Category Archives: Match Reports

Whelan helps Latics back on track – Wigan Athletic 0 Nottingham Forest 0

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Match Reports and tagged with , , ,
Dave Whelan's backing of his manager can help Latics turn the corner.

Dave Whelan’s backing of his manager can help Latics turn the corner.

“I was looking for a response and a reaction and I think the players delivered that. I am also happy with the response from the supporters and the chairman. He came into the dressing room before the game and was very positive and reassuring to me and the players.” The words of Uwe Rosler following last night’s game.

The German was right – Latics looked a different team than they have been of late. Although the result places them 20th in the Championship table, the fighting spirit has returned which, in time, will propel them back up.

The match programme notes included a comment from Rosler “Wigan Athletic is a club that thrives in moments of adversity – we have shown it for years – so let’s all go and put a real Wigan Athletic performance in tonight, on and off the pitch. “ The performance showed that kind of spirit.

Rosler made four changes from the team that played at Bournemouth, switching to a 4-3-3 formation. William Kvist came into midfield to join Don Cowie and Emyr Huws, with Adam Forshaw on the bench. Callum McManaman, Andy Delort and James McClean were brought in upfront. Emmerson Boyce and Ivan Ramis played at centre back with Rob Kiernan omitted.

McManaman looked dangerous early on, giving Eric Lichaj a hard time. However, in the 11th minute a wild shot from the American found Michail Antonio in front of the goal, some four yards out, but somehow he blazed his shot high over the bar. However, Latics were to settle into their rhythm, their midfield dominating possession and there were some promising passing movements. However, the nearest Wigan came to scoring was a spectacular volley from James McClean which went over the bar.

Boyce went off injured during the half time break and was replaced by Leon Barnett. The second half continued in the same vein. Shaun Maloney replaced McManaman after 58 minutes. McClean’s energy and drive had added life to Wigan’s play and on the hour mark through his hard running and persistence he found a way through Forest’s well organised defence. However, the ball fell to his weaker right foot and he kicked the ball wide. It was to turn out to be the only clear-cut chance for Latics.

Rosler made an attacking move after 73 minutes, bringing on forward Oriel Riera for midfielder Cowie. Forest had started to look threatening. Britt Assombalonga forced Scott Carson to a good save and Henri Lansbury drove just wide in the final quarter of an hour.

Despite being a goalless draw, punctuated by 38 fouls (19 from each side), it had been an entertaining game. Either team could have won it. Both teams had two shots on target, Forest from 9 goal attempts. Latics from 13. Wigan had 56% of the possession.

The Good

The tale of Dave Whelan’s eventful visit to the dressing room in the early days of Paul Jewell’s reign is etched in the minds of Latics supporters. Jewell was going through a hard time as a young manager, dealing with too many players who were not supporting him. The story goes that Whelan let the players know in no uncertain terms that the manager was staying and that they could leave if they were not happy with that. It was to ultimately lead to Jewell taking Latics to the Premier League and the League Cup final.

Whelan’s intervention this time around might well have sent a similar message. The result was clear to see – a team putting in a real Wigan Athletic performance. Rosler will be buoyed by not only the chairman’s support, but by that of the crowd. The fans present last night gave the team great support and the chanting of Rosler’s name at the end will surely have lifted the manager’s spirits.

The midfield was a revelation in comparison with previous matches. Kvist was a rock in front of the back four and the unsung Cowie had his best game so far, with an all action display. Huws continues to impress. They provided the link between defence and attack that had been too often absent in recent games.

The protection from midfield surely helped the defence which looked solid. Boyce and Ramis were a solid pairing in the first half and Barnett’s forceful play added another dimension in the second. He surely deserves a regular place. The full backs looked comfortable.

McClean was a livewire throughout, bristling with commitment. His unique blend of raw energy and willingness to run at the opposition defence added an extra dimension to Wigan’s play. McManaman faded after a bright start. Delort battled hard and put in some nice touches, although he was once again starved of goal scoring opportunities.

