Author Archives: JJ (Tony)

One step forward and two steps back – Doncaster (H) match reaction

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

“There’s signs it’s coming together, then it’s maybe one step forward and two steps back.”

Gary Caldwell was right about that. In reality Latics were lucky to scrape a point out of a game that Doncaster dominated, even if they were denied what Caldwell called a “stonewall” penalty in the final minute of the match.

Despite the defeat in the midweek game against Bury there had been positive signs. The 4-3-3 formation had appeared to be one that the players were comfortable with. It seemed logical that Caldwell would build on that, continuing with that same formation, with largely the same players. It was not to be.

Caldwell made three changes. Jonjoe Kenny came in for Kevin McNaughton at right back and Chris McCann and Francisco Junior were brought in for Jordan Flores and Samni Odelusi. After playing 3-5-1-1 and 4-3-3 in the previous matches, Caldwell once again tinkered with his formation, packing it with midfield players. He started a back four, with David Perkins and Chris McCann sat in front of them and Max Power and Junior further forward in midfield. Will Grigg occupied his lone position as lone centre forward and Michael Jacobs was on the left wing.

Latics started poorly and the visitors spurned a good chance in the second minute, Forrester skewing the ball wide. The home side could establish no rhythm, with the players seeming to struggle in the new formation. Jacobs had a well taken free kick scrape the crossbar in the 17th minute.

The crowd’s frustration was showing as crossfield passes ended up in Doncaster hands and O’Donnell had to deal with awful back passes from his own defenders. Fortunately the goalkeeper was to show his form with two outstanding saves, keeping out shots from Wellens and Williams. Although they had the majority of the possession Wigan produced only sporadic threat to the visitors’ defence, most of their play being either across the field or backwards. The visitors were causing problems for a Wigan defence that was in disarray.

Kenny had been reluctant to move forward out of defence and when he did he was not always well covered. However, we saw the young full back can do when he latched on to a superb defence splitting pass from Power and put in a dangerous cross that was cleared. With nobody on the right wing Latics’ play went through the centre or through James and Jacobs on the left. Junior was looking classy in a more advanced midfield role, but could not produce the kind of defence splitting passes that were needed. A nice move saw James pull the ball back for Power whose shot was well struck but straight at the goalkeeper. But Wigan were to breathe a sigh of relief a couple of minutes before half time when Coppinger went down in the box under James’ challenge, but the referee did not award a penalty.

Doncaster continued to cause problems in the second half, leading to Caldwell making a double substitution after 54 minutes. Junior and McCann were to be replaced by Sean Murray, with Shaq Coulthirst brought on to play wide, with a change to 4-3-3.

The introduction of more width stretched the visitors’ defence a little more, but Wigan could not get midfield control and Doncaster continued to threaten. James cleared a McKenzie header off the line after 58 minutes. Leon Barnett had had a torrid first half, but was dealing effectively with the aerial threat posed by the visitors. Power had a good effort from outside the box saved after 78 minutes, but for the next ten minutes Doncaster put Latics under even more pressure and a goal seemed inevitable.

Somehow they had held out, surviving two more penalty appeals in the second half. Perhaps the referee was to bear those in mind when he denied Latics the opportunity of a last minute winner with Power appearing to be brought down as he burst into the box.

The Good

The draw at least helps break a losing sequence. Once again the visiting team had more energy than Wigan as the game progressed, but the Latics’ defence played with a lot of determination in keeping Doncaster out in the second half.

Leon Barnett is not the best passer of a ball and looks ill-suited to the kind of football that Caldwell prefers. However, there is a need to have a dominant header of the ball in the centre of defence against the constant aerial attacks that can be expected in League 1. Barnett is a shadow of the confident, rugged defender he was when Owen Coyle had brought him to Wigan. But without his aerial power Latics’ defence would have been in even more trouble. Barnett was poor in the first half, but his contribution in the second was important, if not pretty to watch.

Jonjoe Kenny is only 18 years old and sometimes it shows. It was a surprise to see him preferred to Kevin McNaughton, who had performed well in midweek. However, with no right winger Caldwell was probably expecting Kenny to move forward and fill the void. Kenny can clearly offer an attacking outlet on the right hand side, with his pace and intelligence. But in this game it was his defensive contribution that was to prove more important, particularly in the second half when he made some crucial clearances.

