Author Archives: JJ (Tony)

Scharner – Nearing His Peak?

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Player profiles and tagged with , , , ,

 

Great tackles are rarely as memorable as great goals, but some just stand out as exceptional. Half way through the first half  on Saturday a nice move by Reading led to a low cross coming to centre forward Pavel Podgrebnyak at the near post. The Russian looked certain to score until the long legs of Paul Scharner appeared out of nowhere to slide the ball to safety. A crucial moment in a tense first half, when the Royals had been getting on top.

Roberto Martinez had bravely changed his team’s shape for the Reading match, reverting to a flat back four and pushing Jean Beausejour into a left wing position. In the 40th minute a tall figure crossed the ball from that position and it took me a second or two to realize it was none other than Paul Scharner. It brought back mixed memories of the Austrian’s performances in a Latics shirt during his previous life at the club.

There have been a wealth of articles written on the eccentric central European.  His weird hairstyles, love of classical music and having his own personal  psychological coach place him apart from the average professional footballer. Interviewing him can be a challenge as this journalist found out.

Scharner joined Latics in January 2006, when I was living in Vienna and regularly watching one of his previous clubs, FK Austria, in the Bundesliga. Although popular in Norway, through his excellent performances for Brann of Bergen, he was by no means a hero  in his home country. In 2003 he had to move on from FK Austria after refusing to come on  as a substitute to play in right midfield at the behest of manager of the time, Jurgen Low. At the time he stated that “The coach and I discussed where I can help the team the most, but the coach always uses me elsewhere. I already played in seven different positions.”

In 2006 Scharner’s criticism of the Austrian FA led to national team coach, Josef Hickersberger, saying that  Scharner would never play for Austria again as long as he was in charge. After Hickersberger left Scharner returned to the national side. However, in  August 2012  another skirmish with authority led to the chairman of the Austrian FA saying that the player would never play for Austria again, no matter who the  coach was.

Paul Scharner’s made his Latics debut that January 2006, coming off the bench to head a winner against Arsenal that was to be instrumental in Latics reaching the League Cup final. Fans were not quite sure if he had been brought in to bolster an ailing centre of defence or to put some muscle into midfield. Some 16 months later his well taken goal at Bramall Lane on the last day of the season, helped to keep Latics up and put Sheffield United down. He was to make 145 appearances, in  a variety of positions, before leaving in the summer of 2010.

So which is the real Paul Scharner? The one who  Roberto Martinez describes as  a model professional  who he has welcomed back to Wigan with open arms, or the rebel who clashes with coaches and FA officials in his home country? Moreover is he willing to play in a central defensive position, week on week? Reports suggest that his move to West Bromwich was only finalized after Roberto Di Matteo agreed to play him in his preferred midfield position.

Paul Scharner has made a welcome return to Wigan at an opportune moment. He has already helped shore up a wobbly defence and made a “man of the match” performance for me at Reading. He has always been a very capable central defender, although it has not been his favourite position. Wigan are well stocked for midfield players and Scharner knows it. He is now 32, but in excellent physical shape. He  could go on for at least another couple of years as a Premier League central defender.

Has Paul Scharner already reached his peak or is it yet to come? Like anything else with the big Austrian it depends on his state of mind. Scharner would be well advised to forget his attacking forays and concentrate on defence. He has the experience, technique and positional sense to be an outstanding central defender. It is not too late for him to reach his peak.

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Down But Not Out

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

Boxer

February tends to be a worrying month for Wigan Athletic followers and this year is no exception. We have come to the point in time when one starts to wonder what lies ahead for the club. Once more Wigan are in the relegation zone and the tide has still not turned in their favour. Can the team get its act together and deliver what it promises before it is too late and it falls through the trap door of relegation? Can the last minute survival act materialize this time around?  

It was in mid February last season when Latics had been on an 8 match losing streak, but went to Bolton and got a priceless victory to kick-start a revival. Criticism had been raining down from frustrated fans, vilifying the manager, asserting that certain players did not have Premier League  quality. There was a lobby from some who wanted  Roberto Martinez sacked.

Gary Caldwell was one of those players targeted as not being up to par, but he was to prove his critics wrong with a series of outstanding performances when the going was getting tough. Not only that,  but he was to be voted player of the season by the fans. Martinez’ team were to produce not only great results, but to achieve them through merit, playing champagne football in the process. Could the same thing happen again this season?

Wigan currently lie in 19th place with 21 points from 26 matches.  An average of a point per game over the course of a season is usually enough to keep clear of relegation. To get to that 38 point target, Latics would need to get 17 points from their last 12 matches.

Of the remaining games there are two which are extremely difficult – away to Manchester City and Arsenal. The home game against a Tottenham side seeking a top four finish is another difficult one, together with the upcoming visit of Liverpool. The remaining home games are against teams Wigan are good enough to beat: Newcastle, Norwich, Swansea and Aston Villa. The away games at Reading, QPR,  West Ham and West Bromwich are all tough, but winnable.

