Wigan vs. Norwich: Time to turn things around

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

The week that saw Wigan drop back into the relegation zone ends with a trip to Carrow Road for a tricky away fixture against new-look Norwich City.

I was among those who suspected the wheels would come of for the Canaries this season after their impressive campaign last time around. The replacement of outgoing manager Paul Lambert with Chris Hughton, plus the additions of Sebastien Bassong and Michael Turner hardly said “we’re taking this team to the next level”.

But Hughton has done magnificent work and Norwich’s football has progressed. After a dismal start to the campaign, he has put together a tremendous run of form not dissimilar to Latics’ stylish end to the 2011-2012 season, claiming the famous scalps of Arsenal and Manchester United. The aforementioned defensive signings have returned to their best form and developed a solid partnership after years of bench-warming or team-hopping. And the conversion of Wes Hoolahan into a second striker, behind Grant Holt, has been a masterstroke. His role is similar to that of Shaun Maloney at Wigan, and has been hugely successful. The team whose success under Lambert was largely based on energy and getting the ball into the box early is now playing some lovely stuff.

That said, Latics’ not only need something from this match, but will feel they can get it. Victor Moses’ equaliser last season should have been followed by a winner. It was the game Shaun Maloney announced himself in Wigan colours, and he will be hoping to make his first start since returning from injury. Also returning is Maynor Figueroa — and despite the absence of the club’s three preferred centre halves — the defence now feels balanced with the Honduran lining up alongside Adrian Lopez and Emmerson Boyce.

It will be interesting to see if Maloney indeed starts, or if Jordi Gomez is given further opportunity to extend his run of matches in the starting lineup. Franco Di Santo may be sacrificed if Roberto employs a more conservative approach and uses both playmakers. Otherwise, one can only hope James McCarthy starts right where he left off against QPR, with marauding runs from midfield and a real desire to get into the box and score.

Norwich lost to Aston Villa  in midweek and have a few knocks of their own. I think Latics will edge this one. Prediction: 2-1

What will January bring for Roberto?

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

Just over a year ago, on New Year’s Eve,  Wigan Athletic drew 2-2 at Stoke. The  point they gained kept them in 18th place in the Premier League. They had 15 points from 19 games. Jordi Gomez and Ronnie Stam had been in good form and Latics had survived an horrendous run of fixtures with their pride relatively intact. Despite their low league position there was just one new signing in the January transfer window and they went on to lose all four league games in January, plus an ignominious defeat in the FA Cup at Swindon of League 2. Fortunately their new signing, Jean Beausejour, was to later prove himself to be a key player in the fight to avoid relegation.

This season things are going a little better. Wigan already have 15 points from 16 games, but face a home tie with Arsenal and away games at Norwich, Everton and Aston Villa before the 2012 calendar year ends. Interestingly enough, Roberto Martinez speaks of strengthening his squad during the January transfer window. Free agent, Roger Espinoza, is already lined up and he promises to add a touch of steel to midfield – a second Hendry Thomas maybe? The American/Honduran is coming from a Kansas City side that topped the standings in the Eastern Conference of the MLS. Like other players coming from leagues that are not as competitive as the Premier League it will probably take him some time to adapt to the technical and athletic demands that will be placed upon him. One for the future probably.

We heard this week that ex-Swansea  midfield player, Ferrie Bodde, is being given a trial at Wigan. Bodde has had an horrendous past four years with serious knee injuries, being released by Swansea in summer after completing his contract. Bodde has never played in the Premier League. He has played only four first team games at Swansea since 2008.

Given the financial constraints that Roberto Martinez works under he is unlikely to be able to add any “ready-made” Premier League players to his squad in the transfer window. During Steve Bruce’s era at Wigan he was able to call on a backbone of highly experienced Premier League players – Emile Heskey, Mario Melchiot and Michael Brown, for example. The salaries paid to such players would not be sanctioned under the current financial regime at the club. Martinez is therefore more likely to be scouting around places like Scotland, Spain and Latin America for any January signings. La Liga is likely to be one of Martinez’ main markets since it is one of Europe’s strongest leagues and bargains can be found. Both Arouna Kone and Ivan Ramis have adapted quickly to the Premier League after coming from Levante and Mallorca, although one feels that the best is yet to come from them.

Speaking of Kone, his absence for the African Nations Cup in January is a concern. His country, Ivory Coast, have a difficult group, being drawn with Algeria, Togo and Tunisia. If his team qualifies for the knockout phase it will mean Kone being absent well into the month of February. Kone has become an important player for Wigan, with his ability to hold on to the ball and intelligent passing. His natural replacement would be Mauro Boselli, but he has been left out in the cold so often this season. Once again on Saturday, Martinez chose to bring him off the bench with only a handful of minutes remaining. There is a possibility that Martinez will give Boselli an extended run during Kone’s absence, but one cannot rule out his departure from Wigan in January. More likely that Martinez is looking for another central striker in the January transfer window.