David Perkins continues to be the midfield dynamo, with seemingly boundless energy and selfless team play.

Richard O’Donnell showed what a superb shot-stopper he can be, as well known to fans of his previous club, Walsall.

The Bad

The poor performances so far this season can be largely put down to the influx of so many new players and the team’s inability to gel. However, Caldwell’s switching of tactical systems is hardly going to help. Put simply it would be preferable to stick with either 4-3-3 or 3-5-2 as the main formation, using the alternative sparingly.

The pass back to the goalkeeper was a feature of this match that sticks in the mind. O’Donnell is being put under constant pressure by players from his own side who are either unwilling or unable to pass the ball out of defence. The pass backs rarely lead to anything constructive and some in this match were simply ridiculous. It is no wonder that elements of the crowd were incensed by it.

Francisco Junior was taken off prematurely after 54 minutes and being at Wigan on a one month loan one wonders if we will see him again. Junior adds style and poise to the midfield and his departure would be sad to see.

Once again Latics were put under the cosh in the closing minutes, stuck deep in defence, raising further questions about their fitness levels.

Caldwell needs to find an answer to the kinds of aerial bombardments we have seen from the opposition sides up to this point. One way to alleviate it is to prevent the crosses coming in from the wings and cutting down the number of corners conceded, admittedly hard to do. O’Donnell made some fine stops, but is not the kind of goalkeeper to dominate in the air.

Above all there is a need for a central defender with real height and physical power in the mould of Harry McGuire. Donervon Daniels might ultimately be able to provide this, but he is a young player who still has a lot to learn. He has been left on the bench for the past two games. Caldwell transfer dealings are clearly ongoing. Rumours suggest that Leon Barnett is off to Preston. If this is true then Caldwell surely has someone lined up to take his place.

Player ratings

Richard O’Donnell: 7 – made some fine saves.

Jonjoe Kenny: 6 – made some mistakes, but has undoubted quality.

Craig Morgan: 6 – mobilised his defence in the second half to withstand the Doncaster onslaught.

Leon Barnett: 6 – poor in the first half, but made key interventions in the second.

Reece James: 7 – solid in defence and useful going forward.

Chris McCann: 5 – a shadow of the midfield player he once was. Withdrawn after 54 minutes.

David Perkins: 7 – not his best game, but still got through more work than any other Wigan player.

Max Power: 7.5 – showed his class. It was good to see him take a more direct approach towards the goal.

Francisco Junior: 6 – played in a more advanced midfield role. Withdrawn after 54 minutes.

Michael Jacobs: 6 – threatened, but with no end result apart from his free kick.

Will Grigg: 6 – very isolated. So often knocked off the ball by the central defenders. Needs decent service.

Substitutes:

Sean Murray: – came on after 54 minutes. Played in a midfield holding role, but could not stamp his authority on to the game.

Shaq Coulthirst: – added width, but is he going to establish himself as a regular starter in a 4-3-3?

 

Investing in youth

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

youth

Two defeats in the first two games have tested the resolve of the long-suffering Wigan Athletic following. Defeat is something that supporters had to learn to live with last year, when team lost 25 of the 46 league matches they played.

Just a week ago there was an almost tangible wave of optimism as fans looked forward to embarking on the “new era” of the club, under the youthful leadership of Gary Caldwell and David Sharpe. But the disappointing performance at Coventry, followed by a narrow defeat at home to Bury has dampened enthusiasm somewhat.

Most fans refuse to panic. There have been only two games so far and they accept that the new players brought in will take time to gel. But results matter, even if an early exit from the League Cup is by no means a tragedy for a club wanting to concentrate on the league, seeking promotion.

As always when things don’t go to plan the keyboard warriors are starting to rear their heads. There are those who are not fans of possession football, those who want two central strikers and a small minority who do not believe that Caldwell is the right man for the job, not having enough experience and being a blind follower of the Martinez ethos.

