Category Archives: Match reactions

An Amigo View – Wigan Athletic 0 Shrewsbury Town 0 – five talking points

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

“It was a tough game but we knew it was going to be just that because they’re a good side. They’re very well set up, very strong and have got some good players…..It was two teams today who were having a real good go at each other. After our win on Saturday I knew people would be expecting more goals, but neither side don’t concede many so chances were always going to be at a premium. When our chances did come today we couldn’t take them but that’s football and I’ve got no problem with that.”

Paul Cook was his usual generous self in praising Shrewsbury’s performance yesterday. Shrews manager, Paul Hurst, was also magnanimous in praising Latics:

“We’re defying the odds and coming to places like Wigan, who were keen to give us some hiding. I say that because we’re one of a few teams to have beaten them, and they wanted to score four or five against us and really send us home packing, so I’m delighted that didn’t happen. I keep saying it and nothing will change my mind…we’ve seen the team that’ll be the champions at the end of the season. They’ve got some very good players, but I thought we had spells in the game as well”

Let’s take a look at some talking points arising from the match:

The high pressing was not so evident from Latics

Given the above comments from Hurst, one can understand him adopting a cautious approach. But Cook too was cautious in his game plan.

A major feature in Wigan’s best performances has been pressing high in the opposition half. The opposing defence has been disrupted, with them less able to build up moves from the back. Moreover, it has directly led to Wigan goals.

However, Cook was being cautious yesterday in holding his men back, fearful of a Shrewsbury counterattack.

The foul count

The actual foul count gave a strange reflection on the game. It showed Latics committing 11 fouls and Shrewsbury 10.

But Shrewsbury certainly came to shut down the creativity from Wigan’s midfield and will be delighted at coming away with a point. Their low-level fouling was constant throughout the game, with Nick Powell, receiving  a heavy dose of it, especially in the first half.  The referee was either unable or unwilling to stop the constant niggling by the away side.

Can Shrewsbury keep it going?

It has been remarkable how Paul Hurst has built a highly competitive side, largely from journeymen and players who have plied their trade in the lower divisions and non-league. Other than their excellent 20 year old goalkeeper, Dean Henderson, on loan from Manchester United there is no one who stands out. But they play the calm, defensive type of game that typified Burton Albion’s promotion-winning team of a couple of years ago.

With reference to Shrewsbury, Cook commented after the match that: “I don’t see them fading away, they’ll go all the way to the wire.”

Like Cook at Wigan, Hurst has a group of players who he relies upon week in, week out. In fact, both clubs have 7 players who have played in at least 20 of the 23 league games this season.

However, injuries could well rear their ugly heads over the next couple of weeks for both teams, with so many games packed into a short period. It is then that the overall strength of the squads would become more of a factor.

Wigan’s squad surely has more strength in depth than that of the Shrews. Whether Shrewsbury can keep challenging at the top of the table will most likely revolve around issues of injuries and depth of squad.

The best home attendance of the season

Yesterday’s attendance of 11,211 was the best of the season at the DW Stadium. It brought Wigan’s average attendance up to 9,106. It is the sixth highest average in League 1.

When Latics won League 1 in 2015-16 their average attendance was 9,467 but was swelled by the figure of 18,730 who attended the last game of the season against Barnsley.

Expect changes for Charlton

With a third game in six days coming up for Latics on Friday night, plus another one the following Monday, we can expect some changes for the Charlton encounter. Callum Elder, Max Power and Ryan Colclough will certainly be pressing for a place, although the latter was notably absent from yesterday’s squad.

 

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An Amigo View – AFC Wimbledon 0 Wigan Athletic 4 – five talking points

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

 

In summer Erik Samuelson, Chief Executive of AFC Wimbledon, wrote to fans asking them to donate money to boost the wage bill and help keep their club in League 1. Around the same time Wigan Athletic were courting Chinese investors interested in taking over the club. With an injection of serious cash maybe Latics could even get back to the Premier League.

The match highlighted the difference between the wage bills of the two sides. The Dons, a club owned by supporters, rose six tiers in the English football pyramid to reach League 1 last season. To finish in mid-table was an accomplishment, given their resources. But yesterday’s defeat saw them plummet to 23rd place, with Wigan Athletic continuing to head the table. Understandably there was a big gulf between the standard of football the teams played, the home team’s long ball approach so often finding the heads of Wigan’s tall central defenders.

