David Pleat's analysis: Bolton Wanderers v Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham's Gareth Bale, right, tries to thwart an attempt by Lee Chung-yong of Bolton to get forward during their FA Cup tie. Photograph: Nigel Roddis/Reuters

Shape

Owen Coyle, struggling to impose his more carefree football style on his new club, opted for a 4-4-2. With Lee Chung-yong showing promising form from wide recently, he would be hoping to achieve a good supply for his two capable frontmen: Kevin Davies, currently lacking goals, and Johan Elmander, the tall Swede. His big hope would be that his centre-backs, shorn of their main man, Gary Cahill, would be able to handle the aerial threat of Peter Crouch and the sharpness of Jermain Defoe. Bolton would need a fast start to disturb Tottenham, regardless of whether they hit direct to the front early or passed quickly from midfield.

Tactics and teamwork

Did it succeed?

When the lively Lee combined with Elmander and Davies, Bolton fashioned a superb goal which they richly deserved after their flurry of early corners. Fabrice Muamba and Ricardo Gardner were biting early and giving Tom Huddlestone and Winston Palacios no time to manoeuvre and engineer passes. Tottenham were giving Gareth Bale little protection as Luka Modric, essentially wide left, was leaving his base to wander infield and this gave Bolton opportunities to find Lee where there was an absence of coverage for Tottenham. With Bale getting tight, Lee used the space behind the full-back to supply Elmander or Davies, who were dragging their centre-back markers out wide and skillfully using the space behind Lee. Their speedy breaks gave Tottenhan more problems but rather than hit hopeful, direct longer balls to front players' heads, they turned the visitors' defence with plenty of good movement. The answer is no, unfortunately for Bolton, who were more Coylesque than Megson-like. Tottenham woke up and Palacios and Huddlestone worked harder to make angles for passing opportunities and to escape the midfield clutches of Muamba and Gardner. Elmander and Davies, dangerous with their first-half movement, were subsequently denied service but it was Bale who engineered the turning point. Turning defence into attack, he exhausted Lee with his runs down Bolton's right side into advanced positions. With Lee having to defend, Tottenham drew Bolton's sting. A cup tie that showed the best elements of both sides deservedly ended level; Coyle will take heart but Harry Redknapp will be more confident.