lindsay, Hargreaves

27-Dec-24

Division 1

18,000

0 - 3

31-Jan-25

F.A. Cup 2

52,635

1 - 1

Seed

04-Feb-25

F.A. Cup 2 Replay

51,774

1 - 0

Seed

21-Nov-25

Division 1

26,792

2 - 3

Osborne, Elkes

03-Apr-26

Division 1

31,364

1 - 1

Osborne

30-Oct-26

Division 1

29,999

1 - 0

Handley

19-Mar-27

Division 1

17,762

2 - 2

Sanders, Dimmock

26-Dec-27

Division 1

25,229

1 - 4

Elkes

06-Feb-28

Division 1

18,183

1 - 2

Armstrong

16-Feb-35

F.A. Cup 5

70,347

1 - 1

Evans W

20-Feb-35

F.A. Cup 5 Replay

47,453

1 - 1

Hunt GS

25-Feb-35

F.A. Cup 5 2nd Replay

26,692

0 - 2

10-Jan-48

F.A. Cup 3

37,075

2 - 0

(a.e.t) Duquemin (2)

23-Aug-50

Division 1

21,745

4 - 1

Walters, Murphy, Duquemin, Medley

28-Aug-50

Division 1

44,246

4 - 2

og, Duquemin (2), Baily

08-Sep-51

Division 1

61,838

2 - 1

Bennett, Edwards og

05-Jan-52

Division 1

46,354

1 - 1

Harmer

15-Nov-52

Division 1

31,442

1 - 1

Bennett

04-Apr-53

Division 1

40,185

3 - 2

McClellan, Stokes, Duquemin

03-Oct-53

Division 1

39,842

0 - 2

03-Mar-54

Division 1

16,720

3 - 2

Walters, Stokes, Dunmore

25-Dec-54

Division 1

25,978

2 - 1

Dunmore, Robb

27-Dec-54

Division 1

41,063

2 - 0

Baily, Brooks

08-Oct-55

Division 1

35,237

0 - 3

21-Mar-56

Division 1

10,942

2 - 3

Smith R, Robb

01-Sep-56

Division 1

30,889

0 - 1

29-Dec-56

Division 1

42,030

4 - 0

Dyson, Harmer (pen), Smith R, Robb

19-Oct-57

Division 1

20,381

2 - 3

Smith R, Robb

12-Mar-58

Division 1

22,978

4 - 1

Brooks, Smith R (3)

08-Nov-58

Division 1

39,820

1 - 1

Smith R

28-Mar-59

Division 1

21,384

1 - 4

Clayton

07-Nov-59

Division 1

41,909

0 - 2

26-Mar-60

Division 1

31,106

1 - 2

Mackay

07-Sep-60

Division 1

41,565

2 - 1

White, Allen

14-Sep-60

Division 1

43,559

3 - 1

Blanchflower (pen), Smith R (2)

09-Oct-61

Division 1

24,726

2 - 1

Allen, Clayton

24-Feb-62

Division 1

36,470

2 - 2

Smith R, Greaves

08-Dec-62

Division 1

20,737

0 - 1

27-Apr-63

Division 1

40,965

4 - 1

Marchi, Greaves, White, Smith R

07-Dec-63

Division 1

18,394

3 - 1

Greaves, Dyson, Farrimond og

18-Apr-64

Division 1

32,507

1 - 0

Greaves

26-Nov-77

Division 2

34,260

0 - 1

07-Jan-78

F.A. Cup 3

43,731

2 - 2

Hoddle, Duncan

10-Jan-78

F.A. Cup 3 Replay

31,314

1 - 2

(a.e.t) Taylor (pen)

08-Apr-78

Division 2

50,097

1 - 0

McAllister

28-Oct-78

Division 1

37,337

2 - 0

Pratt, Lee

08-May-79

Division 1

17,879

3 - 1

Holmes, Falco, Villa

10-Nov-79

Division 1

33,155

2 - 0

Yorath, Hoddle (pen)