The Bad

Despite their effort and good approach play Latics rarely troubled the Forest keeper. In the long run they will surely be depending on the likes of Forshaw and Maloney to provide the type of incisive passing that can unlock opposing defences.

Forshaw has still not reached peak fitness and stayed on the bench for this game. Sadly Maloney looked a shadow of his former self.

Latics continue to pose little threat from set pieces. It seems to be a lottery who takes the free kicks and corners.

Player Ratings

Scott Carson: 7 – solid and reliable. With more players forward his long kicks were more effective.

James Perch: 7 – solid and hard working.

Emmerson Boyce: 7 – solid until he went off injured after 45 minutes.

Ivan Ramis: 7.5 – excellent throughout.

Andrew Taylor: 7 – solid and hard working.

William Kvist: 7.5 – strong in the tackle and rarely wasted the ball. Conceded five fouls but drew three.

Don Cowie: 7.5 – his best game for Latics so far. Full of commitment and running.

Emyr Huws: 7 – faded at times, but at 19 years of age looks an outstanding prospect. Tough in the tackle with good distribution.

Callum McManaman: 6.5 – faded after a lively start. Went off after 58 minutes.

Andy Delort: 6.5 – full of effort and showed flashes of skill. Frustrating when committing unnecessary fouls. Gave away six in total with just one in his favour.

James McClean: 8 – surely his best performance in a Wigan shirt.

Substitutes:

Leon Barnett: 7 – full of power and authority in defence.

Shaun Maloney: – tried hard, but could not impose his mark on the game.

Oriel Riera: – came on after 73 minutes.

 


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Alarm bells sound for Latics – Bournemouth 2 Wigan Athletic 0

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

“Overall, I feel personally embarrassed to the chairman and to the supporters that we as a group can’t deliver better results at this time. We’re lacking confidence; we’re lacking Championship qualities in certain units of the pitch, in power, strength and confidence to move the ball quickly.”

The words of Uwe Rosler following a limp and lifeless performance. The alarm bells are now truly sounding for Latics. Despite having a squad that can match any in the division Wigan have won only two league games out of nine and lie only three points above the drop zone.

Once again Rosler surprised us with his team selection. Andrew Taylor was brought back to facilitate a move back to 3-5-2, with Emyr Huws replacing William Kvist in midfield. But it was the choice of Marc-Antoine Fortune and Martyn Waghorn as the two forwards that left fans perplexed. The names of neither McManaman nor McClean appeared on the teamsheet.

Bournemouth looked like the team that was going to win all the way through. What we saw from Latics was a continuation of the sterile football we have seen too often in recent weeks. There was minimal movement off the ball, with soulless possession football typically terminated by a long hoof. Once more goalkeeper Carson conceded possession to the opposition through his long punts to opposing defenders.Several times Carson was to find a nearby teammate from a goal kick, only for the ball to be passed back for him for to hoof it upfield. Was he acting under orders?

It was not a surprise when Bournemouth opened the scoring after 36 minutes when dangerous  winger Francis crossed for Kermorgant outmuscle Rob Kiernan to put the ball past Carson. Wigan went into the half time break looking like a team that did not have the desire or belief to get themselves back into the game. Was Rosler going to shake things up with a couple of half time substitutions?

The answer was to be no and Latics continued after the break in the same manner. Rosler finally made substitutions in the 66th minute, bringing on Leon Barnett for the injured Kiernan, with Oriel Riera replacing Waghorn. It was no surprise when Bournemouth got their second four minutes later, Francis finishing off a good move. Andy Delort came on for Ivan Ramis after 75 minutes, as Wigan played with three upfront. Delort had a good 30 yard free kick well saved near the end, but it was not to be Wigan’s day.

The Good

Barnett finally made it on to the pitch. Most fans would argue he should have been on from the start. Adam Forshaw got another 90 minutes under his belt.

The Bad

The social media and fan forums are teeming with rumours that there are divisions within the Latics camp. The name of McClean is prominent.

There is a general lack of confidence in the squad following a series of bad results, but the way the team played at Bournemouth suggests the problems are more deep-rooted.

