Tottenham Hotspur Vs Bolton Wanderers: Match Thread

[chrissivad]

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Tottenham Hotspur Vs Bolton Wanderers ​

Barclays Premier League
Venue: White Hart Lane Date: Saturday, 5 February Kick-off: 1500 GMT
Coverage: Watch highlights on Match of the Day; listen on BBC Radio 5 live and local radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles​

For more on live coverage please visit Geez's Live Media Thread
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Spurs out for Trotters revenge at the Lane


Tottenham will look to keep their bid for a top-four finish on course when they host Bolton at White Hart Lane on Saturday.

After an encouraging start to the season, Spurs have suffered a dip in form of late, with their 1-0 midweek triumph at Blackburn marking their first win in four league games, while they have found the back of the net just four times in their last five.

That blip has left Harry Redknapp's side just outside the European qualification spots, with nearest rivals Chelsea currently three points clear in fourth.

And the Blues have strengthened their title credentials with big-money captures of Fernando Torres and David Luiz during last month's transfer window, leaving Spurs with a hard slog ahead if they want to bring UEFA Champions League football to the Lane for the second consecutive year.

Crucial
The north Londoners' win at Ewood Park was crucial in restoring confidence after their humiliating 4-0 FA Cup battering at Fulham last weekend, an encounter that cast serious doubt over suggestions Redknapp's men could lift the league trophy this term.

Bolton, meanwhile, will be lifted after returning to winning ways on Wednesday with a 1-0 victory at home to Wolves.

Before that triumph Owen Coyle's side were without success in five league encounters, having not taken three points since their Reebok Stadium victory over West Brom on Boxing Day.

Like Spurs, the Trotters made a solid start to the campaign, establishing themselves as European contenders early on, but have endured a recent rough patch, and both sides will be keen to keep their recovery on track at the weekend.

After the reverse fixture at the Reebok back in November saw Tottenham suffer a 4-2 defeat, Coyle's men will be hoping to do the double on Sunday.

And with new signings Daniel Sturridge, on loan from Chelsea, and David Wheater at their disposal, the Trotters could pose a serious threat to Tottenham's league ambitions.

Spurs will be buoyed by the return of Michael Dawson to the squad after the defender served a one-match suspension.

The England centre-back was handed his marching orders during last weekend's FA Cup thrashing at Craven Cottage, but makes his comeback in a welcome boost to Tottenham's injury-hit backline.

Midfielder Steven Pienaar is fit for action after recovering from the head injury which kept him out of Wednesday's win at Rovers.

Welsh winger Gareth Bale (back) is still a week away from full fitness, while Luka Modric (appendix), Tom Huddlestone (ankle) and Younes Kaboul (knee) are all unavailable.

Captain Ledley King is still waiting to go under the knife after his surgery in Germany was rescheduled this week due to a lost passport.

Rested
Coyle is expected to rotate his Bolton squad after their midweek triumph, while star winger Lee Chung-yong, who played his first game since returning from the Asian Cup against Wolves, could be rested.

The manager has a selection headache to deal with in defence after new signing Wheater was left out of the team that triumphed on Wednesday.

He also has decisions to make up front, with Sturridge a contender to make his first start after scoring the winner as a second-half substitute in midweek.

Defender Jlloyd Samuel is unavailable for the Trotters after picking up a calf muscle strain.
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Tottenham are boosted by the return of captain Michael Dawson following his one-match ban.
Steven Pienaar has recovered from concussion but Gareth Bale will not be considered despite returning to training after a back injury.

Bolton may start on-loan striker Daniel Sturridge after the substitute fired a late winner on his debut in midweek.

Fellow new signing David Wheater again looks set for a place on the bench as he continues to settle into the squad.

Tottenham
Injured: Bale (back), Huddlestone (ankle), Kaboul (knee), Modric (appendicitis), King (groin)

Bolton
Doubtful: Steinsson (knee)
Injured: S Davis & J O'Brien (both knee), Gardner (thigh), Samuel (calf)

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Wednesday night's spirited victory at Blackburn ended Tottenham's three-match winless run in the league, yet far from being upbeat, manager Harry Redknapp was quick to dampen down any talk of emulating last season's top-four finish again this year.

Redknapp's frustrations appear to stem from a lack of transfer dealings during the January window, when he added relatively cheap South African duo Steven Pienaar and Bongani Kumalo to his injury-depleted squad, while main rivals Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool were all among the league's biggest spenders.
Redknapp's opposite number Owen Coyle is one man who is delighted that the January transfer window is now closed. Aside from keeping highly-rated duo Gary Cahill and Johan Elmander, the Bolton boss was able to boost his squad with the permanent addition of centre-back David Wheater and temporary capture of midweek goalscoring hero Daniel Sturridge.
That victory at home to Wolves on Wednesday night ended a run of five league games without a win. That barren spell was perhaps not surprising considering that Coyle was unable to name a full compliment of substitutes for much of the time as his threadbare squad was stretched to its limits.
With Wheater and Sturridge now onboard, and South Korean Chung-Yong Lee back after Asian Cup duty, there is genuine hope within the Trotters camp that they can return to the impressive form of earlier this season, and maybe even put together their own challenge for European football next term.