However, the style of play in the midweek game against Bury could hardly be labeled as possession football. But once again Caldwell fielded a lone centre forward, albeit with two wide players. It is not only the keyboard warriors who advocate playing with twin strikers. Some would say it is essential in League 1.

Like Uwe Rosler and Roberto Martinez and so many managers at the top level of English football, Caldwell appears to be a follower of the lone centre forward setup. When he plays 4-3-3, as he did on Tuesday, there will be two wide players, supposedly moving inside to shoot and ghost in to scoring positions from the flanks.

Caldwell’s version of playing with three central defenders and wing backs differs from the 3-4-3 that was the hallmark of Martinez’s success at Wigan. Caldwell plays what could be broadly described as 3-5-2, or 3-5-1-1. His preference could well be the latter, with the second striker playing a free role akin to that of Victor Moses in the Martinez era. Last season Malky Mackay bowed to pressure to play a 4-4-2 system that was not particularly effective, although it would be fair to say that he did not have outstanding twin strikers at his disposal. Caldwell is unlikely to cave in to such pressure, although the pragmatic side of his footballing philosophy might lead him to playing twin strikers when the occasion might demand.

In May, David Sharpe had said that the club would be looking to sign “young, hungry players between the ages of 24-27, ones who have done it before, who know what it’s like to win promotion, who are willing to learn and put in the hours, and buy into Gary’s brand of football.”

Today’s announcement of the loan signing of the 20 year old Tottenham forward, Shaq Coulthirst, brings the number of new players signed over summer to sixteen. Nine of those are aged 23 or under. Only two – Will Grigg and Richard O’Donnell – are between 24 and 27.

Caldwell certainly has one of the youngest squads that Latics have had in recent years. Other than the new signings can be added the names of Tom Chow (21), Jordan Flores (19), Ryan Jennings (20) and Lee Nicholls (22) who have come up through the development squad. Louis Robles (18) is also on the fringe of challenging for a spot in the senior squad.

Although burdened by the pressure of his chairman’s statement of “smashing League 1” Caldwell has made a significant start in building a squad that will serve the club for years to come. Unlike many of his predecessors he cannot be accused of not giving youth a chance. Both Reece James and Max Power are only 21 years old and will surely have bright futures within the game. Will Grigg (24) and Michael Jacobs (23) are likely to be the main strikers, while the powerful Donervon Daniels (22) is an option in the centre of defence. Moreover he has waved the olive branch towards the development squad through giving first team opportunities to players developed within the club.

Only time will tell if Caldwell’s signings prove to be a success at Wigan. But his willingness to give youth a chance may prove the key for the club’s long term prospects.

In the meantime he faces the here and now. A win against Doncaster on Sunday would certainly help nervous fans feel better about what is to follow.

 

Craig Davies – journeyman or saviour?

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

Davies

“He’s a big, strong boy who is also quick. He is different to what we’ve got and he’ll certainly cause defences some problems.”

The words of Mickey Adams, who certainly had some belief in Craig Davies as a footballer. He had signed the big man for Brighton in February 2009. Some 11 months later, after scoring just one goal in 10 league starts and 11 appearances off the bench, Davies was dispatched on loan to Port Vale, where once again he would be under the tutelage of Adams. Davies made an instant impression at Vale Park and ended his goal drought in his fourth game for his new club.

When Davies came on after 78 minutes against Bury on Tuesday night he did not receive an overwarm welcome from the crowd. Being an ex-Bolton player and the replacement for Grigg did not help his case. Moreover he had not impressed in the 35 minutes he was given as a substitute at Coventry. Some fans condemned him as being lazy. Another categorised him as a “journeyman” who has had as many clubs as Leon Clarke.

But on signing the big Welshman Gary Caldwell had said that “Craig’s a powerful striker who has a proven track record in this division. He’s an experienced player who will inspire those around him and we are absolutely delighted he has chosen to be with us.” Moreover he had later enthused about a Davies-Grigg striking partnership.

So who is the real Craig Davies – the inspirational central striker who can make a real difference to Wigan Athletic this season – or the journeyman who does not make enough effort on the pitch? Is he the 23 goal striker who was instrumental in helping Chesterfield win League 2 or the player who struggled for goals at Brighton?