Whatever the problems are, they need to be resolved soon. Thoughts of promotion are quickly drifting away.

Player Ratings

Carson – Boyce, Ramis, Kiernan – Perch, Cowie, Huws, Forshaw, Taylor – Waghorn, Fortune – all 4/10.

Substitutes: Barnett, Riera, Delort.

 

 

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Rosler gets it wrong as Latics bullied out of the game– Wigan Athletic 1 Ipswich 2

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Match Reports and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Rosler lost the tactical battle to McCarthy.

Rosler lost the tactical battle to McCarthy.

Latics played quite well in the opening minutes, then again in the last 15 minutes. For the rest of the time they were bullied out of the game by a typical Mick McCarthy team. McCarthy had clearly done his homework and got his tactics right. Uwe Rosler’s tactic of high pressing was thrown back in his face.

Rosler had us all guessing as to his formation when the starting lineup was announced. Adam Forshaw and Shaun Maloney came in for Emyr Huws and Andrew Taylor. That meant that Latics did not have a single left footed player in their team. It proved to be a 4-3-3 formation, with Emmerson Boyce at right back, with James Perch moving to the left. Ivan Ramis and Rob Kiernan were at centre back, with William Kvist, Don Cowie and Forshaw making up the midfield three. Callum McManaman lined up on the right wing, Shaun Maloney on the left, with Andy Delort at centre forward.

Latics were lively in the beginning, with McManaman looking dangerous. However, the visitors realized his danger and gave him heavy treatment. Ipswich were thrusting players forward, their high pressing forcing Latics into making errors and the home team defence looked vulnerable.

Ipswich scored on 20 minutes as a result of that pressing, with Latics losing possession for central midfielder Luke Hyam to convert an Tyrone Mings’ low cross from the left. A couple of minutes later centre back Christophe Berra clattered McManaman, somehow escaping with just a yellow card. It was not surprising when the young winger had to go off injured in the 36th minute, with James McClean coming on. Soon after the referee incurred the crowd’s wrath yet again when Maloney was brought down by Mings when he had a clear run on goal. Mings too avoided red, being given a yellow card.

Ipswich’s physical approach, aided and abetted by an over-tolerant referee, completely threw Latics off their game. When the home team went in for half time one wondered what Rosler could do to turn things around. Having already used a substitute in the first half his options were limited. In the event he sent the same lineup out in the second half, which continued in similar fashion, with Latics being constantly bullied off the ball. It came as no surprise when Ipswich scored their second after Conor Sammon’s shot ricocheted back to him for a tap in. Latics’ defence was all at sea.

Rosler brought on Oriel Riera for Maloney after 64 minutes, then Martyn Waghorn replaced Delort after 72 minutes. Gradually Latics got their way back into the game, at last taking the fight to the visitors. Forshaw had moved from the right to the centre of midfield, where he looked more effective. Cowie had moved to the right where he was looking lively, putting over some teasing crosses. As always McClean epitomized pure effort and hard running. He got his reward after 82 minutes when finding himself free in the area, his shot from 12 yards being diverted home by Waghorn’s knee. Wigan’s charge continued and Riera hit a powerful shot against the post in the closing minutes.

In the end it was not to be and Ipswich hung on for a win.

The Good

After being inept for most of the game Latics fought back in the final quarter. For once their legs had not gone and they took the game to Ipswich. If they can play with that kind of spirit they can get a result in the next match at Bournemouth.

The Bad

Rosler’s lineup was unbalanced from the start. Perch and Maloney, both right footers, could not make progress against the right hand side of the visitors’ defence. Every time they got the ball they too often passed it inside or back. Delort was out of his depth at centre forward, so Wigan depended on McManaman on the right. Rosler has already stated that McManaman needs protection from referees, but this official certainly did not provide it. Ipswich must have been relieved when he went off injured after 36 minutes.

The midfield had another new face in Forshaw and it showed. There seemed to be no cohesion between them and defence. Rather than play Maloney as the third midfield player, Rosler put him on the left wing where he was peripheral. For much of the first half Forshaw did not look on the same wavelength as his teammates, but the young player looked useful later in the game when he switched into the centre.

