Fan Preview: Spurs vs Bolton

 

Bolton come to WHL on Saturday afternoon. Though not as crucial as last season’s equivalent game, this one still may prove important once the points are tallied up in May. The victory at (Boll)Ewood Park has helped fan the flickering flames of hopes of the top four once more.

To most Tottenham supporters a game against Bolton means only one thing. Kevin Davies. General perplexion met his inclusion in the England squad last autumn, Spurs fans should’ve been less surprised though given his regular terrorising of our back four over the years. The Trotters aren’t as reliant on the large arsed, pointy elbowed, cherub faced, nemesis as they used to be of course. Owen Coyle (the Scottish George Clooney apparently) has brought flair where previously there was just huff and puff and the midfield battle between Holden, Lee, Davies (M) and whoever we find fit enough to tie their boots will be a good one.

Wednesday’s victory was made possible due to a gritty, dig in deep, type performance but was also a result of Harry’s trademark response to any setback – Attack! I think we can expect more of the same on Saturday. Whether Defoe will get a chance from the start is debatable, his weak finish when clean through against Robbo in the second half will have left a question mark in Harry’s mind as to how much he can rely on him. Pav may get his first start for a while – if fit naturally.

Pienaar has recovered so Redknapp has the option of moving Lennon back over to the right and pushing VdV forward, or he may go with what worked against Blackburn and leave it at 4-4-2.

At the back Hutton wasn’t even on the bench on Wednesday and hasn’t been mentioned in team news on the official site so I don’t know what’s going on there. Redknapp may have lost patience with him perhaps after his lunge at Dempsey last Sunday? Who knows? Dawson is available again so presumably the injured Gallas will drop to the bench, if there’s room amongst the goalkeeping gloves and jerseys that is.

It’s a fixture that doesn’t traditionally get the pulses racing but if it’s like the game at the Reebok then it’ll be an open, high tempo affair and should be entertaining. There is one cloud on the horizon however, Clattenburg is the ref. COYS.

By MF

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