Smith Can't Wait to Face Gudjohnsen
Friday, 12th Dec 2014 10:30

Tommy Smith is looking forward to coming up against experienced striker Eidur Gudjohnsen at Bolton this weekend, the Icelandic international having returned to his first English club after a 14-year absence.

Former Town target Gudjohnsen is set to make his second debut for the Trotters, probably from the bench, having rejoined them until the end of the season when he could bring down the curtain on a career that has also seen him star for Chelsea, Barcelona, Monaco and Tottenham.

Coincidentally, his last appearance for Bolton was the first leg of the 1999/00 play-off semi-final against the Blues in which he scored his side’s second goal as the game ended 2-2. He was later subbed and missed Town’s dramatic 5-3 victory in the second leg through injury.

Smith said: “It will be a great experience for me. He has had a fantastic career but obviously he is coming towards the end of it now.

“He is a player who will have a lot of quality on the ball even if he can’t have the pace he once had. He will be a real threat for them but I know we will make provisions for that.

“We will be looking at where we can get at them. Neymar is the best player I’ve come up against but there have been a lot of other top players at international level.

“No two ways about it, Gudjohnsen has been a top player but we’ve got a couple of top strikers ourselves at the moment and I’m sure Bolton will be worried about what Daryl Murphy and David McGoldrick are capable of.”

Smith believes that the 19-goal pair can do for Town what Burnley duo Sam Vokes and Danny Ings achieved last season when they contributed 41 league goals en route to the Clarets’ promotion to the Premier League.

He added: “There are a lot of similarities between us and Burnley and it is something we have chatted about in the dressing room.

“It’s not just the strikers, we’re also alike as a team the way we can grind out results even if we’re not outplaying teams football-wise.

“They had their two star strikers banging in the goals last season and hopefully our two can carry on doing the same and keep us in the top two.”

Meanwhile, Smith has no intention of giving up on the goal he believes he scored to complete the scoring in the 4-1 home defeat of Leeds last week, even if defensive partner Christophe Berra was credited in some quarters with having provided the final touch right on the goal-line.

He said: “I’m still claiming it! I don’t really know what’s happening there but in the record books it is down as my goal at the moment and hopefully it will stay like that.”

Smith won’t reveal the goals target he has set himself this season but added: “We’ve all got our targets and all I’ll say is that I’m pretty happy with how it’s going at the moment. It’s all for a good cause. We’ve all put money in and if we reach our target we get our money back.

“If we don’t reach our target it all goes to charity so it’s a source of plenty banter among the lads.”

Photo: Action Images

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bohslegend added 10:36 - Dec 12 In your pocket all day long Smithy! COYB!
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Kieron_FJ added 10:36 - Dec 12 Great player back in his prime, not as good as he used to be though and hopefully our strong backline can keep him out of the game. 3 points hopefully, COYB !!!
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Garv added 10:37 - Dec 12 Give it to charity anyway?
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ManLikeRob added 10:37 - Dec 12 Good challenge for Smith, playing against someone with such a high status in the football world should be seen as a life highlight.
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AwwightGuys added 10:37 - Dec 12 He will be a major threat, he has scored a staggering 54 goals for Chelsea, and has been enjoying his football in Barcelona. Good luck Smithy, you was born ready!!!
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