Author Archives: JJ (Tony)

A good time to play Rubin

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Match Previews, Other and tagged with , , ,

Europatable

Wigan Athletic travel to the most easterly club remaining in the Europa League on Thursday to play Rubin Kazan.  What are the chances of a good result for Latics?

Latics’ 1-1 draw with the Russian team ten days ago at the DW Stadium was well-earned and keeps them in with a more than even chance of qualifying from the group. Moreover it halted a nine game winning streak by Rubin in Europe.

Rubin are a formidable side at home in Kazan in European competition. They have not lost there for 22 matches, winning 13 and drawing 9. They have not conceded a goal in their last 7 European matches at their Centralniy Stadium.

For climatic reasons Rubin have had some of their previous European ties moved to Moscow, where they have understandably been less successful. However, this match will be played in Kazan, with a 9 pm kick-off (5 pm UK time).

Latics will count themselves fortunate in that they are going to arrive in Tatarstan a couple of weeks before the night temperatures drop below zero. The weather forecast for Kazan on Thursday indicates a daytime high of 11 °C, dropping down to 7°C at night.

Despite their formidable record in Europe, Rubin have only won one out of their last five matches in the Russian Premier League. Prior to coming to Wigan they lost 2-1 away at Volga Nizhny Novgorod. After drawing at the DW Stadium they lost 2-1 at home to second placed Lokomotiv Moscow, with ex-Tottenham player Roman Pavlyuchenko getting the Muscovites’ first goal.

Last Wednesday they made the 3,600 mile trip to Vladivostok, where they were knocked out of the domestic cup competition, losing 4-2 to the home side Luch. On Saturday they drew 0-0 at Rostov-Na-Donu. Rostov is on the Don River a mere 700 miles south west of Kazan. The result puts Rubin in 9th place, level on points with Rostov, but with a superior goal difference.

The timing of the match looks good for Wigan, despite the continued absence of key players through injury. When I wrote my initial posting about Rubin Kazan in early September they were unbeaten and in seventh place, within striking distance of the leaders Zenit St Petersburg. Since then Rubin’s league form has not been so impressive.

Although they are not scoring a lot of goals in the domestic league, Rubin are the most prolific scorers in the  Europa League Group Stage with ten goals. Although Latics have scored only four up to this point other statistics for the two teams make interesting reading.

Both teams have committed 43 fouls in their three games so far, but Rubin have suffered 36 and Latics 49. Rubin have completed 829 out of 998 passes attempted, Latics 716 out of 852. Rubin have had 16 goal attempts on target, compared with 14 for Latics. The Russian team has had 7 yellow cards, Latics 5.

Although Rubin’s form in Europe has been impressive, poor results in the Russian Premier League indicate they are not playing at their best.

Wigan Athletic will be hoping that Rubin’s recent run of poor form will continue – at least for one more game.

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Huddersfield Preview

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Match Previews and tagged with , ,
McManaman

Callum McManaman slots home in the 4-1 FA Cup win over Huddersfield in February.

It seems like more than nine months ago since Wigan Athletic demolished Huddersfield Town in a fifth round FA Cup tie at the Galpharm Stadium. Callum McManaman was the star for Wigan, repeatedly ripping open the Terriers’ defence in a 4-1 win.

How times have changed. Latics were then a Premier League team, a class above opponents who were languishing in the lower reaches of the Championship.

So far this season Wigan Athletic have outclassed only one team, a woeful Barnsley in the first competitive match under Owen Coyle.

But the good news  is that the Wigan defence is getting stronger and not throwing away goals like it did in the Martinez era. The goalless draws at Charlton and at home to Queens Park Rangers are an indication that Latics can become a ‘mean machine’ capable of grinding out results.

There is certainly no shortage of effort and commitment from the current  Latics side.  They are now physically imposing, with height in defence, less likely to give away soft goals from aerial set pieces than they were even a couple of months ago.

Latics remain unbeaten at home, largely down to their resilience. They trailed to both Doncaster and Middlesbrough in their first two home games, but came back with late goals to secure draws. The subsequent wins over Nottingham Forest, Ipswich and Blackburn were gained through hard work and determination. The bore draw with QPR was not one for the spectator to enjoy, but Latics showed that same resilience. In previous times they might well have come away without any points in such a match.

Huddersfield currently lie a point above Wigan, but their away record is not good – W1 D2 L3. Moreover they are without top scorer James Vaughan, who is suspended.

Despite the FA Cup win last year, Latics have a poor record against the Terriers. In league matches over the years they have a home record of W6 D1 L5 against the Yorkshire team, but Latics’ away record against them  is W0 D5 L5.

