Yeovil Preview – Goliath versus David

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

Over recent years Wigan Athletic have typically been cast as the underdog, but nevertheless capable of slaying the biggest of giants. A second successive FA Cup victory over that Goliath of English football, Manchester City, shows what Latics can continue to do when the odds are stacked against them.

However, in tonight’s encounter at the DW Stadium it is Latics who will be the giant Goliath, with little Yeovil playing the role of David.

Like Latics, Yeovil have come a long way over the years. In fact their path up the ladder has been somewhat slower. It took them 108 years to get into the Football League after being founded in 1895. However, they  got promoted to League 1 at the end of their second season  there. They finished fifth in their first season in League 1, but languished in the bottom half of the table for the next six years.

Under manager Gary Johnson Yeovil won the League One play-offs last season. Remarkably they did that on an average crowd of 4,071 and with a budget reputed to be less than £1m.

“We’re definitely going in as the underdogs, but we said that in League One let alone the Championship. We’ve got to embrace it as a club and we’ve got to be excited about it.” said Johnson in summer.

The odds are that Wigan Athletic will be too good for a Yeovil team which stands in 23rd place, three points away from Millwall, the nearest club above the drop zone. Figures have been bandied about the social media contrasting the vastly different budgets of Latics and Manchester City. It would be interesting to get a comparison between tonight’s two clubs. Underpinned by parachute payments Latics have a large squad of players who are relatively well paid for the Championship division. The combined salaries of a handful of those players probably exceeds that of the whole Yeovil squad.

However, Lady Luck has once more stricken Wigan Athletic with a series of injuries. The excellent Leon Barnett limped off at Ipswich on Saturday and could be out for weeks with his hamstring injury. However, Latics have adequate cover in central defensive positions and Thomas Rogne will probably step in. Ivan Ramis had another good game at the weekend, but Uwe Rosler will have to weigh up whether he wants to risk the Spaniard in his second game in three days. Emmerson Boyce and James Perch are due to be rested, but Rosler will not want to disrupt the understanding that has developed in a settled defence by making too many changes. However, his hand may be forced.

It is in midfield that injuries are hitting hardest with Ben Watson, Chris McCann and Roger Espinoza unavailable. The press reports that Rosler is about to sign Jack Collison on loan from West Ham.  Although still only 25 years old Collison has made over 100 appearances for the Hammers. Not only is Collison experienced but he can play in either wide or central midfield. It is understood that Collison’s contract is up at the end of the season and that West Ham will probably release him. The situation parallels that of Martyn Waghorn, signed under similar circumstances on loan from Leicester in January. It appears to be another shrewd move by the East German.

Callum McManaman and Nicky Maynard are due to return, forming two of the front three. Nick Powell is likely to join them some time during the match. Josh McEachran is due to return in midfield and Jean Beausejour at left back.

It is unusual for Wigan Athletic to be playing the role of Goliath in a league match. They will need to roll down their sleeves to carve out a victory against a Yeovil side that has nothing to lose. Nobody expects the Somerset team to come out with a result, but Latics will surely know how Yeovil feel as the underdogs.

It promises to be a fascinating encounter.

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Ipswich Town 1 Wigan Athletic 3 – Latics too good for Ipswich

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

McClean completes the first of his two goals.

Wigan Athletic notched their sixth successive away win with a convincing performance at Portman Road.  Latics were almost unrecognizable from the jaded side we saw in midweek against Sheffield Wednesday. This time they were full of energy and their pressing forced the home team into a series of errors.

Uwe Rosler resisted the opportunity to rest any of his defensive regulars – Leon Barnett, Emmerson Boyce and James Perch. Ivan Ramis came in at centre half with Boyce switching to right back and Perch to the left back position. Marc-Antoine Fortune replaced Nicky Maynard up front.

Ipswich were lively in the early stages and took the lead after 19 minutes when central defender Tommy Smith hooked in a loose ball into the right hand corner of the net following a melee in the penalty box. Their play had been typical of that of a Mick McCarthy side, with crosses raining into the Latics box.

