The opening day 3-1 victory over Northampton was an enjoyable occasion for Latics supporters. Ryan Lowe’s new team certainly showed promise for the season ahead. However, it was followed by an abject defeat at Leyton Orient and an insipid League Cup win over League 2 Notts County.
Yesterday’s win over Peterborough once again suggested that Lowe’s Latics team have potential, albeit tempered by the fact that the visiting team’s starting lineup was inexperienced, their two oldest players being 25 years old, the average age being 23.
Players’ age stats courtesy of FotMob.com
It is dangerous to make predictions at this stage of the season based on performances and results. Wigan’s best performances so far have been against two teams whose so far have gained just one point between them. Moreover, Peterborough had more than 70% possession and were awarded 10 corners compared with Wigan’s 3. Sadly, for the visitors, they could not show a cutting edge to their finishing.
However, green shoots have appeared to suggest that Lowe’s Latics have potential. The wing backs, Joe Hungbo and Fraser Murray, were excellent yesterday, as they had been against Northampton. Left wing back is a position that Hungbo is growing in to, having played as an inverted right winger previously. His approach burns up a lot of energy: he was substituted after 72 minutes yesterday, after 67 minutes against Orient and 70 minutes against Northampton. Hungbo has already shown the signs of becoming an effective wing back, a key component in Lowe’s system.
Murray really looks the part in the right wing back position, despite playing mainly on the left for Kilmarnock. His run and cross for Christian Saydee’s opening headed goal was quite superb. Murray is physically fit, intelligent, has excellent vision and gets himself into good attacking positions. He complements his attacking skills with sound defence and a determination to succeed.
Wing back is arguably the most physically demanding position to play in. Lowe has been dealt a cruel blow with Isaac Mabaya’s serious injury. He needs an alternative on the right-hand side as a backup to Murray. He has K’Marni Miller as a possibility for left wing back when fully fit. Already having a squad that needs to be reduced in size for economic reasons he will face difficulties finding someone to replace Mabaya.
Although they had such little possession Latics did create opportunities to increase their lead. However, the substitution of the defensively strong Luke Robinson for Hungbo, rather than Jonny Smith, signalled the manager’s intention of closing down the game. Peterborough did get into good positions around Wigan’s penalty area although they squandered their opportunities.
Another excellent performer yesterday was Christian Saydee. Not only was he in the right place to score the opening goal, but he had a fine all-round game. Saydee is not only physically very strong but has good skill on the ground, showing vision in finding teammates when under pressure. He is only 23 years old and looks like a bargain signing. Goalscoring is the side of his game that he really needs to work on. His goal yesterday will do him a world of good.
Latics face trips to Luton and Rotherham this week. Each game will provide a stern test to Lowe’s squad which shows promise but still has a long way to go to prove itself as a contender in the upper reaches of the table.
Wigan Athletic’s recent record in the Football League Cup has been far from impressive. In fact, this is the first time in the last four years that they have qualified for the second round.
“I want to go as far as we can” was Ryan Lowe’s prior comment on the club’s ambitions in the competition, but on the basis of this performance they might not even go beyond the second round. Good football was in short supply in this match for the sparse crowd that attended.
Lowe sprung a surprise in his starting lineup with Jensen Weir at right centre back, Luke Robinson coming in on the left to join Jason Kerr in centre of the back three. Callum Wright and Ryan Trevitt started in central midfield, with Tobias Brenan in the #6 role behind them. Isaac Abaya and Joe Hungbo were the wing backs, Maleace Asamoah and Paul Mullin the twin strikers.
Latics go off to an early lead after 10 minutes, Mullin blasting home a soft penalty awarded after Asamoah went down in the box. However, their play that followed was cumbersome and disjointed. There was certainly effort from the players but little cohesion, the opposition dominating possession.
Injuries have been a major problem in recent years for Latics and they continue to be so. A serious-looking leg injury to Mabaya saw him stretchered off after 29 minutes, Fraser Murray replacing him. Although Lowe had made six changes in this starting lineup the faces of Joe Adams, Baba Adeeko, Callum McManaman, K’Marni Miller, Matt Smith, Jonny Smith and Chris Sze have not been seen since the season-proper started. We await word on the injury to Jamie Carragher at Leyton on Saturday.
A key feature of that promising season start against Northampton was the effectiveness of the wing backs. However, with them being neutralised at Leyton and in this game, there has been reduced creativity. Murray’s sparkling debut against Northampton was a joy to watch, but the realities of playing in League 1 mean he could come in for some heavy marking by opposition defences as the season progresses. Moreover, Mabaya’s injury leaves Lowe short of options at right wing back.