The first half saw Latics play their usual brand of football, which could be termed “stylish” for League 1. They created chances, but could not put them away, as the home team played with spirit, employing their uncomplicated brand of football. Moreover, on a tight pitch, with the crowd so close to the play, it was by no means easy for the away side.

The beginning of the second half saw an increase in tempo, with three Wimbledon players and Nick Powell being booked within the first ten minutes. It was becoming very competitive, but Latics were to go ahead in the 57th minute through Michael Jacobs. The home team continued to play with spirit but were rocked on 69 minutes when Harry Forrester was sent off after receiving his second yellow card. Latics went on to dominate with Nick Powell and Max Power scoring with blistering drives and Ivan Toney getting another in the closing minutes.

In the end, the 4-0 scoreline flattered Wigan, but they were the better team throughout. Any chance that Wimbledon had of winning the game had disappeared with Forrester’s dismissal.

Let’s take a look at some talking points:

Max’s goal

 

Max Power has never been a prolific scorer. Prior to joining Latics he scored 12 goals in 99 starts and 10 substitute appearances in league football for Tranmere. But in the 2015-16 season he scored 6 for Gary Caldwell’s League 1 title winning side, in addition to coming close to being voted “Player of the Season”. Until yesterday his last goal had been scored at Swindon in March 2016. After a wait of 72 games it was no wonder he celebrated his goal. He has now scored 7 goals in 91 league starts and 10 substitute appearances for Latics.

Power has played in a variety of positions over the past three seasons, but largely as a central midfielder. This season he has not been able to command a regular place in that position due to the form of Lee Evans and Sam Morsy. Evans has a career record of 11 league goals in 109 appearances and 26 appearances off the bench. Morsy has scored 15 goals in the league from 200 starts and 34 substitute appearances.

Massey closer to good form

Although only Gavin Massey is only 25 years old he has a career record of 198 starts in the lower two tiers of the EFL. Last season he made 36 league appearances for Leyton Orient, scoring 8 goals for a club which was to suffer relegation from the EFL. Massey is by no means a dynamic winger, but has genuine pace and a real work ethic on the pitch. Earlier in the season he was an essential cog in Paul Cook’s system of play. Over recent weeks his form had waned, and he lost his place to Ryan Colclough. With Colclough unavailable yesterday, Massey came back into the starting lineup, coming close to a goal in the early stages and setting up the first one for Michael Jacobs.

Massey and Colclough have different attributes. Colclough has a superior career record as a goalscorer, but has lacked consistency and has never commanded a regular place at Wigan since Caldwell signed him from Crewe in January 2016. He remains a work in progress, but he is still only 22.

There is a tendency among a minority of Latics supporters to jeer their own players. Gavin Massey does not deserve such treatment. He is a committed professional, a team player and has been an integral part of Wigan’s fine start to the season. Moreover, with more experience in a team that is high flying at the top of the division, he can continue to develop his game.

In Massey and Colclough, Cook has good options for the right wing position. It would not be a surprise if he were to seek someone in the transfer window to challenge Michael Jacobs for his place on the other wing.

The outstanding Burn

Yesterday’s game was meat and drink for Dan Burn and he must have loved it. I lost count of the number of long balls that he headed away. Given the tendency of players in League 1 to launch long balls a player with Burn’s aerial ability is of paramount importance to Wigan’s promotion push. But Burn has been much more than just a heading machine. His positional play and tackling has been excellent. Burn keeps it simple: when under pressure he clears his lines, with no ceremony.

When Burn first arrived at the club he struggled to cope with Caldwell’s insistence of playing out from the back. Moreover, his more uncomfortable moments this season have been when he has been challenged by smaller, speedy forwards. But Burn showed last year that he is good enough to be a successful central defender in the Championship division, but could he eventually make the transition to the Premier League?

For the moment, Dan Burn is probably the key player in Cook’s lineup. Is there another central defender in the division who can match him?

The chasing pack

There are those who argue that League 1 is weaker this season than it was a couple of seasons ago when Latics were there. Such an argument is purely academic and is hard to substantiate. What we can see at this stage is that, despite their outstanding record in the season so far, Latics are being pursued by a pack of teams. A comparison with the table around this time of year two years ago shows that the pack of this season is overperforming:

However, in 2015-16 three of the top six were to fall out of contention for promotion by time the playoffs started in May 2016.

Will the same happen this season?