Latics equalized within two minutes when James McClean latched on to a great cut back by Fortune to score an opportunist goal. The goal spurred Latics on and it was no surprise when they got their second in the 42nd minute. Jordi Gomez put in beautifully flighted free kick from the left, Ipswich keeper Gerken did not go for it and Barnett headed home.

At half time some Ipswich supporters opined that their team never does well against big physical sides like Wigan. There was some truth in their assertion in that Latics had more height in their team, but the reality was that after McClean’s goal Latics were winning almost all of the fifty-fifty challenges> Moreover Ipswich kept putting the ball in the air. Being an ex-Norwich player,  Barnett was subject to jeering from the crowd, but he and Ramis had started to gobble up the high balls and stifle the home team’s limited tactic.

Ipswich came out in the second half with fresh resolve, but Wigan’s experienced and very capable back four held firm.  Jordi Gomez was pulling the strings in midfield and Latics looked dangerous on counterattack. At one stage Martyn Waghorn broke through from midfield with two teammates in close support. A goal was on the cards, but Wigan were thwarted by a last ditch challenge by the classy Aaron Creswell.

Latics brought on Nick Powell for Martyn Waghorn after 63 minutes, the youngster occupying that same wide right position. Another Wigan goal was on the cards and it came in the 77th minute. Fortune had fought relentlessly against Ipswich’s robust defence and once again he broke free. Gomez had won the ball and released the French Guianian on the right. His superb low cross eluded the home defence to be hit home with glee by McClean.

Barnett had been taken off with a hamstring injury after 74 minutes with Rob Kiernan moving into his central defensive position. Stephen Crainey came on for McClean after 82 minutes in a left wingback position, with Perch moving to the right and Boyce joining Ramis and Kiernan in a central defensive trio.

The defence held firm and Latics got a well-deserved three points. They had been both technically and physically superior to the home side.

The Good

Midway through the second half when an Ipswich player got the ball in his own half close to the half way line. He was immediately surrounded by three Wigan players and ended up skewing his pass out of play for a Latics throw. It was an indication of the high pressing that Latics had been operating, making it difficult for the home side to get any coherency to their play. It is the hallmark of the Rosler era.

Following a shaky start the back four were excellent. Ramis and Boyce oozed class, with Barnett and Perch being their usual competitive, combative selves.

James McArthur played a valiant defensive role in midfield, partnered by Ryan Tunnicliffe who looked more comfortable than in midweek. The Ipswich supporters hold him in high regard from his time there in the first half of the season. It is going to take him some time to reach the levels of Chris McCann and Ben Watson, but this was a step forward for him.

Gomez has become a new player under Rosler, working as hard as ever, but now more and more resisting the back pass. Some of his passes did not quite come off, but many were made under pressure and were well intentioned.

Waghorn was a hive of industry as always and helped Boyce resist the treat of Cresswell and company on the Ipswich left. The enigmatic McClean was his usual positive self in terms of his running and commitment but this time he got into good scoring positions. His first goal was very well taken, with a right foot he rarely uses. He looked dangerous throughout.

The Bad

Rosler took a gamble playing his three regular defenders whose bodies must have taken a physical toll after so many games in recent weeks.  He clearly wanted to win this match against promotion rivals, but now is paying the price. It is not known at this stage how long Barnett’s injury will keep him out, but Rosler now faces having to disrupt his back four. Boyce, at 34 years of age, is clearly due a rest, as is Perch, so Rosler will face a dilemma for Tuesday’s game against Yeovil.

Player Ratings

Ali al-Habsi: 7 – did all that could be expected of him.

Emmerson Boyce: 7.5 – in a superb run of form.

Ivan Ramis: 8 – oozed quality.

Leon Barnett: 7.5 – superb in the air, solid no-frills in defence. Will be sorely missed in his recuperation from injury.

James Perch: 7.5 – moved across to the left, but this consummate team player did not let the team down. Very solid in defence.

