Spurs struggle to tempt Keane
Keane is one of several players being targeted by Harry Redknapp, the Spurs manager, in the closing hours of the transfer window as he seeks a replacement for the stricken Jermain Defoe, but whether he will be able to persuade any of them to jump aboard an apparently sinking ship is another matter entirely.
There was little to impress would-be recruits here, despite a two-goal comeback which briefly enflamed hopes of a point against Bolton, and Redknapp will need to be at his most persuasive to add to his numbers before 5pm this afternoon.
“When I came here we were bottom with two points from eight games but we’ve got it all to do and it’s going to be tight to be sure,” he said.
“I think we need to get one or two more in because the squad is still lacking in certain areas. But getting them is very difficult and losing Jermain is a big blow for us. It’s difficult but we’ll see how we go.”
Bolton attacked with more purpose than Tottenham from the start and always looked likely to claim the three points.
Impressive new boy Mark Davies bossed the midfield and headed a 22nd-minute chance narrowly wide before his free-kick found Sebastien Puygrenier to head home the game’s opener in the 31st minute.
Kevin Davies added a second before two goals from half-time substitute Darren Bent hauled the Londoners level.
But Kevin Davies, handed the captain’s armband by manager Gary Megson, had the final say when he headed home to deny Spurs a valuable point.
“It’s happened in the last away games – we’ve got done in the last three or four minutes when we’ve really been in control and taken over the second half completely,” Redknapp added.
“We’ve given a corner away and we can’t defend on a corner. At that point I wouldn’t have taken a draw, that’s for sure, because we were absolutely pummelling them. But that’s how it’s been.”
Kevin Davies expressed his pride at being handed the armband on a permanent basis after his match-winning performance proved there is life at the Reebok after Kevin Nolan, who joined Newcastle on Friday.
“I’ve been asked to step in and I’m really honoured. I’m really proud and I’ve managed to cap it off with the winning goal so it’s been a great day for me and my family,” he said.
“I just kept on at the boys thinking we could get the winner and I managed to squeeze it in from Matt Taylor’s corner. Hopefully now we can kick on into the top 10 and not have to look over our shoulders so much.” While Redknapp scours the market for late reinforcements, his Bolton counterpart Megson is also hopeful of making signings – though not Sporting Lisbon’s Miguel Veloso.
Despite reports to the contrary, Megson insists he has been priced out of the market for the midfielder, but added: “We’ve got offers in for two other players and interest in two others, and we need to bring them in.” Portsmouth’s Sean Davis is now his primary target.
BOLTON (4-5-1): Jaaskelainen 6, Steinsson 6, Cahill 7, Puygrenier 7 (Andrew O’Brien 79, 6), Samuel 6, Taylor 7, M Davies 8, Muamba 6, Gardner 6, K Davies 8, Makukula 5 (Smolarek 61, 6).
Subs Not Used: Al Habsi, Riga, Shittu, Basham, Obadeyi.
TOTTENHAM (4-4-2): Cudicini 5, Corluka 5 (Chimbonda 67, 7), Dawson 5, Woodgate 5, Assou-Ekotto 5, Bentley 5, Zokora 5 (Jenas 46, 6), Palacios 6, Lennon 6, Modric 4 (Bent 46, 7), Pavlyuchenko 6.
Subs Not Used: Alnwick, Bale, Huddlestone, Campbell.
REFEREE: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire) 7: Let a frenetic game flow at its own pace and kept his cards, by and large, in his pockets.
MATCH RATING: **** Enthralling, particularly in the second half when the game ebbed and flowed at a head-spinning rate.
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