AFC Wimbledon’s future

Although the football played by clubs bearing the name of Wimbledon has not always been aesthetically pleasing, one can only admire the huge achievements of the current club. Formed in 2002 their ascent to League 1 has been stunning, particularly given their lack of financial clout. Their projected move to Plough Lane, near the home of their previous encarnation, is something special. In the era of “Moneyball Football” it is refreshing to see a club that is community run show such a sense of ambition. One can only wish them well in their efforts.

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An Amigo View – Rotherham United 1 Wigan Athletic 3 – five talking points

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

 

It was my first visit to the New York Stadium and it proved to be an enjoyable one as a high-energy display by Wigan Athletic saw them overcome the home team. The ground was built in New York Island, so called because of a foundry there that used to export iron and steel to “The Big Apple”.  Although it its capacity is only 12,021 it is a pleasant venue for football.

In talking to Latics supporters before the game, Dan Burn’s absence through suspension was high on the agenda. Rotherham had the division’s leading scorer in the 6 ft 5 in centre forward Kieffer Moore. Replacing Burn in the line-up was the 5 ft 11 in Alex Bruce. Moore’s aerial presence was surely going to be a threat, but the general consensus was that Wigan would still win.

So, it turned out to be. Latics had gone into the game with a determined approach and it was no surprise when they were rewarded with goal after 14 minutes. Will Grigg does not score many headers, but he took this one well, evading his marker from Lee Evans’ free kick to glance the ball home. A couple of minutes later Moore rose unchallenged and flicked a header into the path of the skilful David Ball who took his chance with clinical precision. Latics got back ahead in the 28th minute through Alex Bruce’s invention. A clash between Moore and Dunkley saw both leave the field, with the former coming straight back, but Dunkley going off for some time for repairs. Lee Evans filled in at centre back until the big centre back returned. Moore’s physical approach continued to upset Latics, his flailing arms drawing complaints towards the referee. It had become a physical contest, with an element of needle.

Wigan continued in their dynamic, attacking vein as the second half unfurled. Rotherham’s tactics were based on the long ball approach. However, Dunkley’s challenge left Moore writhing in apparent agony, with the home crowd baying for a red card. Dunkley survived it, getting a yellow, but Moore was to prove a diminished force. On the hour mark Rotherham centre back Michael Ihiekwe was dispossessed by Grigg, who looked certain to score, but home keeper Marek Rodak did well to push the ball away, but not so well when Michael Jacobs’ shot passed by him a couple of seconds later.

In the end it was a result well earned by Latics. They had played the better football throughout.

Let’s take a look at some talking points:

A different blend in midfield

Paul Cook continued with his experiment of playing Max Power in place of Nick Powell. It worked well. Power is by no means a direct replacement for Powell, but he linked up really well with Lee Evans and Sam Morsy, the trio dominating the centre of midfield. Since his return to the starting line-up, Power has demonstrated why he was such a key player in Gary Caldwell’s title winning team in 2015-16.

A mixed day for Dunkley

Chey Dunkley remains a rough diamond, needing a little more polish to become a top player. However, he has shown that he can learn from his experiences. He was the obvious choice to keep a close eye on Kieffer Moore. But nobody challenged Moore when he flicked the header that led to David Ball’s goal.

Dunkley is nothing, if not resilient. He reappeared after at least ten minutes off the pitch due to the injury he had picked up in an aerial challenge with Moore. From then on he seemed determined to win his battle with the big man. Moreover, he looked threatening on attack, coming close to scoring.

A weaker referee might have sent Dunkley off for his second half challenge on Moore, but it was not a red card offence. Dunkley had a fine second half.

A positive return for Bruce

Alex Bruce is 33 and is still playing despite an Achilles injury that threatened his career. Although he does not have the pace he used to have, his reading of the game makes him a very useful performer at League 1 level. If Leonel Messi had scored a goal like the one of Bruce it would have made the headlines. Bruce showed great touch and imagination with his goal, not something expected from a centre back. He was also a solid presence in defence.

Despite his extensive experience in higher divisions, Bruce has had to bide his time. He stood in capably when Chey Dunkley was suspended in September, but had not appeared in a league game since.

It is an indication of the strength of Wigan’s squad that players of Bruce’s quality can step in when injuries and suspensions come into play.

Stand up if you love Latics

There is certainly a contrast between the vocal support Latics receive home and away. At the DW the crowd can often be muted, sometimes outshouted by opposition fans. However, away from home the reverse is true.