Davies had begun his Wigan Athletic career as a 77th minute substitute in the pre-season match with Partick Thistle at Firhill. He immediately added a physical presence, although playing wide on the left. Gary Caldwell was being cautious in bringing Davies into play, given the constant injury problems he had last season.

It was therefore a surprise to see Davies start up front with Will Grigg in the match at Dundee just three days later. This time Davies played in the right hand twin striker role and was a real handful for the Dundee defence. He only played for the first 30 minutes, but during that time he had formed a positive impression, his interchange of passes with Grigg provoking a penalty.

So what kind of role will Davies play for Latics this season? When will he be fully fit and in contention for a place in the starting lineup?

Caldwell will continue to give Davies time to get himself in optimal physical condition. In the meantime he will use him as an impact substitute, either for a tiring Grigg or alongside him as a main striker. Up to this point Caldwell has tended to opt for a lone centre forward system, but he is nevertheless pragmatic enough to go for the twin striker scenario when needs arise. Grigg would surely benefit from the presence of Davies, who will ruffle the feathers of any defence, drawing defenders away.

However, there is more to Davies’ game than playing the target man and creating space for others in the penalty box. In his career he has scored 88 goals from 237 starts in league games. He had played for 12 clubs before joining Latics, hence the “journeyman” tag.

Davies will be keen to show that he is much more than just a journeyman. His signing was a gamble by Caldwell, given his career path and his injury issues at Bolton. But if Davies can get fully fit he will have the power and speed to cause a serious threat to opposition defences.

If nothing else Davies will provide Caldwell the option of going direct when the patient building up of play has failed to produce the desired results. Fit and at his best he is a force to be reckoned with.

Only time will tell if Caldwell’s signing of Davies was one of desperation, or of inspiration.

Latics’ legs go as Bury take advantage

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Match reactions and tagged with , , , , , ,
Jordan Flores showed glimpses of genuine class on his debut in the starting lineup.

Jordan Flores showed glimpses of genuine class in his debut in the starting lineup.

“In the first half and at the start of the second half I think we played with the intensity that I know we can, we kept the ball well and gave it to our attacking players in the right areas. We got in their faces and made it very competitive throughout the first half, and came out with even more intensity in the second. “

Gary Caldwell was right about that. Some two thirds of the way through the match the Latics had started to flag. The early intensity and running off the ball had dissipated and it came as no real surprise when Leon Clarke headed his first goal from a left wing cross in the 63rd minute. Neither was Clarke’s second goal in the 89th minute as Bury had continued to threaten.

Caldwell fielded a 4-3-3 formation, akin to those of the Uwe Rosler era. Kevin McNaughton started at right back, with Leon Barnett partnering Craig Morgan in the centre of defence and Reece James on the left. Max Power, David Perkins and Jordan Flores made up the midfield, with Will Grigg at centre forward, Sanmi Odelusi on the right wing and Michael Jacobs on the left.

Wigan looked lively in the first half, with Jacobs marauding inside from the left, willing to take on defenders. However, the most clear cut chance came in the 33rd minute when Flores went on a long run from the half way line, rounding goalkeeper Walton in the six yard box before the keeper recovered to parry his shot. There was lots of running off the ball, with the players full of effort and commitment, but not surprisingly the players appeared to lack that telepathy which guides the final pass.

One wonders if Caldwell had told his players to make a point of running at the Bury defence as Jacobs did that straight from the kick off in the second half. He was upended in the box and Grigg hit home the penalty. It will do the centre forward a world of good, getting off the mark. He had been lively throughout and was soon to pull the ball back for Odelusi who spooned over the bar with the goal gaping.

Bury had by no means played badly by that stage. They were well organised and had played some good football. As the game moved on they looked so much more physically stronger than Wigan. Following Clarke’s first goal Latics had a throw in on the left hand side, at the half way line. There were four players close to the ball but not one made a run to receive it. The result was a short throw being made and Latics losing the ball. So many players had seemed to run out of steam with one third of the game still left.