22-Mar-80

Division 1

14,474

1 - 2

Jones

23-Dec-95

FA Prem

30,702

2 - 2

Sheringham, Armstrong

20-Mar-96

FA Prem

17,829

3 - 2

Howells, Fox, Armstrong

27-Nov-96

League Cup 4

18,621

1 - 6

Sheringham

23-Sep-97

FA Prem

23,433

1 - 1

Armstrong

01-Mar-98

FA Prem

29,032

1 - 0

Neilsen

03-Dec-2001

FA Prem

32,971

3 - 2

Poyet, Ferdinand, Sheringham

11-Dec-01

League Cup 5

28,340

6 - 0

Davies, Ferdinand (3), Barness og, Iversen

05-Feb-02

F.A. Cup 4

27,093

4 - 0

Anderton (pen), Iversen, Etherington, Barness og

20-Apr-02

FA Prem

25,817

1 - 1

Iversen

20-Oct-02

FA Prem

35,909

3 - 1

Keane (2), Davies

24-Mar-03

FA Prem

23,084

0 - 1

01-Nov-03

FA Prem

35,191

0 - 1

17-Apr-04

FA Prem

26,440

0 - 2

23-Oct-04

FA Prem

36,025

1 - 2

Keane

27-Oct-04

League Cup 3

18,037

4 - 3

(a.e.t, 2-2) Defoe (2), Bunjevcevic, Brown

01-Feb-05

FA Prem

24,780

1 - 3

Defoe

05-Nov-05

FA Prem

26,634

0 - 1

29-Apr-06

FA Prem

36,179

1 - 0

Lennon

19-Aug-06

FA Prem

22,899

0 - 2

24-Feb-07

FA Prem

35,747

4 - 1

Keane (2), Jenas, Lennon

23-Sep-07

FA Prem

20,308

1 - 1

Keane

26-Apr-08

FA Prem

36,176

1 - 1

Malbranque

26-Oct-08

FA Prem

35,507

2 - 0

Pavlyuchenko, Bent (pen)

31-Jan-09

FA Prem

21,575

2 - 3

Bent (2)

03-Oct-09

FA Prem

01-May-09

FA Prem

MUTUAL LEGEND - DON McALLISTER

Don McAllister lived a footballer's dream - and shared it with over 50,000 fans at the Lane.

An apprentice at Bolton, the defender climbed the ranks at the Trotters' former home at Burnden Park, helped them win the then Third Division title in 1973 and had earned the reputation as one of the best defenders in the Second Division when Spurs came calling in February, 1975.

Initially in and out of a side that suffered the unthinkable of relegation in 1976-77, Don went on to make 202 appearances and made a crucial contribution as we were promoted back to the First Division at the first attempt in 1977-78.

Don's key moment arrived on April 8, 1978 and, as fate would have it, Bolton were on the receiving end.

Only five games remained as we battled it out with Bolton, Southampton and Brighton for promotion. We were top on goal difference from Bolton going into the game and 50,097 fans watched Don throw himself at full length to convert a diving header in the 35th minute to win what turned out to be a crucial two points.

There were still a few nervous weeks ahead though as the team lost its next two games to Brighton and Sunderland before victory against Hull and a goalless draw at Southampton on the final day clinched the third promotion place.

Now based in Sydney, Australia, it seemed the perfect time to track down Don as his former clubs prepared to meet in the Premier League this weekend.

"You never forget a goal like that," said Don.

"It was a set-play we used to use. Johnny Pratt took a corner to the near post, Glenn Hoddle flicked it on and I came flying in at the centre of the goal and connected with a diving header. I ended up in the back of the net with it.

"It's one of those situations where if you are going to have a dream the night before, that's the dream - scoring a spectacular goal, seeing the headline 'McAllister scores winner against former club' - and that's exactly what happened.

"It was like a dream come true, the event and the timing was absolutely perfect.

"A few games later we were promoted on goal difference so it was a vitally important goal to have scored."

Many of Don's former team-mates and players he'd come through the ranks with at Bolton were in the side that day - the likes of Peter Reid, Roy Greaves and Paul Jones - alongside a certain Sam Allardyce and the one and only Frank Worthington.

So what was the reaction of his 'friends' after grabbing such an important winning goal? "Obviously they weren't too happy!" he laughed. "Once you are on the field though you do your best, afterwards you are friends again. That's the best thing about football."

It was all change at the Lane after that promotion.

Keith Burkinshaw completed the famous double coup of Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa and within three years, the great side of the early 1980s was ready to bring back the glory, glory days both domestically in the FA Cup and on the European stage in 1984.

Don played his part - he was a regular in 1978-79, 1979-80 and 1980-81 before injury got the better of him and he moved to Charlton in August, 1981.

"I remember playing when Glenn Hoddle made his debut at Stoke," he recalled. "Then we got Ossie and Ricky, then Steve Archibald, Garth Crooks and the squad really took shape.

"I spent six years at the club and it was a transitional time from the side that included the likes of Pat Jennings, Cyril Knowles, Martin Peters, Martin Chivers - great, great players for this club.

"Those guys were on the way out and we the next generation, myself, John Duncan, Willie Young, Glenn and Steve Perryman was captain.

"It was a bit of a shock for a team like Tottenham to be in Division Two but we played our way out of that division, we built from the back and didn't play the long-ball game. We played good football and it worked well."

Based on the other side of the world for the best part of 20 years now, Don still keeps in touch with what is happening at the Lane and in English football.

"We probably get more live games on television here in Australia than you will in England," he added. "We get half-a-dozen live games a week, highlights, all the European games - we get it all here.

"It's been a dream start to the season, fantastic. Harry did a great job last season and now we've started magnificently. If the lads can keep this up, who knows what they could do?"

A 1-0 win at the Reebok Stadium courtesy of a spectacular diving header in the 35th minute will do for starters!

LAST TIME WE MET...

