Spurs and Bolton complete a good week for the Premiership sides in the UEFA Cup with Diouf pushing the ref’s patience before hitting a winner for Megson’s side at the Reebok. Meanwhile, over in Prague, Berbatov and Keane are at it again, firing the goals to hand Spurs a comfortable first leg lead before Cerny got a touch of the “Paul Robinson’s” and handed Slavia a lifeline. Owners of Cerny will be fidgeting nervously.
Bolton 1 Atletico Madrid 0
Megson was without Steinsson who was cup-tied and Gardner who had fallen ill, so Hunt and Samuel came in at right and left full-back. Elsewhere they were unchanged.
A well deserved victory for Bolton this, Diouf firing the winner shortly after Atletico went down to ten. It was another clean sheet for Megson’s men then, their fourth in five games. Another point of interest to note is that Matt Taylor was once again a major attacking force. He had six attempts on goal in this game, five on target. Surely a first Bolton goal and a fantasy points haul can’t be far off.
It’s all hypothetical of course but if Bolton can progress from the second leg in Spain there doesn’t appear to be any worries for fantasy investors in their squad. Rest and rotation will prove difficult for Megson given that games against Liverpool and United will sandwich the first leg tie in the next round. The Premiership fixture at Wigan on March 15 follows on from a possible second leg – that could see some players rested if that second leg is away from home – Diouf, Davies and Nolan perhaps the most likley candidates.
Slavia Prague 1 Spurs 2
Ramos was without Hutton who was ineligible having played Champions League football for Rangers. Dawson was ruled out by his hamstring injury, Boateng didn’t travel due to a similar injury. New signing Gilberto meanwhile is still struggling with a calf complaint. Ledley King did travel to Prague but the discomfort from his old knee complaint is still not being risked by Ramos and he was on the bench. It’s likely that King is being saved for a starting role in the Carling Cup Final.
All that meant that Huddlestone remained in midfield with Zokora returning to the lineup after his exploits in the African Cup of Nations, to take a central defensive role. He partnered Woodgate who missed the weekend trip to Derby through suspension. Tanio came in at right-back with Chimbonda on the left – he then switched with O’Hara’s arrival as a second-half sub. Elsewhere it was a familiar lineup for Spurs with Keane starting up front with Berbatov after the Bulgarian started on the bench at Derby.
The big question following this game is just how much damage has Cerny done to his standing by the calamitous mistake that lead to Slavia’s goal. Cerny’s fumble from an “up-and-under” cross wasn’t the best way to reacquaint himself with his former fans and teammates – come to think of it, maybe it was. Cerny has been a popular target for fantasy managers looking to draft in a budget keeper and the Spurs defence has tightened up recently to reward them with a decent return. Cerny has performed well but it’s likely that any further signs of weakness from the Cech keeper would see Ramos turn back to Robinson to fill the keeper’s jersey.
“Mistakes can always happen on the pitch,” Ramos remarked after the game. “That is the world of football and today it was the turn of Cerny. Yes, he did seem nervous after the goal, but it must have been very difficult for him to play [back] at home.”
If he carries those nerves on then it will be a concern for thousands of fantasy managers.
Regardless, Spurs will expect to progress from the second leg next week. That would see them move into the last sixteen and face a first leg game on March 6. Before this game, Ramos takes his side to Birmingham on the Saturday. Given that he rested Berbatov at Derby before this tie with Prague, fantasy managers should certainly be alert for this game if Spurs progress. After that possible first leg tie, Spurs host West Ham on the following Saturday with the potential second leg to follow four days later. Again then, fantasy managers will need to watch for rest and rotation here. Much will depend on how Spurs sit in the tie and how the home and away situation over the two legs falls.