Category Archives: Match Previews

Stoke City v Wigan Athletic: Bogey team again?

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

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There was a bad joke being bandied about last summer that Pep Guardiola might be going to Stoke – after all he had been talking about taking a year out of football. Joking apart, a match against Stoke should not be taken lightly. Despite their emphasis on physicality they do have players who can play good football. Moreover the crowd noise at the Brittania Stadium places them at the peak of the league’s decibel table.

Wigan Athletic go into this match with relegation breathing down their backs. Is it a good time to go to Stoke? The Potters have had a torrid time recently, with only one win in the last 8 league matches. However, they have lost only a single  home match this season, that one being largely influenced by Jon Walters’ two own goals and penalty miss in the 4-0 loss to Chelsea. The Potters are a level above Wigan in terms of financial outlay and their fans are getting increasingly frustrated at the lack of delivery of their more well paid players. Peter Crouch and Kenwyne Jones will compete for the centre forward position, alongside leading scorer Walters. Michael Owen scored a goal in the defeat at Swansea last week, after coming off the bench for the last 5 minutes. It was his fifth appearance as a substitute and he has not started a game all season.  Neither Charlie Adam nor Matthew Etherington have been regulars in the team this season. Stoke’s game is built on a physical, but capable defence. They have conceded 27 goals so far this season, compared with Wigan’s 43.  The giant Robert Huth forms a formidable centre of defence with Ryan Shawcross. Huth is 6ft 3in tall, but so are  full backs, Ryan Shotton and Geoff Cameron.

Wigan are likely to approach this match cautiously with a conservative starting lineup containing only one mainline striker, Franco Di Santo. If Stoke’s defence does have a weakness it is probably at full back, but Wigan lack a genuine winger to take advantage, both Ryo Miyaichi and Albert Crusat out with long-term injuries. Following a good display in the cup tie at Macclesfield, Callum McManaman might well be introduced at some stage, but Martinez is likely to start with Jordi Gomez and Shaun Maloney behind lone centre forward, Di Santo. Given the strong possibility of an aerial bombardment by Stoke, Martinez will be looking at having height in his defence. Emmerson Boyce, Gary Caldwell and Maynor Figueroa will most likely form the back three, with Ronnie Stam and Jean Beausejour at wing back. However, there remains an option of providing more height in defence by bringing in either Adrian Lopez or Roman Golobart at centre back, with Boyce at right wing back. The two Jimmy Macs will almost certainly anchor the centre of midfield, although Martinez may choose to deploy a  third holding midfielder  there – David Jones or Roger Espinoza – at the expense of Gomez.

Given the fixture list coming up, Wigan will be anxious to get at least a point out of this match. They are going to have to work hard physically if they are to keep Stoke at bay. At the same time, they will also want to stay free of red cards or further injuries, given the key game against Southampton coming up on Saturday. Let’s hope Roberto Martinez surprises us and puts forward a well balanced lineup, resisting the temptation to pass the initiative to Stoke by playing with only one mainline striker.

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Macclesfield vs. Wigan Athletic: Morale boost needed from young guns

Posted by Ned in Match Previews, News, Other and tagged with , , ,

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While it is likely the XI to face Macclesfield will be comprised largely by fringe players, the need for an injection of belief and positivity is as great as it has been since this time last year.

Many supporters were rightly optimistic going into the season, but a myriad of circumstances has conspired to see Latics slump into the all-too familiar bottom three this January. The common thread has been poor defending — no surprise given the unprecedented number of injuries to senior defenders in recent times. If any of the senior players start tomorrow, they are likely to be defenders, and a clean sheet should be a big priority.

Elsewhere, Angelo Henriquez will likely feature following his debut league goal against Sunderland last weekend. Mauro Boselli has a very good cup record and should partner him, although Callum McManaman will be pushing them for a starting berth. David Jones, Fraser Fyvie and Roger Espinoza will be favourites in midfield — the latter, so energetic against Sunderland, will benefit from the minutes as he adapts to Roberto Martinez’s tactical setup.

New loan signing Joel Robles is also likely to make an appearance. Of the club’s loan signings, he looks the most likely to potentially sign on full-time if his time loan stint is a success. The Spaniard immediately endeared himself to the Wigan faithful with a video in which he expressed his delight at the move. Latics’ supporters responded in kind with a barrage of welcoming tweets and a Welcome to Wigan YouTube video that you can see here. Big potential, by the looks of it.

The optimists among us will be hoping for the reappearance of Antolin Alcaraz — whose importance can only be measured by the defensive struggles his teammates have endured without him. His injury in the previous season also coincided with the team’s long losing run, while his return to form alongside Gary Caldwell and Maynor Figueroa was the foundation of their resurgence. Ryo Miyaichi, also injured for several months, would be a welcome sight as well.

