Category Archives: Match Reports

Bournemouth 1 Wigan Athletic 0 – the end of the Honeymoon Period

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Match Reports, Other and tagged with , ,
Scott Carson was Wigan's best player in a disappointing performance.

Scott Carson was Wigan’s best player in a disappointing team performance.

The honeymoon period for Owen Coyle and the FA Cup winners came to an end at Dean Court.

Latics were brought back to reality as a nervy, but resolute, Bournemouth team proved strong opposition. A succession of errors by Wigan handed the initiative to the home side who took full advantage of a weak performance from referee Graham Scott.

Wigan had brought back Jean Beausejour in place of James McClean on the left wing. Shaun Maloney was to operate in central midfield together with James McCarthy, James McArthur and Ben Watson. By packing his midfield Coyle had to sacrifice width, the result being that Latics rarely looked dangerous in open play in the first half.

The game opened with an error from Wigan in the first minute. McArthur’s slack pass allowed the home side to set up a clear chance for Lewis Grabban but Scott Carson blocked his shot. Latics had to work hard to contain a lively home team but it looked like they were heading to half time with a clean sheet. That was not to be as James Perch lost his concentration and sent a back pass directly to Grabban who took his goal well.

Wigan started the second half with another major error as Beausejour’s clumsy challenge on Brett Pitman resulted in a penalty.  The same player was to see his penalty kick saved by Carson diving to his left. Beausejour was substituted after 56 minutes, together with McArthur. The result was a much more attacking shape for Latics as Coyle brought on wingers Callum McManaman and James McClean.

However, three minutes later McManaman was sent off after the Bournemouth players, staff and crowd put pressure on the referee. In a match where a number of rough challenges had been ignored by the referee, he nevertheless decided that McManaman’s tackle on Pitman merited a straight red card.It hardly looked even a foul.

Ten man Wigan took the game to Bournemouth but could not find a way through. The nearest was a header from Leon Barnett cleared off the line.

The Good

Scott Carson kept Latics in the game with a series of fine saves, including a penalty stop. The big Cumbrian looks like a bargain signing.

It was good to see Coyle throw caution to the wind when he switched to an attacking 4-3-3 formation with McManaman and McClean on the wings, Grant Holt leading the attack and Maloney in an advanced midfield role. It is an option that he may well choose to employ during the course of the season.

The Bad

In their eight years in the Premier League Latics suffered a host of bad refereeing decisions. When they faced the top clubs it was almost an expectation that they would receive no favours from the referee.

This is less likely to be the case in the more egalitarian Championship. However, referees are going to be influenced by the crowd and the pressure of home players. This was certainly the case in this match where the referee and his team made some poor decisions to Bournemouth’s benefit.

Latics’ midfield disappointed: they were unable to provide the central strikers with clear chances for goal and they did not get in the area enough to trouble the Cherries defence. Too often the final pass was a hopeful centre. Moreover the lack of width stifled Wigan’s play.

Although it would be easy to blame the referee for Latics’ woes it was their own errors that handed the initiative to the Cherries.

Player ratings

Scott Carson: 8 – showed his experience and technique with his shot-stopping. His distribution still needs improvement, his long punts being easily dealt with by the opposing defence.

Emmerson Boyce: 6 – solid in defence.

Leon Barnett: 7 – continues to play well. Made a number of timely interceptions.

James Perch: 5 – strangely off-key, not only with the back pass that led Bournemouth’s goal.

Stephen Crainey: 5 – worked hard defensively, but his passing needs a lot of improvement.

Ben Watson: 5 – worked hard, but to no avail. His long diagonal passes continue to go astray.

James McCarthy: 5 – disappointing. Still adjusting to his more attacking role.

James McArthur: 5 – not at his sharpest. Taken off after 56 minutes.

Shaun Maloney: 5 – busy as always, but not at his best. Did not produce the kinds of incisive passes that are his trademark.

Grant Holt: 6 – worked hard as always and showed his skill with some nice passes in the first half. Substituted after 65 minutes.

Jean Beausejour: 5 – out of sorts and careless in giving away the penalty. Taken off after 56 minutes.

