Tottenham v Bolton - BBC Preview

[Thmsdonaghy]

Tottenham make a ninth attempt to register their first win of this Premier League season, having made their worst ever start to a top-flight campaign.

Gary Megson will go into this game the day after his first anniversary as Bolton manager; under pressure Juande Ramos will be three days away from completing his first year in charge of Tottenham.

This is Tottenham's longest winless league start since 1912-13, when they took 13 games to register a first victory. They lost nine games and drew three of their opening 12, until they beat Newcastle 1-0 at home on 23 November 1912.

Should Tottenham lose, they will then have just two points after nine matches and will need to duplicate the form of Southampton who had as few points after their first nine games of the 1998-99 campaign and survived a 38-game Premier League season with 41 points, finishing 17th, five points clear of safety.

Bolton have gained more points (26), and scored more goals (24) against Tottenham than against any other club in the Premier League. Distance between the clubs: 217 miles (349 kilometres)

CLUB FORM

Going into the weekend: 20th 2 points

1. Lost the last three in all competitions - their longest losing sequence of the season so far.

2. Drawn two and lost six of their eight Premier League matches this season.

3. Not scored more than a single goal in any of the last 15 league matches; a league high.

4. Netted just one goal in the last four league outings.

5. Pressing for a first victory in 10 Premier League matches, and a first in nine at White Hart Lane.

6. Not claimed maximum points in front of the home faithful since the 2-0 eclipse of Portsmouth on 22 March 2008.

7. No win in eight Premier League matches against North-West clubs; drawn six and lost two since defeating Manchester City 2-1 at the Lane on 9 December 2007.

8. Following this come back-to-back games in the next week, away to Arsenal and home to Liverpool.

BOLTON WANDERERS

1. Gained one victory in eight league and cup matches.

2. One of four clubs averaging a point a game in the Premier League; eight in eight.

3. One of two clubs to have scored a goal a game on average in the highest league; eight in eight.

4. Picked up only their third win in 26 away Premier League games with a 1-3 triumph on their most recent trip, to West Ham on 5 October.

5. Now vying for back-to-back away top-flight victories for the first time since eclipsing Aston Villa and Manchester City on 16 and 23 December 2006.

6. The victory at Upton Park was the first time in 11 attempts that maximum points had been picked up from trips to London.

7. Not won successive matches in the capital since winning three in a row between 5 February and 27 August 2005.
8. This match precedes six successive Premier League fixtures against northern clubs.

KEY PLAYER NOTES

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

GOMES and Jonathan WOODGATE are the only remaining players to have been on the field for every minute of every one of Tottenham's Premier League matches this season.

If selected:-
Ledley KING will be making his 200th Premier League appearance - all in Tottenham colours.

Suspended:- Michael DAWSON (three matches)
Gareth BALE (one match)

BOLTON WANDERERS

Goalkeeper Jussi JAASKELAINEN is the only remaining player to have been on the field for every minute of every one of Bolton's league and cup matches this season.

If selected:-
Ricardo GARDNER will be making his 200th career Premier League appearance - all for Bolton, and his 350th appearance in a Wanderers shirt.

Kevin NOLAN will be making his 250th Premier League appearance - all for the Trotters.

If on the field from the outset:- Gary CAHILL will be making his 100th club career start (Aston Villa, Burnley, Sheffield United and Bolton).

HEAD TO HEAD

Last season's league clashes between Spurs and Bolton were both 1-1 draws.

The club playing away from home when these two have locked horns in the Premier League have not prevailed since the Trotters' 1-2 victory on 23 October 2004, when Radhi Jaidi and Hendrik Pedersen scored their goals.

There's not been a goalless draw between these sides since their top-flight stalemate at the Lane on 22 September 1923.