Delort had a game to forget, being totally shackled by the ruthless Berra and Chambers. Like Riera he is adjusting to life in the Championship. Rather than bring Delort in gradually, Rosler had brought him in against Blackburn, dropping Riera who had by no means been playing badly. After three successive starts for the Frenchman it could be that the tables will turn for the next match at Bournemouth and Riera will get the nod. He was unlucky with that late effort.

McCarthy’s tactic of pushing players forward upset Wigan’s defence who at times looked besieged. It was sad to see Boyce looking a pale shadow of what he was at right back. Rosler will have one of the toughest decisions to make in his time at Wigan, if he decides to leave the captain out of the starting eleven at Bournemouth. Kiernan too had a rocky time and one wonders how long he can continue to keep a player of Leon Barnett’s ability and experience out of the team.

Perch is clearly a player that Rosler rates highly, but playing him at left back stifles attacking moves that side. The natural left back, Taylor, was left on the bench. If Maloney is to be played wide on the left, Latics need a left footed full back behind him. This was not an ideal game for the Scot’s first league start of the season, being played wide on the left against a very physical defence. Maloney’s best position is in the centre of midfield, where Forshaw was to play later in the game.

Latics are going to meet more teams who will press like Ipswich and who are not averse to being over physical. Rosler needs to find an answer to such tactics. Playing with two central strikers is anathema for him, but it is worth considering.

Player Ratings

Scott Carson: 7 – unlucky for the second goal. Made some good saves.

Emmerson Boyce: 5 – soldiered on, but well away from his best. Does not look fit. Or are the years finally catching up with him?

Ivan Ramis: 6 – not at his best.

Rob Kiernan: 4.5 – a game to forget.

James Perch: 5 – cannot be faulted for effort, but offered limited attacking options.

Don Cowie: 6 – worked hard as always. Looked at his best in the final quarter of the match.

William Kvist: 6.5 – worked hard and kept his composure.

Adam Forshaw: 6 – struggled for the first 60 minutes, but looked useful in the closing stages.

Callum McManaman: – dangerous until he had to go off after 36 minutes,

Andy Delort: 4.5 – a game to forget.

Shaun Maloney: 5- ineffective on the left wing.

Substitutes:

James McClean: 6.5 – full of running and endeavour.

Oriel Riera: – a pity he could not have been brought on earlier. Looked lively.

Martyn Waghorn: – another goal to add to his tally.

Click here for the match highlights.

 

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Huddersfield Town 0 Wigan Athletic 0 – Latics get their first away point in scrappy game

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Match Reports and tagged with , , , , , , ,
A return to form for captain, Emmerson Boyce. Photo courtesy of the Huddersfield Examiner.

A return to form for captain, Emmerson Boyce.
Photo courtesy of the Huddersfield Examiner.

Latics claimed their first away point of the season, but were unable to convert their superior possession into goals. Many Latics fans will consider this an opportunity lost, that Huddersfield were there for the taking, with three points going begging. However, some will point to last season when a Huddersfield side no better than the current one, beat Rosler’s Latics by a single goal. A point away from home to any team in the Championship is not such a bad result.

Uwe Rosler shocked us all with his team selection, starting with the same eleven as at Blackburn.

Huddersfield were lively in the first ten minutes, Andrew Taylor blocking Danny Ward’s cross shot on the goal line and Scott Carson making a good save from the same player. But Latics then started to control possession, albeit without much penetration. Don Cowie and William Kvist were controlling the centre of midfield and the defence was looking sharp. Andy Delort had a rasping shot from distance saved well by Smithies. Then Callum McManaman collected a fine through ball from Cowie and rounded Smithies but a couple of defenders got back to block his shot. On the half hour mark McManaman went down for what looked like a penalty, but was instead rewarded with a yellow card from the referee for simulation.

Emyr Huws was looking lively in the more advanced midfield role and threatened the home team’s goal twice in the first couple of minutes of the second half. However, as one might have predicted Latics dropped back and Huddersfield started to show more attacking threat, mainly through half time substitute Sean Scannell. However, the back three of Emmerson Boyce, Ivan Ramis and Rob Kiernan were on their toes and managed to keep the home team at bay.