Owen Coyle believes that Latics are close to fulfilling their potential. He commented this week that “We know that if we keep knocking on the door it will fly open and someone will be on the end of three or four goals. There’s so much more still to come from this team, players to come back from injury and money to be spent come January.”

Coyle will once again have to rotate his squad.

Having started in three consecutive games in less than a week, Emmerson Boyce is due for a rest. Ryan Shotton will probably move over to the right back position, with Thomas Rogne returning in the centre of defence.  Chris McCann has silenced his critics with an excellent trio of displays in central midfield, but is likely to find himself rested with Ben Watson coming back in.

Nick Powell and Leon Barnett too have started in those three games, but both seem to get included in the starting lineup despite the physical demands they might face. Both have become key players.

Marc Albrighton could well make his debut on the right flank and Jean Beausejour is due to return on the left.  Marc-Antoine Fortune will probably take over from the out of form Grant Holt at centre forward. However, Holt might well be used as an impact substitute later in the game.

Were Latics to really click and win this match in style and by a clear margin it could be the turning point that Coyle seeks.  Latics fans have been patient up to this point, but the time has come for a convincing display to reward them for their loyalty and support.

Maybe this will be the game in which the team will show what it is capable of.

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Coyle brings back memories of Allan Brown

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Reflections and tagged with , , , , , ,
Wigan Athletic 1964-65. Back row, Wilf Birkett (Trainer), Les Jackson (Chairman), Alan Halsall, Roy Wilkinson, Alf Craig, Ralph Gubbins, Derek Houghton, Derek Crompton, Frank Latham Front Row: Les Campbell, Carl Davenport, Harry Lyon, Allan Brown (Player Manager), Walter Stanley

Wigan Athletic 1964-65.
Back row, Wilf Birkett (Trainer), Les Jackson (Chairman), Alan Halsall, Roy Wilkinson, Alf Craig, Ralph Gubbins, Derek Houghton, Denis Crompton, Frank Latham.
Front Row: Les Campbell, Carl Davenport, Harry Lyon, Allan Brown (Player Manager), Walter Stanley.
Thanks to WiganWorld for the photo.

A couple of weeks ago at Blackpool with Latics a goal behind, Owen Coyle made a bold move.  He already had two wingers on the field, Callum McManaman and James McClean, and decided to boost  Latics’ attack further by bringing on  two central strikers, Grant Holt and Marc-Antoine Fortune.  For a while Latics played in a formation akin to  4-2-4.

Seeing what was happening my mind drifted away to when I was a teenager watching Allan Brown’s team destroy rivals using that 4-2-4 system.

Brown took over at Wigan as player-manager in 1964 with a mandate to win the Cheshire League title. Latics had finished in mid table the previous year and it was obvious that a transformation was required. Brown and the Latics’ board at the time certainly meant business as they took the radical step of bringing in full-time professionals to give them a big advantage over the other clubs who use part-timers or amateurs. On top of that Brown brought in a 4-2-4 system, which was to reap high dividends.

As a teenager I was thrilled to get Brown’s autograph and those of his full time squad, who he would often take to the Roy Café in the centre of Wigan, where my mother worked. Sometimes I would even get a free ticket to the match.

LaticLatics4-2-4_formation_svgs played an orthodox 4-2-4 system like the one Brazil had used to win the 1958 World Cup. They had a flat back four with two ‘halfbacks’ – usually Dennis Crompton and Brown himself –  in the centre of midfield. Crompton was the ball winner/water carrier and Brown the number 10 who would put the passes through to the forwards, scoring goals himself in the process.  Wingers Les Campbell and Walter Stanley were there to supply crosses to the central strikers, although they did do a share of defensive duties.

Latics were to take the league title from Macclesfield, who were to finish five points behind. Wigan scored 121 goals in 42 matches, most of them  down to central strikers Harry Lyon and Carl Davenport. With such an emphasis on attack they needed a defence which could hold its own when the half backs and strikers got stranded upfield and the opposition counterattacked. The superb Derek Houghton was at right back and Roy Wilkinson on the left. Ex-paratrooper Alf Craig was a rock in the centre of defence alongside the elegant Ralph Gubbins.

Association_football_4-4-2_formation_svgIn 1966,  during Brown ‘s tenure at Wigan,  Alf Ramsey’s “wingless wonders” won the World Cup with midfield players – Alan Ball and Martin Peters –  playing in the wide positions. The 4-4-2 system he used was eventually adopted by most English clubs for years to come.  It provided more defensive cover with the wide players being regarded as midfield players, helping the attack and shielding the defence.

