Spurs News: Bolton v Spurs (Match preview)

By Lev
August 18 2006

The first Premiership games of the season are within touching distance and I, for one, cannot wait. Spurs go into their first challenge of the new campaign against Bolton, at the Reebok, with Robbie Keane and Teemu Tainio doubtful.....

Bolton Wanderers vs. Tottenham Hotspur: 17:15, 19th August, 2006.

The first Premiership games of the season are within touching distance and I, for one, cannot wait.

Spurs go into their first challenge of the new campaign against Bolton, at the Reebok, with Robbie Keane and Teemu Tainio doubtful. Club-captain Ledley King misses out after knee surgery, but it has been rumoured he will be back to full fitness within only a fortnight. His loss could see a partnership of Michael Dawson and Calum Davenport at the back, the latter favoured over the quicker Anthony Gardner. The two have formed a steady partnership during pre-season, most notably against Real Sociedad, in Spurs’ final pre-season game at White Hart Lane only last Saturday. Tottenham are also likely to hand debuts to their three most distinguished signings of the transfer window thus far; Benoit Assou-Ekotto at left back, Didier Zokora in midfield and Dimitar Berbatov, the Bulgarian striker who single handedly ran rings around the Welsh defence on Tuesday.

The home team’s final friendly saw them defeated 3-1 by AZ Alkmaar, finalising a poor pre-season, with prior defeats to Burnley, Derby and Seville leading to a winless streak they will soon want to end. With a number of injuries also, Big Sam may not be able to call upon the likes of Kevin Davies, Henrik Pedersen or Ricardo Gardner. The departures of Jay-Jay Okocha, Hidetoshi Nakata, Radhi Jaidi and Bruno N’Gotty have left holes all over Allardyce’s squad and he has been desperately been trying to add to his ranks in the last week, if press reports are to be believed. However, Bolton have gained a reputation as being no pushovers and will not allow Tottenham an easy win in front of their home support.

Nevertheless, I hope to see Spurs having too much quality for the Trotters in the attacking third, and therefore predict a 2-0 win for the away side, with Defoe getting off the mark and Berbatov opening his account for the club.