As a phenomenon it is not peculiar to Wigan Athletic. Other clubs have similar outcomes. But the noise that the visiting support made at the New York Stadium on Saturday surely spurred their team on.

It makes one wonder if the players actually prefer playing away where their support seems so much more vocal than at the DW.

As an away supporter one is confined to one end of a stadium, where it is difficult to follow the play at the other extreme. But it is heartening to be surrounded by like-minded people whose passion for the club is commendable.

What can be frustrating for the more senior supporters is having to stand in an all seater stadium. “Stand up if you love Wigan/Latics” is a rousing chant, but….

Food outside

The New York Stadium is not in a scenic area, but it has a pleasant atmosphere. Before kick-off the club was selling food and drink from within the stadium, but to fans who were still outside. There was not a hint of trouble.

The Amex Stadium in Brighton is another which offers something different. Home supporters can enjoy food and drink after the game in their main stand and people can stay for an hour or two after the game chewing the cud.

Food for thought maybe?

 
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An Amigo View – Wigan Athletic 3 Doncaster Rovers 0 – five talking points

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

Last night we saw a Wigan Athletic team keen to put Saturday’s reverse against Bradford behind them. They went at Doncaster from the get-go and were rewarded with a flattering scoreline in their favour. There were several people on the pitch last night seemingly wanting to stand out. Among them were Ryan Colclough and referee Carl Boyeson.

Colclough’s two goals and his rapid departure to the hospital after 60 minutes of the game will be a tale told by Latics fans over future generations. It was such a good story it even made giant American newspapers, USA Today and the Washington Post. From where I was sitting in the Boston Stand it was hard to figure out why the player had left the field of play so early. Indeed some fans were clearly irritated to see him being pulled out of the action when he had just scored his second goal and was up for a hat trick. But it turned out to be a happy ending for both player and club.

Paul Cook had made four changes, bringing in Colclough, Lee Evans, Reece James and Will Grigg.  In the absence of Nick Powell, Max Power started in the number 10 position, but as the match progressed the lines became blurred regarding the positions of players in advanced midfield.

Just before the referee blew his whistle to start the game a spectator sitting close to us offered his view on why Latics had lost to Bradford. His view was that, like other teams Wigan have recently faced, Bradford had figured out the way Latics play and had learned how to deal with it. There may be some credence in that, but I put Saturday’s defeat down to a “soft” goal in the 92nd minute.

Wigan’s plan to compensate for the absence of orchestrator Powell seemed to be working to some degree as they showed urgency and threatened the Doncaster goal. But they looked edgy and gaps were opening up in the home defence that we were not seeing earlier in the season. In the event Latics had Doncaster centre forward john Marquis to thank for missing a sitter with the home defence all at sea. Wigan were to go into the dressing room at half time ahead thanks to a crisp strike from Michael Jacobs which took a deflection on its way home, with another deflection helping Colclough to notch a second.

Perhaps the most noticeable figure on the pitch in that first half was referee Boyeson.  From the start he had drawn our attention through an over-officious approach, allied with some poorly judged decisions. At the beginning of the second half both teams had been lined up for the kickoff for several minutes before the refereeing team made its entrance on the pitch, accompanied by jeers from the crowd. Boyeson continued to annoy the paying spectators for the remainder of the match.

A brave header by Colclough made it three, the win putting Latics within one point of leaders Shrewsbury who lost 1-0 at bottom club Bury.

Let’s take a look at some talking points arising from the game.

Will Cook’s centre forwards ever score many goals?

Will Grigg looked a forlorn figure last night, his body language hardly suggesting he was going to score. So often he was having to deal with high balls launched in his general direction, with corpulent opposition defenders seemingly being given carte blanche to use their arms to keep   him shackled. Despite Grigg’s frequent appeals the referee continued to allow it to continue. But, opposition fouling withstanding, is Grigg the kind of centre forward to thrive on Cook’s style of play?

Cook employs the flanks to great effect, full backs and wingers being expected to combine and produce crosses into the box. It happened again last night, some crosses being wayward, others posing danger to the opposition goal. But Grigg was mostly a lonely figure trying to latch on to them. Heading is not the player’s strength anyhow.  Grigg feeds on incisive low passes, his movement making him a real threat to opposing defences. He got few of those last night.