Substitutes

Callum McManaman: – is the so called “horror tackle” of last season going to haunt him and influence referees against him? Let’s hope that referees will give him a fair crack of the whip this season.

James McClean: – petulant and ineffective.

Marc-Antoine Fortune: – came on after 61 minutes for Holt.  He too was to be starved of decent service from the midfield.

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Manchester United 2 Wigan Athletic 0 – Latics go down

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

James Perch was unlucky in deflecting Van Persie’s shot into his own goal.

Two goals from Robin Van Persie – a spectacular header after 6 minutes and a lucky deflection in the 59th minute – were enough to give United victory.

Scott Carson in the Wigan goal had no chance with either goal. Despite the bad start Wigan gradually clawed themselves back into the game and Scott Carson was underemployed most of the match, apart from a fine save from a Welbeck shot as half time approached.

Wigan started the game with six new players on the field, including James McClean who joined them in midweek. In contrast United fielded only one new face, that of Wilfried Zaha.

Dave Whelan had pronounced in the week that it was a game for Wigan players to enjoy, without the pressure of having to fight for league points. Maybe that would explain the distinct lack of competitive edge from Wigan in the first 20 minutes as United were allowed to caress the ball round in midfield without physical challenges coming in.

If Roberto Martinez were still manager he would have been enraged by the way Wigan defenders wasted the ball with hopeful long punts which were meat and drink for the Reds defence.

However, as the second half wore on Wigan started to pass the ball around from the back, denying United possession and looking a much better team. Had McClean shown a cool head when put through by a long ball from Stephen Crainey, Wigan could have equalised. However, instead of pushing the ball back to Grant Holt who could have slid the ball in, he shot from the narrowest of angles and it went wide.

A few minutes later Emmerson Boyce had a good opportunity from a free kick, but he headed across the box when a direct header on goal would have produced better results.

Grant Holt and Nemandja Vidic were involved in a series of physical tussles, with the big Serb not coming out on top. It was revealing to see him apparently appealing to referee Mark Clattenberg as the teams were going off for half time.

Wigan started the second half quite well but the deflection off James Perch from Van Persie’s shot left them an uphill task. Owen Coyle wisely made a raft of substititions in the final half hour, saving key players for the more important immediate task of a league match next weekend.

Dave Whelan’s quote that he saw it as “a show game, a bit of a friendly game” was reflected in the tempo of play. There was a real pre-season feel to the match and Wigan really did not too seem too worried about the score.

The Good

Up until the second goal Wigan were in with a chance of leveling the match. After the initial United onslaught they held firm and did not fall apart in the way that they have too often done in the past against the Manchester team.

With so many new players in the lineup it is going to take time for the team to gel. However, the defence looked firm and when they built up moves from the back Latics looked a much better team.

The Bad

Wigan were awful in the first 20 minutes. You simply cannot allow a team of the quality of United so much possession of the ball.

Three out of the back four are new to the team and are adjusting to the concept of passing the ball out of defence, rather than playing a long ball. The goalkeeper Scott Carson was also guilty of kicking too many long balls, when he could have passed to a defender in space.

Player ratings

Scott Carson: 6 – could not be faulted for either goal. Needs to work on his distribution

Emmerson Boyce: 5 – not at his best. Patrice Evra gave him problems in the second half.

Leon Barnett: 8- excellent throughout. Made a memorable sliding clearance from a dangerous low cross from Evra in the second half.

James Perch: 7.5 – so unlucky with the deflection for the second goal. Otherwise played well.

Stephen Crainey: 6 – very involved with a lot of touches on the ball. Needs to work on his distribution.

Ben Watson: 5 – worked hard to stem the flow of United attacks, but not at his best. Substituted after 71 minutes.

James McCarthy: 5 – not at his best. Substituted after 86 minutes.

James McArthur: 5 – together with Watson and McCarthy could not wrestle the midfield out of United’s grasp. Substituted after 60 minutes.

Shaun Maloney: 5 – worked hard to no avail. Substituted after 71 minutes.

Grant Holt: 6 – gave Vidic a torrid time, but had no opportunities for goals. Substituted after 60 minutes.

James McClean: 6 – fast and skillful, but lacking in judgment, not only when clear through on goal. Substituted after 60 minutes.