Notts County enjoyed 64% of the possession in this game, with Latics struggling to find their men with their passes. They were fortunate that the visitors could not translate their possession into goals, although Notts could count themselves unlucky in the closing minutes as Sam Tickle and a resolute back three were key in putting their bodies on the line to keep their team ahead.
With the 3-1-4-2 formation and the influx of new players, Latics were always going to need time to adjust and gel as a unit in early season. The fine display against a Northampton side possibly heading towards the bottom of the table may seem like a false dawn after what we have seen since then. However, there is enough talent and experience in the squad to ensure a finish in the top ten of League 1.
In the meantime, one can only hope that Lowe can provide us with a passing game that can match the kind of effort that he expects from his players. A return for Matt Smith could be the kind of catalyst that is needed to cut down on wasted long passes and ensure a better build-up from defence.
“We didn’t compete enough – we’ll address it on Monday morning, but the fact of the matter is, if you don’t compete, you’re not going to win.”
So said Ryan Lowe following an abject performance by his team.
Wigan’s performance was predictably dire. Predictable because Orient were wounded after losing their opening game, and Latics were probably made to look a bit better than they are against Northampton. The Carragher injury probem didn’t help. It was a bit if a nightmare for Sessegnon too.
Orient were far superior on the day. Lots of professional fouls to interrupt Latics, but with a fluid and dangerous front four. The Lowe version of hoofball – pass it back to Tickle so he can punt it as long as he can – will be frustrating against decent teams that can cope with it. But it’s percentage football and it could be enough to get Latics in contention for playoffs.
In January 2007 Denny Landzaat made a memorable comment reported by the Dutch press about Latics’ style of football under Steve Bruce:
“Some matches the long ball is the only kind we play… It quickly turns into lottery football… I often think that as I’m not getting the ball played to me, I might as well run to get on the end of it when it drops from the sky.”
The ball went over the heads of Wigan’s central midfielders yesterday too. The 19-year-old Tobias Brenan had made a promising debut against Northampton, but looked a passenger in the first half. It would be fascinating to see him in a more possession-based team because he looks skilful. Moreover, most of the balls that had reached Dara Costelloe and Christian Saydee up front could be described as “hoofballs”, as opposed to accurately aimed long balls.
Jamie Carragher’s knee injury after four minutes of play was a bitter blow for Lowe. Already deprived of the combative Will Aimson through suspension the manager had to resort to a back three that had not previously played together as a unit. Jon Melliish was moved to left centre back, with the hapless Sessegnon moved to the right. Mellish did not perform at all badly and he showed an energy that many of his teammates were devoid of on the day. New signing Morgan Fox was not on the bench yesterday but will stake a strong claim to the left central defensive possession when fully fit.
Lowe has an opportunity to give other members of his squad a try in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup game at home to Notts County. He will be looking to re-energise his team for Saturday’s League 1 home tie against Peterborough.
It is a long time since Wigan Athletic fans enjoyed the first game of the season so much. Latics beat Northampton 3-1, but the margin could easily have been greater. In a lacklustre first quarter, with Wigan lacking cohesion, it looked like it would take the players some time to gel, to effectively function as a unit. However, Fraser Murray’s brilliantly taken 29th minute goal was to rapidly accelerate the process. As the game proceeded the players seemed to thrive in their well-defined roles, providing a synergy that had been absent early on. They thoroughly deserved the warm applause they received from the home fans at the final whistle.
Lowe has based his summer recruitment on adapting the squad he inherited into one that can operate effectively in his preferred 3-1-4-2 system. It is a system where wing backs play a key role and it was highlighted by the fine performances of Murray and Joe Hungbo. Lowe had made it clear that he needed wing backs, rather than full backs. It looked like Steven Sessegnon, a specialist full back, was on his way out, but he was impressive in a new position on the left of the back three. He will be staying after all. However, Lowe considers Josh Robinson a full back and therefore unwanted. The player signed by Shaun Maloney from Arsenal in January has been practically invisible to us fans. Isaac Mabaya (20), signed on loan from Liverpool, certainly looked confident in the wing back position when he came on in the second half, for his debut in senior football. However, he was beaten to the ball for Northampton’s goal and he will need time to adjust to the demands of first team football.