Ivan Toney might not so often make the intelligent movements of Grigg, but he can certainly head the ball. But he too has looked out of touch, shackled by rugged central defenders. One of the main criticisms of Toney is that he goes to ground too easily. There is an element of truth there but so often, like Grigg, he has been outwrestled by big centre halves. Not only Boyeson, but League 1 referees in general, permit excessive use of the arms by defenders. Both Toney and Grigg have been on a hiding to nothing, making them look worse players than they are.

Up to this point Grigg and Toney have scored 7 goals between them in 18 league matches. The chance of either reaching the 20 mark by the end of the season seems remote at this stage.

Reece James should be offered a new contract

James came back last night in his first league appearance since late September. He once again showed what a good player he is. James has been kept out of the team by the fine form of Callum Elder, on loan from Leicester City. With the diminutive Nathan Byrne at right back, the 6 ft tall Elder has added height to the defence as well as being an excellent attacking full back at League 1 level. However, of the two James is arguably stronger defensively and his crossing is at least as good as Elder’s, if not better. Cook will count himself fortunate to have such talent at hand for the left back position.

James was recruited from Manchester United by Gary Caldwell in the summer of 2015, on a three year contract. Like Elder he has had his ups and downs with injuries. But assuming that James is now fully recovered from a long term foot injury, Latics would do well to tie him into a new contract.

Can Colclough become a regular starter?

Ryan Colclough had his first league start yesterday under Paul Cook. The 22 year old only made two starts for Latics last season. He made 7 starts in the 2015-16 season after being signed by Gary Caldwell in January 2016.

In fact Colclough has a career record of 58 starts and 49 appearances off the bench for Wigan, MK Dons and Crewe Alexandra.  Will he ever become a regular starter under Cook?

Colclough’s goals came at the time of the arrival of his second child, not an easy time to focus upon claiming a regular place in the team. But he is a talented player, having already scored 5 goals in all competitions, despite limited game time.

Can Cook get the best out of him?

Is there room for Evans, Morsy and Power?

Lee Evans was excellent last night, strong in defence and distribution. He has been a key player in a successful season so far.

Evans was signed on loan from Wolves in summer when it looked like Max Power was leaving. The Welshman’s suspension for a red card at Scunthorpe gave Power the chance to get back into the starting lineup, which he did successfully. With Sam Morsy seemingly being an automatic choice, Cook made the decision to include all three last night.

Should Powell be fit to play on Saturday, Cook will face a difficult decision to make.

Jack Byrne to be back?

Byrne is a gifted footballer, naturally suited to that number 10 role behind the centre forward. The 21 year old was signed by Warren Joyce from Manchester City in January 2017 on a three year contract. However, Byrne received scant favour from the manager, making just two substitute appearances over four months. Rumours suggested that there were issues with both temperament and fitness. Byrne was to receive no favours from Cook either, the new manager sending to train with the youth team before dispatching him off to Oldham Athletic on loan until January.

However, the 21 year old Dubliner has enjoyed a highly successful loan stint at Boundary Park up to this point. He has been an inspiration behind a team that was struggling in the relegation zone, but has now climbed up to 16th place. Byrne has made 17 starts, scoring 5 goals with 3 assists. In terms of fitness, Byrne has completed the full 90-minutes-plus in the majority of games he has played and when he has been substituted it has typically been in the closing minutes.

Cook has already hinted that there will be some additions to the Latics squad in January. Assuming Byrne continues to impress at Oldham a recall looks probable. Byrne is certainly a young talent, potentially capable of not only impressing in League 1, but in higher divisions.

 

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An Amigo View – Wigan Athletic 1 Bradford City 2 – talking points

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

 

“We can’t really complain about the result. We were second best for the majority of the game and we would have taken a point in the end with the way the game was going.  We didn’t look threatening enough, we weren’t at the races and we go punished” said Max Power after the game.

For the neutral fan it was a terrific advertisement for League 1 football, with both sides trying to win the game, neither resorting to long ball or cynical tactics. Only 12 fouls were committed in the whole game, with just one yellow card, possession divided almost equally between the two sides. It had looked like ending up a draw until the 92nd minute when Jamie Jones could only parry Tyrell Robinson’s powerful , swerving long distance shot into the net.