Home and away
League (inc PL): Spurs 35 wins, Bolton 32, Draws 13
Prem: Spurs 6 wins, Bolton 7, Draws 5
at Tottenham only
League (inc PL): Spurs 24 wins, Bolton 9, Draws 7
Prem: Spurs 5 wins, Bolton 2, Draws 2

LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME

Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Bolton Wanderers
26 April 2008 - Ref: Mark Clattenburg
Spurs scorer: Malbranque 52
Bolton scorer: Giannakopoulos 46

REFEREE
Andre Marriner (West Midlands)

[BringBack_leGin]

i know i shouldn't, because it is asking the impossible, but I am praying that by some miracle Ledley can play in this game. He may be a cultured player, but he is also imposing and physical to go with his class and while I like Corluka as a centre back, i get the feeling that despite his enourmity he lacks a bit of aggression, which is the last thing we need v Bolton.

The midfield? Who knows. I'd try to find a way to play both Lennon and Modric because they are the only two right now that ever threaten to do anything. And up front I'd do both Pav and Bent, I don't care what people say about them being similar, I think they can play together if given time.

[spursLA]

I think Modric has pretty much proven he's not ready for a CM slot so how about on the left with Lennon on the right? Pav as the #9 and Bent dragging the other CD around. Zok + 1 as CM - I'd prefer Hud for the physicality - with BAE, Woodgate, Corluka (if fit)/ Gunter and Hutton. Its pretty makeshift but what choices do we have.

[SpursMadDave]

Please please please SOMEONE just have a good game for once this season!!!!

I don't care who it is but we just need someone to spark things into life and maybe get a bit of luck and then who knows...

[chico]

I think that there have been small signs of improvement in Modric. He clearly has struggled to adapt to the pace and aggression in the Prem. But you have got to keep playing him imo, otherwise you dent his confidence further. You need O'Hara covering the defensive midfield duties to support him. Lennon is looking about our best midfield player at the moment so you have to accomodate him too. Going to be a struggle on Sunday, but I fancy us to get our first win. COYS

[pistolP]

i know i shouldn't, because it is asking the impossible, but I am praying that by some miracle Ledley can play in this game. He may be a cultured player, but he is also imposing and physical to go with his class and while I like Corluka as a centre back, i get the feeling that despite his enourmity he lacks a bit of aggression, which is the last thing we need v Bolton.

The midfield? Who knows. I'd try to find a way to play both Lennon and Modric because they are the only two right now that ever threaten to do anything. And up front I'd do both Pav and Bent, I don't care what people say about them being similar, I think they can play together if given time.

You can predict where Bent Is going to be every time, the ball comes in the box even when another player is already in the same position.

[YiddoJames]

If we lose.....


http://www.stalbansreview.co.uk/sport/localsport/3788523.Could_Roy_Keane_replace_hapless_Ramos_at_S purs_/

[AndyLov]

I think Modric has pretty much proven he's not ready for a CM slot so how about on the left with Lennon on the right? Pav as the #9 and Bent dragging the other CD around. Zok + 1 as CM - I'd prefer Hud for the physicality - with BAE, Woodgate, Corluka (if fit)/ Gunter and Hutton. Its pretty makeshift but what choices do we have.

Modric played for Zagreb wide left because they didn't think he was physically up to CM in the Croatian league so why we are suprised he isn't coping in the premiership is beyond me.

I think what you suggest would work well, we have two attacking full-backs for width and playing the four in the middle quite narrow would compensate for the lack of a quality holding player and give Modric enough time on the ball to create something.

[rem01]

If we lose.....


http://www.stalbansreview.co.uk/sport/localsport/3788523.Could_Roy_Keane_replace_hapless_Ramos_at_S purs_/


It is believed that another defeat against Bolton at the weekend will signal the end of Ramos' Spannish reign at White Hart Lane.
Ramos has been linked with jobs with struggling Spannish sides Osasuna and Atletico Madrid and it is understood that the Spurs board saw this as a perfect opportunity to part company as they would not have to pay him the £4 million compensation he will be due if he is sacked.


Seriously - this is a newspaper?