Head-to-head
• The two clubs have meet 23 times in Premier League history, with Bolton edging Spurs by nine wins to eight.
• Tottenham are unbeaten in their last five home games against Bolton (W4, D1). The Trotters last victory came in October 2004, with Radhi Jaidi and Henrik Pedersen on target in a 2-1 win.
• Wanderers are eyeing a first Premier League double over Spurs since the 2004/05 season, and a third in total following their promotion back to the top flight in 1997.


Tottenham
• Harry Redknapp's first game as Tottenham manager came in this corresponding fixture 27 months ago. That day his Spurs side won 2-0 with goals from Roman Pavlyuchenko and Darren Bent. Under Redknapp, Spurs have accrued 160 Premier League points from a possible 279 - the fifth-best record during this period.
• Tottenham have not conceded a Premier League goal at White Hart Lane in 290 minutes. They have lost just once at home all season (1-0 v Wigan in August). Only unbeaten Manchester United have lost fewer.
• Spurs are unbeaten in all 10 league matches in which they have scored first this season.
• If selected, Peter Crouch will be making his 250th Premier League career appearance, while Aaron Lennon could start his 200th game for the club. Vedran Corluka may also play on his 25th birthday.


Bolton
• Owen Coyle has not won on two previous trips to White Hart Lane as a manager. His Burnley side were beaten 5-0 in September 2009, and Bolton lost 1-0 last May.
• The Trotters have lost their last five away games, their worst run in over 15 years since losing nine in a row between August and December 1995.
• Bolton have lost 17 of their last 27 trips to London. They have won only three games during this period - all at West Ham.
• If selected, Ricardo Gardner will reach 400 appearances for the Trotters, Jussi Jaaskelainen will play his 350th Premier League game, Fabrice Muamba his 100th league game for the club and Robbie Blake his 100th Premier League match.


LEADING GOALSCORERS
Tottenham

Van der Vaart: 11 goals (9 league); Bale: 11 goals (7 league)

Bolton

Elmander: 10 goals (9 league); K Davies: 8 goals (7 league)





MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Mark Clattenburg
Assistant referees: Mike Cairns & Martin Yerby
Fourth official: Chris Foy
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[nidge]

Great work as always Chris :up:

 

[dvdhopeful]

Great roundup Chris.

Cannot wait for this match. The next two games will go along way to finding out where this season is going, massive matches.

 

[guate]

Tottenham to win a cracker of a game, with J.D finally finding the net.

 

[Legacy]

Chris, that Amazon affiliates link sends you to The Train Line site.

Gonna be a tough game tomorrow. I'd take a repeat of last season's 1-0. But a team is due to come to White Hart Lane and have 5-6 put past them, and tomorrow would be no better time for that to happen.

 

[mpickard2087]

We need to go out and attack from the off tomorrow, would play VdV behind a front two and really go for it.

Need the three points, can definately do it. COYS

 

[chrissivad]

Chris, that Amazon affiliates link sends you to The Train Line site.

Cheers, had to put a space in between them to stop the links from running into the next image.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

I have a bad feeling about this one....

Wouldn't it be strange if I was like that?

Comfortable win tomorrow, I feel it in my nutsack. Come on you Spurs!

 

[Berglad]

Would be very surprised if there isn't a Pav goal in this one!

 

[Darrkespur]

Picking up those 3 points against Blackburn seems a lot more impressive when you see our squad this time with Dawson and Pienaar back and Bale not far off a return. We've got a nice little run of games now where we really need to keep picking up points and put some pressure on those above us.

 

[PT]

Chelsea get distracted by the attention tomorrow and the occasion fizzles out to a bore draw and we nip up to within a point. That'll do me.

 

[Kendall]

Off to the pub at 4am to watch this. We'd better win!

 

[spurslenny]

I'm guessing that if we don't score first early on then we'll struggle to get anything out of this game.
You can see it now can't you. 67 minutes in, 1 shot on target, they win their first corner, and Kevin Davies shins one in off the back of Assou-ekotto's arse for a famous Bolon win.

Tossers!!!

 

[Mr Pink]

We are due a big win sooner rather than later. I think if we open the scoring in the first half an hour or so we will put a few past them.

I hate it when we dont score in the first half at home....

 

[brett.spurs]

I'm confident, Bolton play more to our style these days so it should suit us.

 

[guy]

Off to the pub at 4am to watch this. We'd better win!

Youre not going to see much at 4am, seeing as it starts at 2am in Oz!:beer:

 

[BorisTM]

I just wonder what away color are Bolton gonna put on as their home kit looks like ours? Sky F blue or red/dark blue?

 

[DiscoD1882]

anyone else think that Van der vart looks like he has put on a bit of timber since he has been with us??

 

[agrdavidsfan]

Not confident with this at all there a good team mow also got the threat of the pace of sturidge

Recon jd will score off the bench tho

 

[Rogmeister]

Big game today. No doubt Davies will do what he always does against us!