Bradford City had come to the DW Stadium on the back of a 1-0 home defeat to bottom club, Plymouth. Latics had been undefeated in their last seven league games. A Latics win was clearly the expectation of the home supporters, but Bradford had shown from the get-go that they wanted to win all three points. Their football was good to watch, with lots of movement and a willingness to thrust players forward. Other than occasional renderings of the current favourite “Blue White  Army” from a section of the East Stand, the home support was strangely muted, with the noise of the 3,000 Bradford fans dominating.

The combination of Tony McMahon and Alex Gilliead on the visitors’ right flank posed problems for Callum Elder and Dan Burn from the start, as Wigan found it hard to get into the game. Centre forward Charlie Wyke put away a chance after 14 minutes, with Wigan’s defence all at sea. It was cancelled out by a Chey Dunkley header ten minutes later. The home team’s chances for winning the match was to take a hammer blow when a distressed Nick Powell limped off with a hamstring injury on the half hour mark. Gary Roberts made an immediate impact in his place, making a couple of fine passes, but his effect was to diminish as the game wore on.

Let’s look at some points arising from the game.

The substitutions

Powell’s replacement by Roberts was to be expected. The substitution of David Perkins for Gavin Massey after 54 minutes was hardly so. Massey had struggled to impose himself on the game and at times seemed isolated as Nathan Byrne held back on moving forward. But the substitution was made earlier in the second half than we have come to expect from Paul Cook. Was Massey injured or was it a tactical switch? Ryan Colclough was the expected replacement, but David Perkins was brought in to play on the left flank, with Michael Jacobs moving to the right. Perkins’ presence certainly helped reduce the menace of McMahon and Gilliead, but Colclough would surely have offered more of an attacking threat.

But the strangest occurrence yesterday was the arrival of Will Grigg after 93 minutes. Ivan Toney had been struggling throughout the game and it had seemed only a matter of time until Grigg would replace him. But it was not to be. Toney stayed until the end and despite Grigg being seen warming up well before his final arrival, it was Michael Jacobs who he was to replace.

Let’s take a look at some talking points arising from the game.

The keyboard warriors are rearing their heads again

Any football manager is a potential target for abuse on the social media and message boards. Wigan Athletic managers are no different than any others in that respect. The social media offers the opportunity to state our opinions and, as such, can be a force for the good.

However, there is a dividing line between critical opinion and downright cynical abuse.

Football managers can be forgiven many things providing they get the results. Paul Cook had enjoyed  a reasonably easy ride until this weekend, when the desired result did not work out. The cancellation of the Rochdale game was frustrating for so many fans who were looking forward to a trip to Spotland. Cook shot himself in the foot with the fans by giving his senior players needed a break. Not only did he get the Rochdale game postponed, but he fielded a woefully inexperienced team in the Checkatrade Trophy against Accrington, at a time when at least half a dozen of his fringe  senior players needed a competitive game to keep up their match sharpness.

Cook might have made some unfortunate decisions in recent weeks, but Latics remain in second place in League 1 and have played the most positive football we have seen for years. He deserves support.

Powell’s injury

Even a half-fit Nick Powell can make a big difference for Latics at League 1 level. The player has not been at his sharpest in recent weeks, but has remained the main creative force within the team. Powell has left the field with hamstring niggles before and returned in upcoming games, but what we saw yesterday suggests it might be a more serious strain than some previous.

The jury remains out on Gary Roberts as Powell’s natural replacement. He certainly started well yesterday, but Roberts needs a run of several games in the starting eleven to be able to perform at his best.

Should Powell be out for some time, Cook will have to decide whether Roberts is up to being a regular starter in the “number 10” position. However, Michael Jacobs would be an obvious option. Although his pace on the flanks would be missed, he has the ability to make the number 10 position his own.

Ryan Colclough might also be considered. Colclough is not a natural winger, perhaps lacking the pace to go outside the full back, but he has considerable technical ability, packing a powerful shot. He is a player whose career has drifted since joining Latics and is in need of a kick-start. Playing him in the centre of the midfield three is an option worth looking at.

Walton is back in action

Christian Walton played for Brighton’s under-23 team at Stoke yesterday. He had been Latics’ first choice between the sticks until his leg injury in late August.  One can only speculate whether Walton would have punched away Robinson’s shot yesterday had he been there and not Jamie Jones.

Up until yesterday Jones had been the automatic first choice goalkeeper, showing the doubters that he was a capable, experienced player.

But how long he will retain his first team place, with Walton challenging him, remains to be seen.

 

 

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