After 63 minutes Rosler took off Latics’ main goal threat McManaman and put on James McClean who had not played competitive football since May. Delort had a powerful drive go wide, but other than that Latics rarely looked dangerous. Their possession football just did not have any cutting edge and too often ended up in coming back for the defence to put a long ball forward.

James Tavernier came on for Taylor after 72 minutes, with James Perch moving to the left. Tavernier added some energy to the right of the attack and put over some quality crosses. Oriel Riera came on for Delort after 76 minutes and a few minutes later he came close with a volley from a Tavernier cross.

Huddersfield looked threatening in the closing minutes and Jonathan Stead almost squeezed a late winner past Carson. In the end a draw was probably a fair result in a scrappy game. Huddersfield had achieved their first clean sheet in 20 games.

The Good

The stats show that Latics largely controlled the game. They had 61% of the possession, with 15 shots (4 on target), compared with Huddersfield’s 9 shots (3 on target). The back three of Boyce, Ramis and Kiernan were excellent throughout. They were provided solid protection by Cowie and Kvist. Despite the knock he received against Blackburn, Huws was lively throughout. A pity his set pieces continue to be disappointing.

Although there was a lull in early stages of the second half Latics’ legs were much more willing this time around. They were able to keep going for the 90 minutes, if not playing a full pressing game of high intensity. It was a step forward.

Andy Delort worked hard up front and had four shots on goal, one forcing a fine save from Smithies. Delort has the style of a typical old fashioned bustling centre forward, with a powerful club of a right foot. Once he gets his first goal he will surely get plenty more. Riera came on for the last 15 minutes and went close with a volley. He is a more subtle kind of player and is continuing to adjust to the hurly burly of the Championship.

McManaman looked dangerous until he was taken off early in the second half. Huddersfield clearly considered him a threat and he was heavily marked.

The introduction of Tavernier for the last 20 minutes gave Latics more cutting edge on the right hand side. He is able to consistently deliver high quality crosses, something that his team mates are rarely able to do. In terms of his crosses and set piece deliveries Tavernier is reminiscent of Ryan Taylor. However, if Tavernier is to claim a regular place in the team he will have to work on the defensive side of his game. In an old 4-4-2 system he could have been effective in a right midfield position.

Apart from the McManaman incident, Latics had two other penalty claims, which were for hand ball, either of which could have been given. Such matters change the course of a match and Latics can consider themselves unlucky in that respect.

The Bad

Once again the lone centre forward was looking very isolated. The midfield players were just not giving enough support. James McArthur is being desperately missed in the build up from the back. Neither Cowie nor Kvist can be faulted for their effort and their defensive cover, but far too often they were passing the ball sideways or backwards. There is room for one such player, but having the two there led to Latics being too predictable.

Adam Forshaw could provide the key, but his ten minutes against Blackburn was his first competitive football since May. There was a development squad game against Preston on Monday, but the Liverpudlian did not appear, presumably because Rosler wanted him in the squad at Huddersfield. With no more development squad matches coming up for a couple of weeks, will Rosler risk him as a starter in the next league match against Ipswich?

At times Latics seem confused about their style of play. The possession football in this match was reminiscent of the Martinez days, but many bouts of possession ended in a final pass going back to the defence for a hoof forward.

One of the main criticisms of Owen Coyle’s reign was that there was no set style of play, too often resulting in giving the ball away through aimless long passes. It was particularly noticeable after the consistency – and maybe rigidity – of Martinez’s teams. Rosler’s current team seems to alternate between the two approaches. We are yet to see the high pressing, high tempo approach with rapid counterattacks that the German espouses.

Player Ratings

Scott Carson: 7 – confident in his handling. Distribution remains an issue. The high diagonal balls to the wings don’t seem to work.

James Perch: 6.5 – solid defensively.

Emmerson Boyce: 8 – back to his best. Made some key interventions.

Ivan Ramis: 8 – a class act.