Substitutes:

After 60 minutes – Chris McCann, Callum McManaman, Marc-Antoine Fortune.

After 71 minutes – Roger Espinoiza, Jordi Gomez.

After 86 minutes – Nouha Dicko.

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Post Match Reaction: Barnsley 0 Wigan Athletic 4 – Coyle’s revolution takes a firm step forward

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

Barnsleyactionpic

 Owen Coyle’s revolution at Wigan Athletic took a firm step forward on Saturday with a rousing win at Barnsley. Not only was the result impressive, but Latics did it in such a style that it will send shockwaves to all teams in the Championship who consider themselves promotion contenders.

In a short amount of time Coyle has built on the style of play that was developed over a period of four years by his predecessor, Roberto Martinez. That silky approach is still very visible, but this Latics side can also mix its possession football  with a directness that adds an extra dimension to their play.

Latics lineup was a mixture of the old and the new, with five new signings starting. In contrast to the Martinez era only one of them was a player without links with the British Isles, that being Chilean winger Jean Beausejour.

The switch from Martinez’s tactical system based on a central defensive trio and wingbacks into a fluid 4-3-3 system has been smoothly implemented. Ben Watson played in front of the back four, giving James McArthur and James McCarthy the licence to push further forward.

Jean Beausejour – used as a wingback by Martinez – was able to play  a more attacking role on the left wing, not having to worry so much losing the ball and his defence being stretched as a result. Grant Holt is going to get a lot of goals from his sublime crosses this season.

Although best employed in a creative central midfield role, in the  hole behind the centre forward, Shaun Maloney can also operate wide on the right or left.

Latics latest signing, Leon Barnett, came out with flying colours after only joining the club in midweek and not having had a real pre-season under his belt. Barnett is another shrewd signing by Coyle, not only having Premier League experience, but having played the three Championship winning sides at West Bromwich, Norwich and Cardiff. To put the icing on the cake he was to score the third goal.

With quality target men like Grant Holt and Marc-Antoine Fortune to aim at, Latics are able to play the long ball forward when needed.  However, given the large number of matches ahead Coyle will surely continue to look towards acquiring a third central striker for his squad.

Looking at the starting lineups and the players on the bench for each team it was clear that Latics were going to be technically way ahead of Barnsley, who have struggled against relegation for the past couple of seasons.  The question was whether Wigan were able to put in the hard graft to withstand a physical Barnsley barrage.

One of the major criticisms of Martinez’s Latics teams over the years was that they were not always up for the physical side of the game. This game showed that Coyle has put together a squad that can battle and “get stuck in” when the going gets tough.

Both  James Perch and Leon Barnett in the centre of defence are strong tacklers, capable of ‘mixing it’ with opposing forwards. The starting midfield trio of Watson, McArthur and McCarthy are formidable at this level , not to mention Chris McCann, Roger Espinoza and Jordi Gomez who were on the bench. The highly promising Fraser Fyvie also awaits his opportunity in midfield.

Barnsley have another difficult season ahead. There will be much stronger opposition for Wigan to face, with a plethora of games to play over the course of the season.

However, it is not just the emphatic scoreline that will give Latics fans optimism for what is to come. More importantly, new players have already started to gel with those from last year’s squad . Moreover Wigan showed in this match that they have the necessary tenacity to blend with their technical ability. It is a mixture of the two that is needed to get out of a tough Championship division.

Owen Coyle’s revolution still has a long way to go, but it has already taken one further step forward.

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Columbus Crew 1 Wigan Athletic 2 – a solid start for Coyle’s team

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

Crew Stadium

Wigan Athletic got their pre-season match preparations underway with a 2-1 win in Columbus, Ohio. Latics looked in control from the start. After a pedestrian first half in which neither side looked like scoring, Wigan were  2-0 in front when a deflected goal got the home team back in the game after  73 minutes.

Crew put forward their first choice lineup with the intention of withdrawing them after the hour mark, which they eventually did.

Wigan brought in Academy product, Adam Buxton, to make his debut at right back. Emmerson Boyce and James Perch occupied the centre of defence with Stephen Crainey on the left. Ben Watson was employed in front of the back four, James McArthur in front of Buxton on the right. Jordi Gomez and Chris McCann played in central midfield with Grant Holt as target man and Jean Beausejour wide on the left.