Having wing backs means that natural wingers will have few opportunities unless the manager changes the shape. Dion Rankin appears to be on his way to Leyton Orient. Jonny Smith remains, although he was less than impressive as a wing back following Lowe’s arrival. Smith’s previous role as an inverted winger has no place in the manager’s style of play. Callum McManaman’s re-signing was a surprise as he too is a winger. However, both players have the capability of changing the course of a match through moments of individual brilliance. K’Marni Miller (19) was unavailable through injury on Saturday. He is an exciting prospect as a left wing back and Lowe recently gave him a new two- year contract. He will challenge Hungbo for that position.
With twin strikers being part of Lowe’s system, it was crucial that he brought in reinforcements. The exciting, talented, but raw, Maleace Asamoah (22) remains. The manager has done well to provide a wide range of attacking options by bringing in Dara Costelloe (23), Paul Mullin (31) and Christian Saydee (23). Costello looked comfortable in the orthodox centre forward role on Saturday, with Saydee behind or to the side of him receiving long balls and feeding his teammates in a manner reminiscent of Emile Heskey. Given feedback from Portsmouth supporters it was no surprise to see the powerfully-built forward have such a good game in that role. The downside is that Saydee’s career goalscoring record is akin to of another excellent target man for Latics, Marc-Antoine Fortune. Paul Mullin has a superb goalscoring record, although has not been convincing at League 1 level. But Mullin could be a key signing if he can get into gear. All four strikers have different attributes and Lowe can mix-and-match them as he pleases. It gives so many different options. Chris Sze (23) has had a career dogged by injury and a has yet to make his mark at senior level, but the player that Maloney said had as much technical ability as any in the squad remains at the club Lowe is certainly not short of midfield options. Tyrese Francois played in the defensive midfield role in front of the back three on Saturday and looked comfortable in the role. Baba Adeeko is excellent defensively in that position. Matt Smith played superbly there for Maloney, so capably helping the back three with the high press. At times, Smith’s incisive passing could have been more effectively employed further up field. Despite some injury problems over the past couple of seasons he does not have a career record of injuries. He played 45 games for Doncaster the season before joining Wigan. Lowe insists that Smith has a role to play.
On Saturday, Lowe played Jensen Weir (23) and Tobias Brenan (19) in the central midfield positions. Weir underperformed has last season, but Lowe has kept faith in him. He had his best game for the club on Saturday, scoring an opportunist goal with a bullet header. Brenan made a very positive debut, showing composure, despite nervousness. Lowe has sent Ronan Darcy on loan to Chesterfield after declaring that a #10 does not fit in his system. Harry McHugh (22) was surprisingly offered a new contract: Lowe surely sees him as a late developer. New loan signings Callum Wright (25) and Ryan Trevitt (22) will compete for places.
Last season’s defensive record last season was excellent. Sam Tickle showed himself as a shot-stopper of a quality way above League 1 and the back three were excellent in front of him. The trio of Carragher-Kerr-Aimson were formidable. However, Maloney’s style of football was based on a solid defence, but with forwards and midfielders also playing an important defensive role. Lowe has intimated that there will be an attacking approach in home matches, as it was on Saturday. However, away from home he will more cautious His record at Preston last season showed 35 goals scored at home and 21 away.
The signing of Morgan Fox (31) on a two-year contract is a positive statement from Lowe and the club. Fox has over 300 EFL appearances in his career, largely in the Championship. He is a left centre back. Will Aimson was mainly playing there since Lowe’s arrival, although he can play in any of the three centre back positions. With Steven Sessegnon, Jon Mellish and Luke Robinson also able to play in the left centre back position there will be stiff competition for the defensive positions, providing all those players stay at the club. Will there will be some departures (along with Josh Robinson) in order to balance the books?
There was speculation through recent weeks regarding the possible sale of Sam Tickle. However, Latics fans breathed a sigh of relief when Lowe stated categorically that the goalkeeper will not be leaving. Tickle is an outstanding young keeper in all areas except his distribution. Were it not for this weakness he would surely have been snapped up by a bigger club over the summer. Together with James Carragher he is the club’s most prized asset.
Up to this stage Lowe has done a fine job in rebalancing the squad to fit his preferred playing formation. His work is not yet finished and he will need to make more adjustments to ensure that staffing costs do not exceed the budget set by Mike Danson. Looking at the current squad there is certainly enough quality to finish in the top half of the table, barring major injuries. Injuries proved a major obstacle to Shaun Maloney in his tenure at Wigan. Lowe will be hoping he can keep them at a minimum as he seeks a top eight position, which would be by no means unlikely.
LOS THREE AMIGOS 