James McArthur: 7 – did not find much space for his passing game, but his workrate and tackling was important.

Ryan Tunnicliffe: 6 – continues to adjust to the style of play.

Jordi Gomez: 8 – totally committed, commanded the midfield.

Martyn Waghorn: 6 – a team player who gives his all. His defensive contribution was crucial. An important cog in Rosler’s tactical system.

Marc-Antoine Fortune: 8 – a determined display by the central striker. Took on the physical challenge and made two assists.

James McClean: 8.5 – blossoming under Rosler. Fast, direct and physical he poses a threat to defences. His final ball continues to improve and in this match he showed the kind of finishing that can make him a top player.

Substitutes:

Nick Powell: – came on for Waghorn after 63 minutes. Not at his best in a wide right position, but will clearly have a major role in the coming weeks.

Rob Kiernan: – looked comfortable. Likely to be a regular fixture on the bench as he can play in defence or midfield.

Stephen Crainey: – came on after 80 minutes.

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Ipswich Preview

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

portmanroad2

Wigan Athletic travel to Portman Road tomorrow to play their third game in six days. They will face an Ipswich Town side currently sitting in 9th place, with ambitions of reaching the play-offs.

On Wednesday Latics scraped out a win against a physical Sheffield Wednesday outfit, courtesy of an 88th minute penalty. However, they have won their last seven matches.

Ipswich will be a tough nut to crack. They have a home record of W9 D4 L4 and under Latics’ old adversary Mick McCarthy they will pose a strong physical threat. He has former Wolves players Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Christophe Berra and Stephen Hunt in his squad. They will be out to avenge a 2-0 defeat at the DW Stadium in September.

The key Ipswich man to watch is full back, Aaron Creswell. The 24 year old Liverpudlian has two goals and a remarkable eleven assists in the 31 league games he has played this season. He has also had 28 shots on goal, a high figure for a full back. Not surprisingly there has been talk in the past of Latics trying to secure his services. Uwe Rosler will be keen to curb Cresswell’s attacks and will almost certainly place a winger on the left hand side to peg him back.

Latics have had good news this week with Gary Caldwell and Shaun Maloney each playing 45 minutes for the development squad. The bad news was that Chris McCann, a key figure in Uwe Rosler’s plans, will be out for the rest of the season with an injury to the knee cap. McCann was badly missed on Wednesday when Latics midfield could not maintain the quality of possession that one has come to expect. To lose the Irishman so soon after losing Ben Watson is a harsh blow for Rosler.

Rosler will look to field a well-balanced and competitive midfield at Ipswich. It will be interesting to see if he will field Ryan Tunnicliffe against the team for which he made 24 appearances in the first half of the season. Tunnicliffe struggled against Sheffield Wednesday, but he is clearly the type of player Rosler needs to replace Watson and McCann.

There remains the possibility of playing Jordi Gomez in a holding role, something he did at times under Roberto Martinez. Josh McEachran too is in contention, but like Gomez lacks the physical edge that Tunnicliffe might be able to provide. Roger Espinoza remains largely marginalized and Fraser Fyvie’s career has gone backwards this season. Rosler is going to need a midfield enforcer – someone who can help close down a match – and might well choose to employ Rob Kiernan in that role.

Both Markus Holgerrson and Thomas Rogne played for the development squad in midweek. One of them is likely to lineup in the centre of defence, given Rosler’s rotation policy. Emmerson Boyce is due for a rest and Ivan Ramis is likely to step in. Rosler might well revert to a system with three central defenders.

With the return of Nick Powell, Rosler now has a wide range of attacking options available to him. Up to this point he has managed to keep his forwards fresh through shrewd use of the rotation system.

Scott Carson made a successful return from injury at the Etihad and will challenge Ali Al-Habsi for a starting spot. Rosler has the luxury of being able to rotate two quality goalkeepers as he pleases.

Once again Latics will go up against a physical team keen to beat them. In order to match the Tractor Boys physically they are going to have to do a lot of running and much will depend on the ability of a patched-up midfield to give the forwards the service they need.

