Dion Rankine had probably his best game so far for Latics against Mansfield. Photo courtesy of Wigan Athletic.

Wide players played an important role in Shaun Maloney’s Wigan Athletic team last season. Martial Godo, Steven Humphrys, Jordan Jones, Callum McManaman and Jonny Smith made a total of 162 league appearances (starting + off the bench) between them, scoring 21 goals.

Over the summer Godo went back to his parent club, Fulham. Humphrys and Jones were offered new contracts but terms could not be agreed. Despite budget restrictions Maloney was able to sign four new wingers over the summer: Maleace Asamoah and Dion Rankine on permanent contracts for relatively small fees, with Michael Olakigbe and Silko Thomas coming in on loan. The average age of the four of them was less than 20.8 years.

After 12 games played in League 1 this season Latics have scored a paltry 10 goals, only Stevenage having scored less (9). However, their defensive record of only 9 conceded is bettered only by Stockport and Wrexham (both 8). Maloney and his coaches have worked hard with the players on their performances “off the ball”. The wingers have certainly played their part in defending, but they have looked muted in attack.

Both Olakigbe and Smith missed several weeks in early season due to injury. Ironically it is the least experienced Thomas, without a previous first team appearance for any club, who has played the most minutes.

	Age	Appearances	Starts	Total minutes
Silko Thomas (on loan)	20	10	10	726
Dion Rankine	22	11	9	705
Michael Olakigbe (on loan)	20	6	2	259
Callum McManaman	33	9	2	253
Jonny Smith	27	3	0	84
Maleace Asamoah	21	1	0	19

Thomas was signed on loan from Leicester. A product of the Chelsea Academy he joined the Foxes in the summer of 2023 and played in their U21 side. An inverted winger he has been a regular starter on the left.  

Dion Rankine is also a product of the Chelsea Academy.  After making 33 appearances on loan at Exeter in League 1 last season, he signed for Latics for a fee reported to be around £300,000. Rankine has been a regular starter as a “natural” right winger.

Michael Olakigbe, born in Nigeria, is a former England youth international who passed through the Fulham and Queens Park Rangers academies. He signed for Brentford in July 2022. Olakigbe made 8 Premier League substitute appearances for the Bees last season before being loaned out to Peterborough in January. He made only two league starts with 8 appearances off the bench for The Posh, his opportunities being hampered by injuries and suspension.

Callum McManaman was a key player last season in his ability to stretch opposition defences in the second half of a game. So often he was able to energise a style of play that was flat, lacking in energy and incisive play. However, he had less impact on matches when he was in the starting lineup. He has only started in two league matches this season, being largely employed as a “impact sub”.  

Jonny Smith was dogged by injury last year and has made only three appearances this season. Still only 27, he had played at 7 different clubs before establishing himself at Burton Albion where he played for two and a half seasons, making 77 appearances, scoring 9 goals. At his best he shows lightning pace and can provide a goal threat cutting inside from the right to use his left foot.

Maleace Asamoah was signed from Fleetwood for a small fee. He is the son of former Ghana international Derek Asamoah. A product of the Reading Academy he was at Cheshunt before making a handful of appearances for Kalamata, Olimpiacos Velos and New Salamis in Greece. On his return to England last season, he made two League 1 appearances for Fleetwood before going to Waterford in the League of Ireland where he established himself as a regular starter. Asamoah was clearly signed on potential and has only made one league appearance for Latics this season as a substitute.                        

Apart from McManaman the other wingers have had less than auspicious starts to the season. In so many games they have seemed static and lacking in dynamism and the willingness to take on opposition defences. What has been the underlying reasons for that?

Maloney’s critics would say that his constant rotation of players between and during games has meant that only Sam Tickle and the two centre backs, Will Aimson and Jason Kerr, have played the regular 90+ minutes. Partnerships between individuals have not developed as they might have. The net result has been a conservative, static way of play where the ball is constantly played to feet rather than into space.

Silko Thomas is a young player who plays with enthusiasm and works hard for the team. In the Mansfield game he once again received the ball with a defender tightly marking him. The net result was Thomas making a 30-yard pass back to the defence which indirectly led to a Mansfield goal. Dion Rankine too has struggled to breach opposition defences. However, Rankine has his best game this season because the ball was more frequently placed into space for him to run on to. In previous games the norm was for him to receive the ball to feet or even behind him.

Of the six wingers in the senior squad only Jonny Smith is a natural left footer and he is employed as an inverted role. Over the course of the season so far it would not be ridiculous to suggest that Wigan’s most effective wide attacker has been the left full back, Luke Chambers. The injury to Chambers is a hammer blow for Maloney, having not only so often been the only left-footer on the pitch but in his all-round play.

The understanding between full backs and wingers is crucial in developing plays along the flanks. The interplay between the two can help unlock tight defences. Unlike Chambers, James Carragher does not have the range of attacking skills possessed by a specialist full back like Chambers. Playing Carragher at right back has certainly helped the defence. He is good in the air and reads the game well. Carragher has done so well overcoming injury and establishing himself as a senior squad player.  However, playing a natural central defender at full back is not helping the attack, the right winger in particular.

The bottom line is that Latics’ passing this season has so often been predictable with players making the easy pass to feet rather than playing “sin miedo” by putting it into space for a teammate to run on to. The ability to receive the ball in tight situations is a key part of the game, but in Wigan’s case it so infrequently has led to the ball moving forward, the necessary support play being lacking.  

Players have suffered from the lack of imagination and vision in the team’s passing. The wingers have been particularly hard done by. If they are to be more effective, they need to work in tandem with the full backs, both offensively and defensively. Up to this point they have been more successful in the latter area.