Rob Kiernan: 8 – a much better performance than against Blackburn. More aggressive, with good use of the ball.

Andrew Taylor: 6.5 – worked hard up and down his flank. Substituted after 72 minutes.

William Kvist: 7 – provided good defensive cover and rarely wasted the ball.

Don Cowie: 6 – cannot be faulted for effort and shielded his defence. The final pass was too often disappointing.

Emyr Huws: 7 – growing into a fine player. Full of industry, with a great left foot. Needs to work on his set pieces.

Callum McManaman: 7 – heavily marked, but remained a threat. Substituted after 63 minutes.

Andy Delort: 7 – combative and brave. Managed to get in some powerful shots although heavily marked. Substituted after 76 minutes.

Substitutes:

James McClean: – energetic as always, but looked rusty.

James Tavernier: – added energy and threat to the opposition’s defence.

Oriel Riera: – being left out of the starting lineup in the last two games is not going to help his confidence. The best is yet to come.

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Blackburn 3 Wigan Athletic 1 – Opportunist goals stun unfit Latics

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Match Reports and tagged with , , , ,
Ramis2

Ivan Ramis was surprisingly given a penalty kick to take.

Playing a strong Blackburn side at Ewood Park was always going to be a tough match. It needed Latics not only to play with intensity, but to do so for 90 minutes. In the event they did so for 51 minutes, gaining the lead. But within a space of five minutes Blackburn got two opportunist goals that knocked the stuffing out of Wigan. A further well taken goal in the 81st minute for the home team did not come as a surprise.

Guessing Rosler’s starting lineup is never easy to do. He was to make two changes from the team that beat Birmingham. The inclusion of William Kvist, who had made two appearances for Denmark in the past 10 days, was quite logical. Adam Forshaw has not played for weeks, but took a place on the bench. Kvist moved into the midfield space vacated by James McArthur. Kvist and Don Cowie took the holding midfield roles, with Emyr Huws pushed further forward. The surprise was the inclusion of Andy Delort, with Oriel Riera left out on the bench.

In the first half, Latics’ high pressing was unsettling the home team and Wigan were looking comfortable. In the 39th minute Callum McManaman won a penalty at the expense of Alex Baptiste. But without regular penalty takers Gomez, Maloney or Watson in the team, who was going to take it? Surely it would be Delort, who had scored penalties for Tours? It turned out to be Ivan Ramis, who kicked it over the bar.

Despite the penalty miss Latics continued to cause problems for the Blackburn defence. James Perch skillfully set up Delort, who blasted wide. McManaman had a good effort saved. Then in the final minute of the first half McManaman put in a beautifully weighted cross but Emmerson Boyce somehow headed over the bar.

Latics started the second half positively. In the 51st minute Huws showed his silky skills, making a great run into the box before the ball fell for Perch to hit the net with a daisy cutter from outside the area. It was his first league goal for Latics.

But a couple of minutes later Ben Marshall latched on to a loose ball outside the box and hit a shot that bounced ahead of Carson’s dive. Two minutes later Jordan Rhodes headed a long free kick into the net via the ground, as he evaded Wigan’s three central defenders.

The two goals in such a short space of time clearly stunned Latics who were to lose their thread. The substitution of Kvist for Shaun Maloney after 63 minutes appeared an attacking move, but the midfield was to lose the dominance it had enjoyed earlier in the game. The high pressing that had been effective in the first half had disappeared and Latics could not raise their intensity. A telling sign was the return to the long hooves by goalkeeper Scott Carson, which achieved little.

Huws went off injured after 80 minutes to be substituted by Adam Forshaw, with Martyn Waghorn coming on for McManaman. Marshall scored his second goal a minute later, with another beautifully taken effort. In the last minute Andrew Taylor found himself inside the six yard box, but he skewed the ball wide.

The stats show that Blackburn had 15 shots and Latics 13. However, the home team had 8 of those on target and Latics only 2. Blackburn had 51% of the possession.

The result was decided on finishing. Ramis, Delort and Boyce all had clear cut chances to score in the first half, Taylor in the second. Perch scored an opportunist goal for Latics, but Blackburn opportunely scored three.