Roger Espinoza and James McCarthy came on after half time and after a minute a fine cross from the Honduran allowed McCarthy the luxury of a headed goal. Two more substitutes combined for Latics second goal after 63 minutes with Fraser Fyvie slipping through a fine pass which was clinically put away by Marc Antoine Fortune.

Following their goal Crew started to get back in the game and Scott Carson had to make a great save in the closing minutes to stop them scoring following a defensive error.

The Good

Wigan made good use of the ball and the midfield was in control for most of the match. It was revealing to see how the style of football resembled that of last season, give or take the occasional hoof upfield by one of the newcomers. The system had changed, with a flat back four.

In the first half they played with  a crowded midfield with only Grant Holt and Beausejour pushed forwards. But after 63 minutes it reverted to 4-3-3 with Nouha Dicko moving to the right wing with Callum McManaman on the left.

Although protected by the midfield to a large degree the centre back pairing of Boyce and Perch looked solid.

The Bad

Latics had five newcomers in their starting lineup and it is going to take time for them to gel. Grant Holt looked isolated up front and it will be a challenge for him to get used to the slower build-ups like we had in this match.

The current squad is unbalanced. There is a surplus of quality midfield players , but a dearth of defenders and forwards. Owen Coyle has done a remarkable job in the transfer market but there is still work to be done.

With Gary Caldwell and Ivan Ramis out if action for some time still, the centre of defence is in need of another experienced practioner. Although centre back is probably James Perch’s best position, Emmerson Boyce is best employed at right back, where his attacking skill can make the difference.

With the surfeit of central midfield players James McArthur was pushed to right midfield in the first half then right back in the second. Maybe his fine performance as a wing back in the FA Cup Final was a factor in Coyle playing him out of position, but McArthur is a quality central midfield player, who is likely to excel in the Championship.

Coyle has two centre forwards in Holt and Fortune, but there is a need for another wide player to compete with McManaman and Beausejour.

Player Ratings

Scott Carson: – unemployed most of the match but saved the result in the closing minutes.

Adam Buxton: – did not look out of place. A promising debut. Taken off at half time.

Emmerson Boyce: – looked comfortable throughout. A key figure in the push for promotion.

James Perch: – a very good debut, his anticipation and tackling were excellent.

Stephen Crainey: – solid and reliable.

Ben Watson: – looked good in that familiar role in front of the back four. Went off after 63 minutes.

Jordi Gomez: – put through some cultured passes. Went off after 63 minutes.

Chris McCann: – looks a cultured player, but needs time to gel with teammates.

James McArthur: – showed his versatility, but deserves a place in central midfield.

Grant Holt: – a lone figure without support. Went off at half time.

Jean Beausejour: – looked lively. Went off after 63 minutes.

Substitutes

James McCarthy: – came on after half time and scored a minute later. Destined for a big money move.

Roger Espinoza: – came on after half time. Well known in Columbus for his exploits with Ohio State University. As lively and energetic as always and put in a good cross for the first goal.

Marc Antoine Fortune: – came on after half time for Holt. Looked comfortable in the lone centre forward role and took his goal well.

Fraser Fyvie: – on after 63 minutes. Looks class.  Nice pass for second goal. Why did he not play last season?

Callum McManaman: on after 63 minutes. Let’s hope Dave Whelan’s reputed £15 million price tag on him will deter his former manager from taking him away to Everton.

Nouha Dicko: – on after 63 minutes. Looked dangerous. Will this be his season?

Shaun Maloney: – on after 75 minutes. Apparently had a slight injury that prevented him starting. Championship defences will have trouble with this fellow.

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An entertaining goodbye

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

Boycegoal

Wigan Athletic said goodbye to the Premier League through an entertaining 2-2 draw with Aston Villa. Latics’ display had the hallmarks of what we have seen so often this season – bouts of champagne football interspersed with mediocre defending.

The £24 miliion Darren Bent had opened the scoring in the 5th minute, breezing past Paul Scharner before shooting in off the post. Wigan equalized in the 20th minute through a superb header from Emmerson Boyce from an excellent cross by Roger Espinoza. They went in leading at half time following an unlucky own goal by Nathan Baker.

