FA BARCLAYS PREMIERSHIP
MONDAY 7TH NOVEMBER, 2005
BOLTON WANDERERS 1 (1) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0 (0)
Scorer:-
Nolan, 32
Referee: - Howard Webb
Attendance: - 26,634
Teams:-
Bolton (4-1-4-1):- Jaaskelainen; O’Brien, Ben Haim, Jaidi, Gardner; Faye; Stelios (sub Nakata, 58), Nolan (Capt.), Speed, Diouf (sub N’Gotty, 83); Davies (sub Borgetti, 48)
Subs not used:- Walker; Okocha
No bookings
Spurs (4-4-2):- Robinson; Stalteri, Dawson, King (Capt.), Lee (sub Keane, 61); Jenas (sub Brown, 83), Tainio, Carrick, Davids; Mido, Defoe
Subs not used: - Cerny; Kelly, Reid
Booked: - Dawson
Spurs lost the battle for third place in last night’s televised game, and it is a sign of the progress registered under Sam Allardyce, that Bolton’s sixth successive Premiership win over Spurs comes as no big surprise. Skipper and top scorer, Kevin Nolan did it again for the home side, securing the win with a real bolt out of the blue after 31 minutes. Jermain Defoe “equalised” almost immediately, but yet another televised injustice in the North-West meant that an incorrect linesman’s flag denied Spurs a legitimate goal. What with the Bolton “school of diving” as demonstrated superbly by El Hadji Diouf and Stelios, and generally supported by referee Howard Webb, it was always going to be Bolton’s night.
Mr Webb even saw fit to book Michael Dawson in the second half for an alleged foul on “Gobber” Diouf, who had got away with his theatrics all night, and a handball in the build up to the winning goal. Stelios crumpled in a heap under Ledley King’s challenge, as the Spurs defender shepherded a ball out for a goal-kick, and whilst there allegations that Ledley stamped on the Bolton player, I cannot believe that the Spurs skipper did anything malevolently. Ledley hardly ever commits a Premiership foul, let alone a bookable offence, after all. Not to worry, the Bolton fans who jeered a future England hero felt they knew who was in the right, and they did of course press the England claims of their own hero after his wonder goal.
There was no sign of Aaron Lennon in Martin Jol’s selection, and I assume he was simply rested. Jol clearly chose a cautious line, with Tainio keeping a place in the side and Edgar Davids returning. Jenas and Davids nominally played on the flanks, but Jol played his “narrow way” giving Lee and Stalteri (in the first and second halves respectively) more attacking duties. Carrick was at the back of midfield, which sometimes looked like a diamond, with Tainio supporting the attack. I thought Davids was excellent last night, wriggling and squirming his way through or round the Bolton team, but as with Tainio, sometimes the final pass was lacking in accuracy. Mido seemed anonymous for most of the game.
Bolton lined up in their usual formation, with Abdoulaye Faye playing the Campo role behind the midfield, and Stelios and Diouf switching flanks at will. Bolton’s success seems to be founded on a great work ethic, with effective closing down of the opposition in all areas. Spurs always struggled to find time on the ball, and their creators often had two or even three white shirts around them when in possession.
There isn’t a great deal to report, event-wise, as neither goalkeeper got too much exercise, and much of the game was a midfield battle for supremacy. Diouf gave Faye an early long chance, which was put wide, before Spurs demonstrated style after 9 minutes. This consisted of great inter-play between Davids, Defoe and Jenas, before Jenas hit a 25 yard shot wide. Tainio had threaded one pass to Defoe, who was one on one with Jaaskelainen and incorrectly ruled offside for the first time, before Bolton took the lead after half an hour. Diouf (with the aid of an apparent handball) fed Davies, who laid off for Nolan, advancing onto the shot which went like a rocket to the right of Paul Robinson, who stood no chance whatsoever. Then came that disallowed goal, and it came at the end of a move which thoroughly deserved reward. Not for the first time on the night, Michael Dawson cleared his lines with a great pass to Lee down the left wing. Lee passed to Tainio, showing grit and determination, then skill with a great threaded ball for Defoe, clearly level (at worse) with the defence, slotting home, only to be thwarted by a flag from an assistant referee, who looked as if he needed retirement, rather than the demanding role of keeping up with the rapid play in the Premiership.
Tainio repeated his trick to serve up a great chance for Lee, who only had the keeper to beat, but scuffed his shot just inside the area to the great frustration of the travelling support. Nolan nearly doubled the lead, with a less powerful shot, that was once again created by Diouf and Davies, beating Robinson, but hitting the post. Bolton made early substitutions in the second half, and whilst Spurs dominated possession, they were not giving Jaaskelainen any headaches. Now Jol moved to an attacking stance, with Keane replacing Lee, and Ledley King moving to the left of a three-man defence.
Ledley looked a little less comfortable than usual in this position, and after being beaten in a challenge with two forwards, he saw Borgetti get Bolton’s third shot on target, which was easy for Robinson. Tainio was first to a long Carrick free kick and tried a first time shot, that was well over the target. It looked to me like Mido was clearly and cynically pulled back by Jaidi, and whilst the referee awarded a kick, he seemed to be reaching for his cards, but then forgot to show one to Jaidi. Carrick’s free kick was desperately pushed away from goal by Jaaskelainen, and there followed a scramble, during which Jenas’s effort was blocked and Mido’s follow-up hit a post. Stalteri also had a cross beat the keeper that rebounded off the bar. My “Spurs-tinted” glasses also thought they saw Defoe being pushed over in the area, but hey, we were not getting the rub of the green (for the umpteenth time) and it was all too familiar feeling to traipse away from the windswept Reebock with no reward for our 200-mile journey.
Incidentally, I made the mistake of using the Stadium car park last night, and my return home was delayed by an hour due to poorly-managed gridlock. No wonder Bolton fans don’t bother to fill their stadium, even for European games, if they have to endure this routine every game. I’ll be reverting to parking away from the ground in future.
· Squad numbers,appearances,bookings & goalscorers
· Read the preview for this game.
Top of page | Index to 2005-6 Match Reports
Click