In recent years both Paul Jewell and Steve Bruce successfully used 4-4-2 at Wigan.

Whether Owen Coyle would call the system he briefly played at Blackpool 4-2-4 or 4-4-2 is academic. One system reverts into the other depending on the degree to which  the wingers/wide midfielders roles are focused on attacking.

There were times at Blackpool when both McClean and McManaman were both thrust into largely attacking roles. 4-2-4 is a dangerous ploy these days when a single goal can so often determine the final result.  Although it gives powerful attacking options it leaves the defence light on cover.

What a breath of fresh air it was to see Coyle attacking with two wingers and two central strikers. However, the wingers are only going to be effective if they get the ball. Too often the ball is launched long to the central strikers, cutting them out.

It is interesting how Latics’ regular wide players are listed on the club website. Both Jean Beausejour and James  McClean are regarded as midfielders, whereas Callum McManaman is listed as  a forward. One wonders how they will categorise Marc Albrighton.

One of the strengths of Allan Brown’s team was their consistency of approach. All players coming in knew the 4-2-4 system they had to fit into. The same could be said about Jewell’s and Bruce’s 4-4-2. Roberto Martinez was a tactical innovator, but his teams had a clear purpose, if they found it difficult to implement against star-studded opposition.

If there is one main criticism of Owen Coyle’s reign so far it has to be that there is no tactical blueprint of that type.

Moreover his wide players have not consistently delivered the goods in the opponent’s penalty box. Part of this is down to a lack of good form on their part, but too often their defensive duties have limited their scope in attack.

We will have to wait and see if the Wigan Athletic defence is going to be strong enough to allow the wide players to adopt a more attacking role. When that happens strikers like Holt and Fortune are going to get goals.

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Albrighton ready for crunch match with QPR

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Match Previews, Other and tagged with , ,

Albrighton

Marc Albrighton could be thrust into the crunch match with Queens Park Rangers at the DW Stadium tonight.

The 23 year old has been  signed from Aston Villa on what must be one of the shortest of loan periods –  reported to be just 28 days. However, the winger  has had injury problems and has fallen out of favour with Paul Lambert. If he can prove his fitness and fulfill his potential he might well become a player that Latics want to keep.  The possibility remains open for a permanent deal when the transfer window opens up again in January.

The QPR match is the acid test for Owen Coyle’s Wigan Athletic revolution. Failure to win will be viewed as a failure by most fans who feel that Latics need to build more momentum for a promotion challenge. They face an expensively assembled QPR team that is currently on track in 3rd place, with only one defeat so far.

At this point Latics stand in 14th place with a record of won 4, drawn 3 and lost 4 matches. The games they have lost have all been away from home to teams above them in the table – Leicester (in 2nd place), Blackpool (4th), Watford (7th) and Bournemouth (11th).

Up to this point Latics are unbeaten at home, a considerable improvement given the terrible record they have had at the DW Stadium, albeit against much stronger opposition over recent years. However, Coyle will be keen to make the DW a fortress for visiting teams to scale as the promotion battle unfolds.

Given the indifferent form of Latics’ wide players it could be that Albrighton will find himself in the starting lineup. Coyle has already shown he is not afraid to throw in new players at the first instance, after doing the same with Leon Barnett and Nick Powell earlier in the season.

It will be interesting to see how Coyle deals with the squad rotation for this game. On Sunday, Ben Watson looked tired, but was withdrawn only after 72 minutes. The man best known for his famous header has been a key component of Coyle’s lineups in recent weeks.

Roger Espinoza came on and looked useful at Charlton and it could be that he will see more playing time tonight, but one doubts  that he will make the starting lineup ahead of Watson. Moreover Jordi Gomez is higher up in the pecking order and is due for a return.

Leon Barnett is the outfield player who has played most matches this season, only missing the game at Zulte Waregem. If Coyle is willing to risk resting Barnett he will have the option of bringing in Ryan Shotton to partner Thomas Rogne in the centre of defence, although the big Stoke man might come in at full back for Emmerson Boyce. Another option would be to move James Perch across and bring in Stephen Crainey at left back.

The risk with too much rotation in defence is that in a radically new formation the players are not going to have that mutual understanding built up through regularly playing together.