The Good

The intensity was there for 51 minutes and Latics looked good value for their lead. Delort somehow got through 90 minutes despite his lack of match practice. Kvist came in and looked comfortable on his debut. The Dane is clearly not a replacement for McArthur, his role being primarily defensive. However, he and Don Cowie managed to get a foothold in the centre of midfield during the first part of the match.

McManaman looked dangerous, winning a penalty in the process. A pity he did not receive more of the ball.

It was a game of what might have been. Had Latics taken their chances in the first half the result could have been sealed. They were good enough to beat Blackburn, but once they fell behind their confidence dipped.

The Bad

Not for the first time this season Latics looked lethargic in the second half. Fitness remains an issue within the squad as a whole, especially with the new signings coming in. Moreover there had been a development squad fixture in midweek that would have given Delort, Forshaw and Kvist some playing time, but they were not involved.

Delort is to be commended for completing the 90 minutes, but could hardly be expected to perform at his best after not playing for so many weeks. Putting him in there straight away and leaving Riera on the bench was puzzling.

Kvist had played international football recently, but went off after 63 minutes. Fraser Fyvie had more time on the pitch in pre-season than anybody else and has done well with the development squad, but continues to be left out in the cold. Once again there was no sign of Roger Espinoza.

Forshaw was given his debut in the closing minutes, but it is going to take some time before he gets match fit.

Playing the first half with intensity and not being able to maintain it in the second has been a common occurrence this season. Having played a consistent lineup over the past few games, it looked like some cohesion was developing. However, putting two new signings into the starting lineup was not going to help.

Missing the penalty probably did not help Ivan Ramis’ game, but Rosler’s explanation that the Spaniard impresses with the spot-kick in training hardly holds water. Both Delort and Riera took penalties for their clubs last season and are the obvious candidates.

With Blackburn having two big central strikers who are strong in the air they was always going to be a threat from crosses. However, Wigan’s two best headers of the ball from defence – Leon Barnett and Thomas Rogne – did not make the starting lineup. Moreover the back three of Boyce, Ramis and Kiernan seemed to lack cohesion. Boyce is well below his form of last season and Ramis did not look his usual composed self at times. Kiernan is a fine young prospect, but is still learning the game at this level. Barnett was an outstanding player for Latics last season until he suffered a hamstring injury at Ipswich. Since then he has not commanded a regular place. Rogne seems to have disappeared off the radar.

Player Ratings:

Scott Carson: 7 – made some good saves. A class goalkeeper, but too prone to making long hopeful punts upfield.

James Perch: 7 – looked lively, particularly in the first half. Scored an opportunist goal and made a good pass that Delort might have converted in the first half.

Emmerson Boyce: 5.5 – just not at his best.

Ivan Ramis: 6 – made a number of good interceptions and quality passes, but not at his best.

Rob Kiernan: 5.5 – not at his best.

Andrew Taylor: 5.5 – did not attack as much as usual due to the threat on the Blackburn right side. Scored a cracker against Birmingham but missed a much easier one in this match.

William Kvist: 6 – a decent debut from the Danish tackler. Substituted after 63 minutes.

Don Cowie: 6 – worked hard throughout the 90 minutes. Much of Cowie’s work is unheralded. He covers a lot of ground and is a real team player. Better in a defensive midfield role than going forward.

Emyr Huws: 6.5 – the most creative outlet, but like most young players he lacks consistency. Needs time. Went off injured after 80 minutes.

Callum McManaman: 8 – easily Latics’ best player. He would be even more dangerous if he could get more of the ball.

Andy Delort: 5.5 – gave his all, but it was not his day. Lacks match fitness.

Substitutes:

Shaun Maloney: – came on for Kvist after 63 minutes and played in the centre of midfield. What will his role be in Rosler’s system?

Martyn Waghorn: – unable to create an impression in the last 10 minutes other than receiving a yellow card.

Adam Forshaw: – made his debut in the last 10 minutes in right midfield. How long will it take him to get match fit?

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