It is still not time to write off Wigan Athletic. The players are good enough to get the results needed for survival in the highly competitive Premier League. What is needed is just that little bit of luck here and there. Refereeing decisions  have been particularly unkind to Wigan this season and the injury situation has been dire. They say luck evens itself out over the course of a season. If that is the case then Wigan are certainly due to receive a bagful of it over these coming weeks. The chips are down, but don’t count Wigan Athletic out yet.

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Huddersfield Town 1 Wigan Athletic 4 – A Difference in Class

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

McManaman

A mixed Wigan Athletic team was far too strong for a mediocre home side and the scoreline reflected the difference in class between the two sides.

Despite the importance of next week’s game at Reading, Roberto Martinez decided to risk putting in a handful of his first choice players. Latics started with a flat back four, with Arouna Kone in the lone centre forward role and Callum McManaman on the left wing. The  central midfield players – Fyvie, McArthur, Espinoza and Gomez – were the key to dominating possession and putting Huddersfield under pressure from the get-go.

Despite a pitch churned up by a rugby match between teams from the same towns the previous day, Wigan were still able to display their usual brand of possession football. The directness and pace of Callum McManaman provided a cutting edge and he took his chance brilliantly when put through by James McArthur in the 31st minute. The young winger tormented the Terriers defence, particularly in the first hour.  It was no surprise when Kone added a second after 40 minutes, after McManaman had put in a low cross for Gomez’s blocked shot. In the 56th minute he was to combine with James McArthur, for the Scot to hit the target with a screamer from the edge of the box.

Huddersfield’s main form of attack was to pump high balls into the box, but Wigan’s two tallest central defenders – Roman Golobart and Paul Scharner – held firm. However, the ploy worked when substitute Lee Novak managed to outjump Maynor Figueroa to put the home team back in the game after 62 minutes.

Arouna Kone’s opportunist goal in the closing minutes, following a defensive mix up from the home side, put extra gloss on the scoreline for Wigan.

The Good

This result means that Wigan Athletic have made the last eight of the FA Cup for the second time in their history. However, an away trip in the next round to Everton or Oldham, is not going to be easy, particularly if it is to Merseyside.

Roberto Martinez made a brave move by putting in a higher proportion of first team regulars than expected. He had to make a conscious decision whether to risk his mainline players with a key relegation match looming. However, the positive scoreline from this match will surely help boost morale at a key time within the club. The  tactic of packing the midfield worked in this match.

The Bad

Huddersfield’s churned-up pitch – a reminder of what can happen when you share a ground with the local rugby team.

Interestingly the attendance for the Giants-Warriors rugby encounter was 8,023 and that for the FA Cup match was 12,117.

Player Ratings

Joel Robles: 6 – looked comfortable. Although he was rarely called into action,  he made a good save early in the second half  as Huddersfield threatened.

Ronnie Stam: 6 – one of his better games in an orthodox right back position. Has clearly been working hard on the defensive side of his game.

Roman Golobart: 7 – teamed up well with Scharner in the centre of defence.

Paul Scharner: 7 – calm and composed in the centre of defence.

Maynor Figueroa: 6 – captain for the day. Still clearly enjoys the left back position, which allows him the chance to go forward. Needs to work on challenging for aerial balls in the penalty box – it is not the first time this season he has been outjumped for a goal.

Fraser Fyvie: 7 – looked the part. Hardworking and did not waste the ball.

James McArthur: 8 – looked a class above his Huddersfield counterparts. His rocket shot for the third goal is one to be remembered.

Roger Espinoza: 6 –worked as hard as always, until taken off after 57 minutes.

Jordi Gomez: 6 – put in a useful stint, proving a link between midfield and attack.

Arouna Kone: 6 – worked hard as usual. His first goal was scored from an offside position, but he took his second goal well, blasting the ball past the keeper from just inside the box.

Callum McManaman: 8 – dangerous throughout. Took his goal really well and looked the part on the left wing. How much longer can he fail to make the starting lineup in the Premier League?

Substitutes:

Shaun Maloney – a capable replacement for Espinoza early in the second half.  Was his usual effervescent self, working hard, putting through nice passes.

Jean Beausejour – came on for Gomez after 74 minutes. Solid.

James McCarthy – came on in the last minute.

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FA Cup Fifth Round: Huddersfield Town v Wigan Athletic

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Match Previews, Other and tagged with , ,
John Smith's Stadium, Huddersfield

John Smith’s Stadium, Huddersfield

Wigan Athletic have reached the  6th round of the FA Cup only once before. That was in the 1986-1987 season, when they were unluckily beaten by Leeds United on a bitterly cold and blustery afternoon at  Springfield Park. On Sunday they will be hoping to get there again when they travel to meet a Huddersfield Town team that pulled off a surprise 2-1 victory at high flying Championship rivals Leicester on Tuesday.