Meanwhile, the transfer window rumours continue. Sources are rarely reliable at this time of year, but the most exciting possibility is certainly Aidan McGeady of Spartak Moscow. The Russian club has apparently rejected a loan, instead asking for something in the region of 5 million pounds. He would certainly add that little bit of pace and trickery that has been lacking. As excellent as he has been, Shaun Maloney can’t do it all.

More pressing is the need for a defender, with Craig Dawson, Danny Simpson, John Stones, Sebastian Coates and Ronald Zubar getting mentions in the papers. While none of them are established, experienced centre-backs, they all sound useful in their own ways — if a right back like Simpson, Stones or Zubar were to come in, it would allow Emmerson Boyce to drop into that centre-back role more permanently. It would also signal the end of the road for Ronnie Stam, whose defending continues to let him, and Emmerson Boyce who has to cover for him, down.

It is no coincidence that Latics have been historically poor in January. Not only does the congested festive period drain the thinner squads in the league, the transfer window is a huge distraction for players at a selling club. Ironically, the team’s poor results of late have helped keep the spotlight away from their major talents, so no one is likely to leave. Shaun Maloney, the team’s best performer, just signed a new contract and Martinez will be hoping others follow suit.

Wigan Athletic vs. Sunderland: Big opportunity

Posted by Ned in Match Previews, News, Other and tagged with , , ,

Despite Sunderland’s recent and rather convincing hammering of West Ham, Wigan must be looking at this fixture as a golden opportunity to put some space between themselves and the relegation zone.

The morning’s news that former Latics keeper Nigel Adkins has been inexplicably sacked down at Southampton has added an extra layer of intrigue to a tight-as-ever survival race. The Saints’ comeback against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge just the other day was simply stunning, but the owners have chosen another path. Adkins’ replacement will be the relatively inexperienced Mauricio Pochettino. The February 2nd fixture against Wigan will be his third in charge, following the visit of Everton and trip to Manchester United. Baptism of fire, then. On the surface, it appears Southampton have committed suicide.

Meanwhile, Sunderland are probably this season’s biggest under-achievers, expected to kick on under the guidance of Martin O’Neill and boosted by the attacking signings of Steven Fletcher and Adam Johnson. Instead, they’ve been poor, with apparent dips in form from important players such as Seb Larsson, Stephane Sessignon and James McLean in the first half of the season. All three looked sharp against West Ham, mind.

The reverse fixture at the Stadium of Light was cruelly decided by the extremely harsh sending off of Jordi Gomez. Prior to that, Latics had enjoyed the better chances with James McCarthy and Arouna Kone going particularly close. One would expect Martinez to plan for this match with attacking intentions.

The big question — once again — is whether Mauro Boselli will be given another chance following his stunning cup strike against Bouremouth with a league start. A repeat lineup featuring a packed midfield and Maloney as a second striker would be extremely conservative. Franco Di Santo showed again that while his poaching leaves a little to be desired, his ability to break from a deeper position is a good natural fit. To pair the Argentineans together would result in each playing in their natural position.

Of course, their success will depend heavily on service. Jean Beausejour will start, but there is a question mark over whether Emmerson Boyce will be allowed to continue his fine run of form in the right wingback position, or will be used as a centre-half to cover for the injured Ivan Ramis. If so, Ronnie Stam will get another opportunity.

Always a tricky fixture to predict, this is a massive opportunity for Wigan. Three points would not only put some distance between themselves and those in the relegation zone — it would bring Latics level with Southampton, heaping pressure on new manager Pochettino in the process. Sunderland are no mugs, however — last season’s corresponding fixture showed that a game can turn on a moment of brilliance, and they have several individuals capable of mustering just that.

Bournemouth v Wigan Athletic – Golobart ready to stake a claim

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

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On Tuesday a largely second-string Wigan Athletic side travels to Dean Court to play Bournemouth in a Third Round FA Cup replay. So what are the odds of Wigan pulling off a victory? Shouldn’t a team composed of Premier League squad players be expected to beat a team from League 1, given the gulf in quality between them? Judging by the 1-1 draw between the teams at the DW Stadium 10 days before, it appears this game could go either way.

The bookmakers, William Hill, currently offer 6/4 on a Wigan win and 9/5 on an opposition victory. They clearly see it as tight. Much will depend on the lineup that Roberto Martinez puts out and the Wigan players’ willingness to physically match a rejuvenated Bournemouth team that has gone 18 matches without defeat since manager Eddie Howe’s return in mid October.