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Wigan Athletic 1 Sheffield Wednesday 0 – jaded Latics scrape out a win

Posted by JJ (Tony) in Match Reports, Other and tagged with , , , , , , , ,
Ali Al-Habsi was lucky not to receive a red card.

Ali Al-Habsi was lucky not to receive a red card.

Following the herculean performance at the Etihad on Sunday, a hung-over Latics team struggled to beat a team low on flair. Wigan scraped out a win in controversial circumstances, the winner coming in the 88th minute from a superbly executed Jordi Gomez penalty.

Latics lineup was close to what had been expected, but Uwe Rosler decided not to rest his trusted defenders James Perch and Emmerson Boyce. They lined up together with Leon Barnett and Jean Beausejour in a flat back four. Ryan Tunnicliffe took over Chris McCann’s normal position on the left of central midfield, with James McArthur in centre-right and Jordi Gomez playing the linkman role.  Martyn Waghorn and James McClean played wide up front with Nicky Maynard in the centre forward position.

The game started scrappily and Wigan struggled to get any coherency to their play. The visitors had clearly done their homework and used their own high pressing tactic to disrupt the build-up of Latics moves from the back. James McClean provided some much needed energy for lethargic Latics and got behind the big full back Buxton, only to squander a good opportunity to blazing the ball across the goal.

Wednesday were proving to be a hard nut to crack – a big physical team who had clearly come to claim at least a point. But their finishing left much to be desired and they rarely threatened Ali Al-Habsi until the 37th minute when they won a penalty.  Maghoma was put through by Best to be felled by the Omani as he went through on goal. It was a clear penalty and many of us in the crowd were expecting a red card for the goalkeeper. To the relief of the Latics faithful the big Omani was to receive only a yellow and made a great save from Leon Best’s penalty.

Latics perked up a little after the penalty save and the largely anonymous Tunnicliffe warmed goalkeeper Martinez’s hands with a shot from 25 yards. Then Boyce got in a downward header, but it was saved by ‘keeper Martinez.

Latics limped into half time, looking like they needed a new infusion of players to bring them to life. The movement that typifies Rosler’s style of football was hardly evident and changes were clearly needed. It was disconcerting to see Latics resort to using long balls in their frustration of not getting quality possession.

Those changes came in the 54th minute when Rosler brought on Callum McManaman for an ineffective Waghorn and Nick Powell for the tiring McArthur. This put some extra life into Latics play and Powell soon put McClean through on the left, but his disappointing cross went into Martinez’s hands. Apart from that there was a lack of quality in their build-up as Wednesday held firm. The visitors’ physical approach and the laxness of referee Andy Haines frustrated the home crowd.

Marc-Antoine Fortune replaced McClean after 72 minutes and his physical approach helped liven things up. Latics were now playing a 4-4-2 formation with McManaman and Powell playing wide and Fortune and Maynard in the middle. In the 79th minute one of the few moves of quality saw Fortune put McManaman through on the right with a clear run on goal. With a calmer head the winger might have scored but he blazed his low shot past the far post.

Latics continued to press and were rewarded with a hotly disputed penalty after Perch had gone down after Lavery’s challenge. Gomez put away the penalty and Latics somehow had salvaged three points.

The Good

Rosler acknowledged after the game that “Yes, we didn’t play our best and yes, we can definitely do better, but in terms of guts and belief I can’t really ask for any more from my players”.

It is the ability of Rosler’s sides to show that kind of resilience that makes Latics promotion hopefuls. The football was reminiscent of that of the dark days under Owen Coyle, but the usual style of play had broken down and Latics were left to take a more pragmatic approach.

The defence was strong throughout and limited Wednesday’s goal scoring opportunities to a minimum.

The Bad

Chris McCann was sorely missed and his replacement, Tunniicliffe, could not get to grips with the game. This led to the midfield being disjointed despite the usual hard work of McArthur and Gomez.