The last time Wigan played Huddersfield in the FA Cup was in 1973, when Latics were a non-league side and the Terriers were in Division 3. The result at the old Leeds Road stadium was a 2-0 win for the home team. Huddersfield moved to their new ground, now known as the John Smiths Stadium, in 1994. Not surprisingly there have been some concerns about the state of the pitch, since Town share the ground with the local rugby league club.  There has been  debate among Town supporters as to what has caused the  recent  problems. Some say it has been churned up by having rugby matches played on it;  others say it is been because of the bad weather and the need for undersoil heating.  A familiar debate well known to Wigan fans. Let’s hope the issue does not rear its ugly head again in the matches remaining this season at the DW Stadium.

Given their current predicament  in the relegation zone of the Premier League,  Wigan will be reluctant to risk first choice players for this game. However, a few are likely to be drafted in to provide balance. There appears to be an outside chance that Emmerson Boyce will make  a return, following his recent hamstring injury. However, Martinez will probably play safe and play Ronnie Stam at right wing back, saving the senior professional for the Reading game.

The big Spanish goalkeeper Joel Robles will have the opportunity to stake a claim for a  first team place. He is likely to see much more action against a Championship side than he did against Conference side Macclesfield in the last round. Roman Golobart is likely to step into central defence, with Adrian Lopez alongside him, if fit. The third central defensive position would go to a senior player, although the return of Antolin Alcaraz is still in doubt. Jordan Mustoe staked a claim at left wing back in the Macclesfield game in the previous round, but it could also be taken by Maynor Figueroa or Jean Beausejour.

David Jones  will surely start in the centre of midfield, but Fraser Fyvie is injured, so Roger Espinoza will probably step in. Jordi Gomez will surely start in the front three, together with two of Callum McManaman,  Angelo Henriquez and Nouha Dicko. Given that he has not had much football in recent weeks we can expect Arouna Kone to feature at some time during the game.

This will be a stern test for the second string. Huddersfield currently lie 18th in the Championship table, but they have only lost 4 matches out of 16 at home. All teams in the Championship are competitive and this Huddersfield side is likely to stretch a Wigan lineup that only plays together in cup matches. However, the second string has already shown this season that it can take its chances clinically and grind out results. A good result at the John Smith’s Stadium would lift the spirits of all at the club.

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A Return to Alcaraz and a Settled Defence?

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

Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Wigan Athletic v Chelsea - DW Stadium

Wigan Athletic’s injury woes continue to hit their chances of Premier League survival.  The hamstring injury suffered by Emmerson Boyce in the recent away game at Stoke was another hammer blow to a defensive line already short of Ivan Ramis and Antolin Alcaraz. Add to that Gary Caldwell continuing to take the field despite a hip injury. Injuries have also taken away midfielder Ben Watson and the speedy wingers, Albert Crusat and Ryo Miyaichi. But it is in the defence where the injuries have been most disruptive, with Roberto Martinez constantly having to change his back line over the course of the season. The end result has been a lack of cohesion, with too many soft goals being given away.

The last time Roberto Martinez was able to field together his most cohesive line of central defenders – Antolin Alcaraz, Gary Caldwell and Maynor Figueroa – was at Blackburn in May of 2012. It was that trio that provided the defensive strength and backbone for Wigan to have an outstanding end to the 2011-2012 season.  Alcaraz has only started two games this season.  It has been a long and slow recuperation from his groin injury. There has been speculation among some fans that it is not the injury that has been keeping the big Paraguayan out, but that his contract runs out at the end of the season. Given Wigan’s predicament one hopes that it is not the latter case, although Alcaraz has had long spells out due to injury in each of his three seasons at the club, making it less likely that his contract would be renewed. For the moment Alcaraz is needed to help Wigan stay clear of relegation.

There is a possibility that Alcaraz will make his return in Saturday’s FA Cup tie at Huddersfield. Were he to come through unscathed he would then be available for the crunch game at Reading the following weekend. Certainly Alcaraz’s return would give Martinez the possibility of putting together that back line which gelled so well at a crucial time last season. However, it would also open up options of releasing Paul Scharner and Maynor Figueroa as wing backs.

Wigan fans will hope that Emmerson Boyce will be fit for the Reading game. The improvement in the 33 year old’s passing since the arrival of Martinez has been huge. Boyce has become an excellent wing back, solid in defence, tireless in approach and even scoring spectacular goals in attack. In his seventh season at the club,  Boyce too has been susceptible to injury in recent years.  He completed 26 games last season and 22 the previous year. A fully fit Emmerson Boyce is another key factor in Wigan’s bid to avoid relegation.

It has been fascinating to watch Paul Scharner settle back so quickly into the Latics team. He looks a natural in that right centre back position, although he still has to work on his alignment with his fellow central defenders. Scharner has always been a useful central defender, if he himself has preferred to play in midfield.  One hopes he can maintain his discipline and resist the urge to commit himself too far forward, putting the defence at risk.

A settled back line is of paramount importance to Wigan Athletic’s chances of staying in the Premier League this season. Let’s hope that the injury jinx will no longer rear its ugly head. Even though Ivan Ramis is out for the reminder of the season, it would help Roberto Martinez greatly if all the other experienced defenders in his squad were to be available.

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