Much has been said in of Wigan’s cup performances in the Martinez era. Last year they exited the FA Cup Third Round after being beaten by League 2 Swindon, much to the chagrin of their loyal supporters. This season their performances in the cup – in this case the League Cup – have been mixed, with excellent 4-1 wins at both Nottingham Forest and West Ham, followed by an abject defeat at home on penalties to Bradford City. However, the away wins were largely due to fine counterattacking and bode well for tomorrow’s cup fixture.

So what type of lineup will Wigan put forward tomorrow? The cruel injury to Ivan Ramis at Fulham on Saturday leaves Martinez in a quandary as to whether he should risk his first choice centre backs to bolster what would be an inexperienced central defensive line. It appears that Antolin Alcaraz is still not ready to return after injury, leaving only Gary Caldwell and Maynor Figueroa of the normal back three, unless Emmerson Boyce were to revert there. However, to play any one of the three would be a gamble with the important Sunderland match looming on Saturday.

Martinez has limited options available. Roman Golobart will be keen to show his quality. By most accounts Golobart played well in the previous encounter and Martinez has made it clear that the 20 year old Catalan is a prospect for a first team place in Ramis’ absence. This encounter could prove to be the acid test for him. Given the absence of experienced central defenders Martinez might well revert to a flat back four for this game.

Mike Pollitt might well start in goal, giving Ali Al Habsi a well-earned rest. Ronnie Stam will probably play at right back/wing back, but the left side position could be up for grabs. New signing Roger Espinoza and Fraser Fyvie are likely to feature in the centre of midfield and there are lots of possibilities for the front three positions. Mauro Boselli, inexplicably left out of the lineup at Fulham , will be set to line up at centre forward with Angelo Henriquez, Callum McManaman, Nouha Dicko and Daniel Redmond all pushing for places. Jordi Gomez tends to play in cup games and it would not be surprising to see him appear at some time during the game.

On paper Wigan have the quality to beat League 1 opposition. However, whatever side Wigan put out it is not going to be a team which has the mutual understanding developed between players who consistently play together. It remains to be seen whether Martinez is going to be willing to risk first choice defenders, given Wigan’s precarious position in the Premier League. But then again, playing an inexperienced defence against a team full of confidence and motivation could prove costly. However, the development of young players is a key driver in Wigan Athletic’s future plans. Roberto Martinez has not yet thrown his youngsters into the Premier League arena, being fearful of plunging them into a team that is stuggling. The cup competitions remain the main outlet and a good performance at Bournemouth could open doors for a young player. The opportunity is there to be taken. Roman Golbart in particular will surely take note.

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Fulham v Wigan Athletic: Moment of truth for Boselli?

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

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Tomorrow Wigan Athletic face Martin Jol’s Fulham side at Craven Cottage. The tight stadium, adjoining the Thames, has proved a difficult venue for Latics in the past, with the only win coming in 2006-2007, a goal from Henri Camara proving sufficient for a 1-0 scoreline. Last year, in the middle of Latics’ storming late run, they looked a little stale at Craven Cottage, but went ahead through a cracking shot by Emmerson Boyce. The Cottagers were to fight back and a soft goal in the last five minutes from Philippe Senderos won them the match.

Fulham have since lost key players in Moussa Dembele and Clint Dempsey, who went to Tottenham for big money. Their midfield general and talisman, Danny Murphy, was released at 35 years of age. Blackburn’s gain was Fulham’s loss. In Murphy’s absence they have readjusted their tactical system, bringing in a handful of new signings, some more well known than others. Their high profile signing was Dmitar Berbatov, now 31 years old, who has a formidable record against Wigan with 8 goals in 11 appearances against them. Since their arrival in the Premier League he has tormented Latics as much as any other player. One recalls his precise cross leading to Hugo Rodallega’s headed goal at the DW Stadium in September. That day Rodallega himself did not celebrate his goal in front of his previous fans. However, he is going to be enthusiastic to play against his former club and do further damage tomorrow.

The absence of Arouna Kone on African Nations Cup duty is a major blow for Wigan. The big question is who will replace him. The moment of truth must surely come soon for Mauro Boselli. Limited to a single league start after showing excellent form — and several goals — in the first two league cup ties, his time is surely now. His success relies heavily on the ability of the wingbacks to provide him with the right ammunition. Eighteen-year-old Angelo Henriquez, bright off the bench against Bournemouth, should not be expected to lead the line and like any other young player from a different continent, will take some time to adapt. Another option is Callum McManaman as a second striker, and there is always the possibility of an extra midfielder in the shape of David Jones or Jordi Gomez, a more conservative approach.

Fulham’s success over the past few years has been largely based on their home form, which has been outstanding. However, this season has seen a few cracks develop in the Craven Cottage fortress. They have already lost four Premier League matches at home, including their last to Swansea, after only drawing previously with Southampton. If there is a time for Latics to get a good result at Fulham then surely it must be tomorrow.

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