Up front Coyle has to decide whether he wants to play with twin strikers – any two of Marc-Antoine Fortune, Grant Holt and Nick Powell – or play with two wingers.  Latics actually  played with two strikers and two wingers – an old fashioned 4-2-4 system –  for a period in the defeat at Blackpool.  Coyle is unlikely to risk it against a midfield as strong as that of QPR . His other option would be to play Powell in what is his best role, in attacking midfield behind the central striker.

Latics will want to narrow the 12 point gap between themselves and QPR.  Although they look good on paper the visitors are by no means invincible.

If  for once Latics take their chances and the ball does not keep crashing against the woodwork  there is no reason why they should not come away with three points tonight.

Whether they can do that will depend largely on Coyle’s tactics and how he rotates his squad.

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Grant Holt – where do we go from here?

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Match Previews, Reflections and tagged with , , ,

grant-holt_2635269b

He was lauded as the best of Owen Coyle’s new signings. But if you were ask a room of Latics supporters which of the twelve new players brought in by Coyle has been the most disappointing – the name of Grant Holt would be the one which comes up most.

What has happened to Holt? Is he past his best? Does his style of play suit Latics? Can he still make a major impact on the promotion push for Latics?

Up to this point Holt has made seven starts, with two appearances as a substitute. He has scored two goals, one being a penalty. He was injured in the Middlesbrough match in late August, coming back as a substitute against Blackburn in early October.

In the last two matches, against Rubin Kazan and Charlton, Holt has looked slow and cumbersome.

One cannot say that Holt is past his best. He has not played enough games to tell. But what is noticeable is that when he does play there are more long balls played by Latics. His mere presence causes the midfield to be by-passed.

Two years ago, in Norwich’s first season back in the Premier League, it was a surprise to their supporters to see their icon often being used as an impact player. Before that  Holt had been the first name to be written on the team sheet as his 45 league goals helped the Canaries ascend two divisions in consecutive seasons.

However, Paul Lambert used Holt to good effect as a super-sub. By the end of November Holt had scored four Premier League goals,  three of them being when he had come on as a substitute. At the end of the season Holt’s record in the Premier League was 15 goals from 24 starts and 12 appearances as a substitute.

Holt can clearly be very effective as an impact player, but the broader question remains – is he the right type of player for Wigan Athletic?

Despite it being the end of October  Latics still do not have a defined style of play. The manager continues to tinker on the tactical side and it does not help a squad with so many new players to gel together.

However, in general Latics try to play the ball through their highly capable midfield for the first 60 minutes. After that the defenders start to loft the ball over their heads, adopting a ‘more direct’ approach.

In the last two matches Holt has been substituted in the 63rd and 76th minute, leaving Marc-Antoine Fortune the task of beating big central defenders to high balls. That is not Fortune’s forte. He is big and powerful certainly, but is much more effective with the ball to his feet. If Latics are to continue to play ‘direct’ in the final third of the game it would make more sense for Holt to be the player coming on, not going off.

Grant Holt has a great reputation  as a top professional and a real team player. He will run himself into the ground for Wigan Athletic. He has a superb goalscoring record over the course of his career and is likely to get them out of  the Championship, given the right service.

The more cogent question is not so much whether Holt is the right type of player for Latics, but how to get the best out if him.

Holt is as good as anyone in the division in the role as a target man for long balls out of defence. He has the physical strength and technique to hold off two or three defenders, keeping the ball until teammates advance. In fact his enthusiasm is such that you see him actually courting the long pass.

However, Holt’s primary purpose is to score goals. He gets a lot of his goals through headers and deflections and needs the ball coming into the box from the flanks. Up to this point only Jean Beausejour of Latics’ wide players has been able to put quality crosses into the box. Callum McManaman and James McClean have not produced up to this point, but the season is still young.

Maybe we have expected too much from Holt. Given the physical exercion of holding off big opposition defenders he is expected to be sharp and lively in the box. All at 32 years of age.

Coyle needs to be realistic about how to get the best from the big Cumbrian. Give him the right service and don’t allow defenders to take the easy way out with long balls up to him when they are under pressure. Let him receive the ball facing the goal rather than with his back to it.

There will be matches where Fortune or Powell’s mobility will be required rather than Holt’s combativeness. Holt has proved how effective he can be as a super-sub.

Whether Grant Holt has a successful season and gets the goals to take Wigan back up depends on Coyle’s tactical approach.

In the match at Charlton there were signs that Latics were willing to play the ball through midfield when under pressure. Instead of taking the easy route of a long ball to an isolated central striker they sought the counterattack.

Give Holt good service from the flanks, minimize those speculative long balls and we will see the big Cumbrian get a lot of goals.

It is the tactics that have to be right for Holt to succeed.

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