FA Cup Match Preview: Tottenham Hotspur v Bolton Wanderers

This is going to be a strange game to play. Truth be told, I think both clubs could do without it. The traumatic events of last Saturday will be on everyone's mind, and it is hard to predict a result. It's easy to picture a very dour 0-0, or perhaps Bolton Wanderers' players not being able to focus and getting run off the park.

Last time, before the match had to be abandoned, both managers made several changes to their respective team sheets, but stayed with the core of the first team. I think that this time they are really going to ring in the changes. Even Harry Redknapp, Tottenham Hotspur manager for now, should mix it up a bit, and he is not known for rotating his squad. For Bolton, I think we could see seven or eight changes, and the only reason we won't see ten or eleven is that the players just aren't available. Who will be rested? Keep reading to find out...

Ivan Klasnic should get another start up front. And I would not be at all surprised if he got a goal. When these clubs meet up it does tend to be an open game with a lot of space, and that will suit our Croatian hit-man. He may not be the ideal striker in our 4-2-3-1 formation, but he will do a job.

Supporting the attack will be Tuncay Sanli on the left, Chris Eagles on the right, and Darren Pratley through the middle. Tuncay and Eagles each really need a game, and I think Owen Coyle will oblige them. Everyone knows about Pratley's disastrous start at the Reebok, but he has improved a lot as of late, and has been one of our better players the past few weeks. He could actually use a rest, as could Mark Davies and Nigel Reo-Coker, but the club just do not have any other central midfielders.

The back-line is where Bolton will really look different at White Hart Lane. Dedryck Boyata and Zatyiah Knight started in central defence ten days ago, and I suspect they will do so again. Marcos Alonso should make his full return at left back. Right back could see Gretar Steinsson keep his place, but only because Samuel Ricketts could use a break. I think Ricketts will return to right back full time now that we have a proper left back available in Alonso.

It would be nice to see young Joe Riley get the start at right back, but he just hasn't been able to shake a pesky foot injury.

So there you have it. Will this team be able to beat Spurs and give Wanderers a redemptive trip to Wembley and another chance at Cup glory? Hard to say. Let's just hope for a good performance, and a very interested young man watching on TV from a nearby hospital, the spectacle helping him to grow stronger each day.