Caldwell brought on Ryan Jennings after 70 minutes to replace the ineffective Odelusi. Grigg went off 8 minutes later for Craig Davies to enter. But neither substitution was to breathe further life into Wigan’s play. The substitution of Billy Mckay for Flores in the second minute of time added on seemed pointless, but somehow reminiscent of the treatment the Northern Ireland international received from Malky Mackay.

But there were positives for Wigan. Perkins shone, once again being the standout player. At 33 years of age he seemed to have the legs that his younger teammates lacked, covering acres of ground, solid in defence and with good distribution. Jacobs looks a good signing, with his willingness to take defenders on and to shoot. He has pace and determination. There were signs that Grigg and Jacobs will make a formidable pairing up front as their understanding of each other’s games improves. Both have skill has commitment and have enjoyed previous successes in League 1. McNaughton looked like an accomplished player throughout and will surely stake a claim for a regular starting berth. James performed well on the other flank.

Flores had a starting debut to remember, showing silky touches of genuine class, including that superb run on goal in the first half. Like any young player still learning the game, there were times when he switched off and made mistakes and by the end of the game he looked exhausted. Caldwell will have to decide how to develop the 19 year old further, whether to carefully nurture him within the club or to send him out on loan where he will get more game time. At any rate, Latics have got a player for the future in the Wigan lad who has a Spanish father and English mother.

It will be interesting to see if Caldwell sticks with 4-3-3 for the Doncaster match on Sunday. The centre of defence looked vulnerable to high balls in the second half and it led to two goals. Against teams with big, physically imposing forwards he might well opt for a line of three central defenders, including the powerful Donervon Daniels, who was on the bench last night. Moreover the return of Jason Pearce will surely strengthen the centre of defence. If Caldwell opts for three at the back it is to be hoped that he will play a 3-5-2 formation, rather than a 3-5-1-1 which leaves the centre forward isolated.

A home defeat to a team just promoted from League 2 can hardly be looked upon as a success. But few fans will bemoan an exit from a League Cup competition that adds extra games to a season that is already long and arduous.

Fans can accept last night’s result to some degree, knowing that Caldwell’s new team is a work in progress and the players need more game time together to develop that mutual understanding which enables good team play.

What is hard to accept or understand is why Bury looked so much fitter than Latics. The conspiracy theorists might say that Caldwell was not really interested in the League Cup and the players’ performances in the final third of the game reflected that. But the more likely explanation is that the visitors were simply physically fitter than Wigan.

Last year’s start of the season was marred by a disastrous pre-season programme that left the players largely unfit. Changes were clearly made this year, but the players still do not look fully fit. At the final pre-season match at Blackburn, Caldwell surprisingly made eight substitutions. Of the starting eleven at Coventry only three – Morgan, Perkins and Power – played the full 90 minutes at Blackburn.

The fitness issue at the beginning of the season goes back to Owen Coyle’s days. One can only hope that the people in charge of the physical preparation of the players at the club are getting it right this time around.

The Doncaster game will provide not only a glimpse into whether the players are starting to meld together as a team, but also whether they can match their opponents physically.

 

 

 

A Sheffield Wednesday fan’s view of Chris Kirkland

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Fan Views and tagged with , ,

kirkland

Reports suggest that Chris Kirkland is close to rejoining Wigan Athletic. The 34 year old goalkeeper joined Latics in 2006 and made 122 appearances before signing for Sheffield Wednesday in summer 2012.

Kirkland’s performances during his time at Wigan are well known to Latics fans, but how has he been doing since then?

In order to find out about Kirkland’s performances at Wednesday we reached out to Chris Morris, editor of the Owls-Mad fan site.

Here’s over to Chris:

Due to his injury problems there were a few doubts when Chris Kirkland signed for Wednesday in the summer of 2012 but any fears were found to be misplaced as the former England stopper was the standout performer in the Owls first season back in the Championship.

Last season saw Kirkland lose his place to Keiren Westwood – no disgrace in that given that Westwood was voted into the PFA team of the year last season.

Wednesday have been fortunate to have been blessed with top quality keepers over the past few years and although he may be past his best no-one would begrudge Kirkland the opportunity to be a number 1 again and he still has plenty to offer.