Wigan had recalled Ali Al Habsi in goal. Roman Golobart replaced Antolin Alcaraz, with Ben Watson starting in place of Callum McManaman. The big Paraguayan was missed in a central defence that did not convince. Tactically Wigan played a mélange of what we have seen in recent weeks, with Watson flitting between midfield and centre of defence  and James McArthur playing on the right of midfield.

Aston Villa were unrecognisable from the shaky team we had seen at Villa Park in December when Latics had beaten them 3-0. This team played an attacking game with three forwards and showed no mean level of skill in the process. It did not come as a complete surprise when Ron Vlaar’s hooked shot somehow found its way past Ali Al Habsi after 60 minutes.

Driven on by Shaun Maloney’s creativity, Wigan came close on several occasions in the second half, including a superb volley from James McArthur that hit the crossbar in the 79th minute. But in the end a draw was a fair result.

The Good

Wigan played some excellent football and were unlucky not to have scored more goals. One hopes that they will continue to play this brand of football against rugged Championship teams next year.

It was heartening to see Ali Al Habsi much more dominant in his area. The  Omani has had a difficult season and it is going to take him a while to regain his confidence fully. This was a step in the right direction.

At last Fraser Fyvie was given his Premier League debut, coming on after 69 minutes for Ben Watson. The 20 year old Scot could prove to be a key player next year. The exciting young wing back Eduard Campabadal also made a debut, substituting for Emmerson Boyce in the closing minutes.

It was surprising to see Angelo Henriquez brought on as a subsititute in preference to the more senior Franco Di Santo. One wonders if Wigan are looking at a permanent deal for the young Chilean, currently on loan from Manchester United.

Jordan Mustoe and Daniel Redmond were also on a youthful-looking bench,

The Bad

Once again injuries forced Martinez into fielding  a new central defensive partnership – this time it was Paul Scharner and Roman Golobart. Not surprisingly there was a lack of cohesion between the two.

The centre of defence has been a real problem for Latics this season. The long term hip problem of  Gary Caldwell has had a major impact. Brave as he is – he recently stated that he had not been able to train properly for 6 months  – Caldwell still started in 25 games, but was a shadow of that dominant captain who would marshall the defence. The loss of the excellent Ivan Ramis in January, on top of the long term injury at the time of Antolin Alcaraz, was another blow to Latics’ defensive cohesion.

Injuries apart, it is the centre of defence that has been the weak point of all Roberto Martinez’ teams at Wigan. Ideally there would be an established duo – or trio depending on tactical preferences – in central defence that would develop a mutual understanding through playing together on a regular basis. There is a need for both height and pace in the middle. Is there also a need for a defensive coach?

Player Ratings

Ali Al Habsi: 6 – returning back to form.

Emmerson Boyce: 8 – excellent throughout. Took his goal superbly and almost scored another in the second half.

Roman Golobart: 6 – a  work in progress.

Paul Scharner: 6 – had some good moments, but some bad ones too.

Roger Espinoza: 7 – starting to look comfortable in the Beausejour role. As always, full of energy and put in some great crosses.

Ben Watson: 7 – growing in that midfield anchor/central defence shielding role. Substituted after 69 minutes.

James McArthur: 7 – worked hard. Never ceases to surprise with the quality of his efforts on goal. He has scored some crackers for Latics in the past and his sublime volley 10 minutes from the end could have won the game for his team.

James McCarthy: 7.5 – played a little further forward. He is a class act and will almost certainly be snapped up by a big club this summer. A transfer fee in excess of £15 million would not be unreasonable for  a player with  all round ability and a good temperament.

Shaun Maloney: 8 – a typical performance,  full of running and guile. Deservedly voted ‘Player of the Season’.

Jordi Gomez: 6 – ineffective playing wide on the right. Substituted after 69 minutes.

Arouna Kone: 6 – finishing not sharp enough.

Substitutes

Fraser Fyvie: – came on for Watson after 69 minutes. Has the ability to become a top player.

Angelo Henriquez: on for Gomez after 69 minutes for a rare appearance.

Eduard Campabadal – made his debut after 88 minutes. Could make a major impact next year.

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