Bolton Wanderers 3-2 Tottenham Hotspur

31st January 2009, Premier League, Reebok Stadium

Kevin Davies struck four minutes from time to snatch an unlikely victory for Bolton after Spurs had bravely fought back from two goals down late on.

Bolton controlled the early proceedings and deserved their lead when Sebastien Puygrenier headed in, before Davies fired into the corner to make it 2-0.

Substitute Darren Bent scored twice in two minutes from close-range, though, to put Spurs right back into the game.

But Davies had the final say when his header earned Bolton a thrilling win.

Three points see Bolton leapfrog their fellow strugglers and up into 12th in the table, and also spared boss Gary Megson's blushes after his side had contrived to throw away a two-goal lead for the second time in four days.

It was cruel luck in the end for Bent, though, who marked his first appearance since his now infamous miss against Portsmouth denied Spurs a home win a fortnight ago with two goals that looked like securing an unlikely point for the visitors.

The brace might yet secure his short-term future at the club, especially with Jermain Defoe absent with a foot injury, but in the end it counted for little thanks to Davies's late strike - a goal which made it six straight away defeats for the Londoners.

Bolton's win - their first in six matches - and the performance was a timely boost for Megson, though, after his barracking from his own fans in Wednesday's 2-2 draw with Blackburn.

Davies was the inspiration and a constant thorn in the side of Spurs' defence, while Ariza Makulula had the best of the early chances when he sliced wide from 18 yards out.

Full debutant Mark Davies also went close for the hosts, looping a header over unmarked from 12 yards, while namesake Kevin headed a Matt Taylor free-kick over with the visitors' apparent aerial frailty exposed all too often.

Spurs' best moments often came through the resurgent David Bentley, who twice tested home keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen with drilled efforts from range, while debutant Wilson Palacios was full of hassle and harry.

But for large parts of the game Spurs were bereft of inspiration and it was hardly against the run of play when Bolton took the lead and even less surprising it came from a set piece.

Mark Davies was the creator with a free kick, Puygrenier making the most of some hopeless marking in the Spurs box, losing Didier Zokora to head home from six yards for his first goal for Bolton since joining from Zenit St Petersburg.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp's response at the break was to replace the ineffective Luka Modric and Zokora with Bent and Jermaine Jenas, but despite a wealth of possession, the visitors' continued lack of sparkle ensured the Trotters remained comfortable.

And when Kevin Davies latched on to Gary Cahill's flick to drive across Carlo Cudicini and into the far corner of the Spurs net, the hosts' win looked assured.

However, the Trotters reckoned without Bent and Chimbonda's intervention.

The former reduced the deficit when he swept in Chimbonda's cut-back from close range and, just two minutes later, levelled it up when he pounced after Jaaskelainen could only parry a snapshot from Palacios.

There was yet another twist in the tail, though, as Davies stooped to head in Matt Taylor's corner, the ball squeezing past Bentley on Tottenham's near post, to seal the victory.

Bolton boss Gary Megson:

"When we were pegged back to 2-2, I didn't think the game at that stage was a drawn game, I thought we much better than they were and a lot more positive - they've got some quality players but I felt we deserved our lead.

"Thankfully, though, we've got Matty Taylor's fantastic deliveries and Kevin Davies's heading ability and that's pulled us through.

"As for any transfer activity - the Miguel Veloso deal is not going to happen. We don't want to run a fool's errand, and that looks a bridge too far.

"But we've got two bids in at the moment - one for a Premier League player and one Championship player - and I would expect some business to happen over the next couple of days."

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp:

"That's the last four away games in which we've dominated proceedings and then gifted the opposition - and these are teams that are around us at the bottom end of the table - a winner two or three minutes from time.

"Sitting there with five minutes to go I wouldn't have taken a draw because we were pummelling them and there was only one team who I thought would win it and that was us. But we've thrown it away again.

"As far as transfers go, no-one will be leaving this club in the next few days, I'll tell you that, because we can't afford for anybody to leave. But I definitely think we need one or two more players - strong players - to come in, so if something can be done, we'll do it.

"And as for Darren Bent - he has absolutely nothing to prove to me, I know he's a good player. He was excellent today, has 14 goals for the season, and we need him here - especially with Jermain Defoe out with what looks a nasty injury."

Bolton Wanderers:

Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Puygrenier (Andrew O'Brien 79), Samuel, Taylor, Mark Davies, Muamba, Gardner, Kevin Davies, Makukula (Smolarek 61).

Subs Not Used: Al Habsi, Riga, Shittu, Basham, Obadeyi.

Goals: Puygrenier 31, Kevin Davies 64, 87.

Tottenham Hotspur:

Cudicini, Corluka (Chimbonda 67), Dawson, Woodgate, Assou-Ekotto, Bentley, Zokora (Jenas 46), Palacios, Lennon, Modric (Bent 46), Pavlyuchenko.

Subs Not Used: Alnwick, Bale, Huddlestone, Campbell.

Booked: Dawson.

Goals: Bent 73, 75.

Att: 21,575

Ref: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).

BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Bolton's Kevin Davies