Rosler has lost the option of choosing his preferred midfield trio of Watson, McArthur and McCann.Moreover Roger Espinoza was not even on the bench.

Player Ratings

Ali Al-Habsi: 7 – lucky not to get sent off, but made a great penalty save and otherwise looked comfortable.

James Perch: 7 – once again his run from defence created a goal. He has added another dimension to his game. Solid as ever in defence.

Leon Barnett: 7 – superb in the air and formed a strong central defensive partnership with Boyce.

Emmerson Boyce: 7 – continues to perform consistently well.

Jean Beausejour: 7 – did not get forward as much as usual, but excellent in defence.

James McArthur: 6 – as busy and involved as ever. Taken off after 54 minutes.

Jordi Gomez: 6 – worked hard and his penalty won the game for his team.

Ryan Tunnicliffe: 4 – looked disorientated. Surely a much better player than he looked in this game.

Martyn Waghorn: 5- lacked incisive thrust. Playing wide on the right and being naturally left footed he invariably passed the ball inside.

Nicky Maynard: 5 – struggled throughout against Wednesday’s giant central defenders.

James McClean: 6 – promised but did not deliver.

Substitutes

Nick Powell: – good to see him back, but clearly not yet match fit.

Callum McManaman: – received little protection from a lenient referee. Looked dangerous on occasions.

Marc-Antoine Fortune: – added more muscle up front and almost laid on a goal for McManaman.

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Sheffield Wednesday Preview – a potential banana skin

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

The dream continued to come true on Sunday as Latics grafted out a win that took them into the FA Cup semi-finals. Apart from a few glimpses in the first half we did not see the kind of flowing football that won them the FA Cup in May. But we did witness once again the “character” that this Latics team now displays under Uwe Rosler. It might not have been as pleasing on the eye as what we saw in May, but in many ways this win was even more impressive. Only one English team- Chelsea- had beaten Manchester City this season at the Etihad Stadium prior to Wigan’s victory. City had hit six against Arsenal and Tottenham and seven against Norwich.

It is a reflection upon the changes that have occurred since the historic May victory that only four players from that Wembley final made the starting lineup on Sunday. There may be even less in the team that meets Sheffield Wednesday tomorrow.

If any match this season presents a potential banana skin it is this one. It would be all too easy for Latics to slip up against the Yorkshire club after the elation of the quarter final win. Latics are clear favourites to win this match after six successive victories and a 3-0 win at Hillsborough a month ago. However, the performance at City will have taken its physical toll and this match is the second of three in a period of six days.

Rosler will certainly have to rotate his squad for this match. Chris McCann went off injured at half time on Sunday, so will be doubtful. Rosler has already stated that Ivan Ramis is not yet fit enough for two games a week. Leon Barnett, who has played more games than anyone this season, was rested from the starting lineup on Saturday but had to come on for McCann after half time. Rosler will also be tempted to rest Emmerson Boyce, who was superb on Sunday.

Nicky Maynard and Martyn Waghorn will almost certainly return to the starting lineup. Callum McManaman and James McClean shared game time on Sunday and may well do so again, the latter being the more likely starter. If Rosler goes for a flat back four then Ryan Tunnicliffe might well start in holding midfield. The big Swede Marcus Holgersson might well make his debut, teaming up with Barnett in the centre of defence. However, he can also play right back if Rosler decides to rest James Perch. Jean Beausejour will return at left back, providing he is fit. Rosler is fortunate to be able to choose from probably the two best goalkeepers in the division, in Ali Al-Habsi and Scott Carson.

Dave Whelan was quoted this week as saying “I’ve loved that FA Cup and the whole town has but this year you’ve got a feeling the league is more important. You get people asking ‘what do you want to do?’ Well there’s only one thing – promotion back to the Premier League.”

Rosler will be therefore be keen to bring his players back down to the ground following the elation of their amazing performance at the Etihad. They will have to knuckle down and fight for the fifty-fifty balls against a Wednesday team currently sitting in 16th place.

Latics fans will be hoping they don’t slip up on that banana skin tomorrow.

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