So a midfield player is definitely lined up and there is a need for another striker. What other positions will Martinez be looking to supplement during the transfer window? The current squad remains the best Wigan have ever had, with competition for places in all positions. The position of most concern is that of goalkeeper. If Ali Al Habsi were to get injured then the choice would be between the 40 year old Mike Pollitt and youngster Lee Nicholls. Martinez might well be on the lookout for another goalkeeper who could provide the same kind of competition to Al-Habsi that players in other positions at the club are facing.

Let’s hope that January 2013 will be a successful month for Wigan Athletic, both in their league and cup performances and in their recruitment of new players. If any of the new signings in January makes the kind of difference that  Beausejour made, then Latics will be in a much better position to avoid getting drawn into the relegation mire. Whatever happens on the playing side there surely has to be an  an improvement on the results and performances of January 2012.

Wigan 2 QPR 2: Frustration setting in

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

Another opportunity squandered as Latics failed to convert a string of chances to put this game beyond Harry’s energized, but sloppy troops. Wigan were still missing seven senior players against a team with a new manager in desperate circumstances, but frustration is starting to set in as the season shapes closer to another relegation battle than a than a cozy mid-table finish.

The Good:

James McCarthy’s finishing — he was unlucky not to score three — confirmed what we already knew: the lad has everything. Ronnie Stam put in another good display down the right. The team’s response after a poor first half was once again very strong and resulted in an equaliser, although it probably should have resulted in two or three more goals as well.

The Bad:

The result and the scrappy nature of the team’s play at times. The worrying lack of composure from those charged with putting the ball in the back of the net. Koné was poor, and desperately needs a goal. Boselli came on far too late — this game would have suited him as Latics had a lot of possession in the opposition’s box. When Maloney came on, he looked out of place in a left-midfield role instead of around the box where his incision was needed.

Player Ratings:

Ali Al-Habsi: 6 — Made a couple great saves and could not be blamed for any of the goals.

Emmerson Boyce: 7.5 — Once again a strong performer on the right of the back three.

Adrian Lopez: 6 — Ryan Nelsen lost his mark for the first goal and a sloppy pass from the Spaniard led to the second. He was very good otherwise, but…

David Jones: 7 — Called upon to fill the left centre-half position and did his best. Got forward occasionally too, deserves credit.

Jean Beausejour: 6 — Despite providing the cross for the second goal, this was not one of his stronger performances.

Ronnie Stam: 7.5 — Full of running and endeavour down the right. May be one to keep his place when all the injured players return to the squad.

James McArthur: 6 — Ok on the ball, but not as dominant as usual.

James McCarthy: 9 — Excellent. Drove the team forward in the second half. Capable of scoring regularly — sadly will end up at one of the big clubs if he does.

Jordi Gomez: 6.5 — Poor first half, faded in and out of second, but looked to be the only attacking player with the composure to score. Latics’ biggest threat and was unlucky to hit the crossbar.

Franco Di Santo: 6.5 — Some good running with the ball, was fouled a lot, but didn’t ever look like scoring.

Arouna Kone: 5 — His touch let him down on numerous occasions, and he failed to get his shot off when through in the second half. Needs a goal.

Subs:

Shaun Maloney: N/A — Brought on in a strange left midfield role and looked a little off the pace. Still, if he made it through without injury setback

Mauro Boselli

Wigan vs. QPR: Clean sheets unlikely

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

2012-qpr

Wigan Athletic returns to the DW to face a Harrified QPR with even fewer available players than they left it — some feat! — including all four of the club’s first-choice centre-backs. The injury total now stands at eight senior players.

Word on the street is Roberto Martinez will revert to a more traditional four-man defence featuring Emmerson Boyce and Adrian Lopez as centre-halves — which sounds fine until reminded of Ronnie Stam’s defensive frailties as a traditional right-back, and the lack of a Maynor Figueroa understudy on the left. The idea of Boyce and Lopez being flanked by two wing-backs playing as full-backs — Stam and Beausejour — is not a warm and fuzzy one, not least because the team’s attacking play has largely been built around their ability to get forward and put crosses into the box.

A perhaps more fluid adjustment, if not without its own set of risks, would be the inclusion of promising Spanish youngster Roman Golobart as third centre-half. This would allow Beausejour and Stam to play in their natural positions and the rest of the team could remain unchanged.

Whichever way Martinez decides to go, statistics suggest the rest of us are in for some goals tomorrow. While Southampton lead the goals conceded table with a remarkable 32 — more than 2 per game — Wigan is close behind with 28, followed by QPR on 27. Considering Wigan’s four first choice defenders are unavailable and the goalkeeper is suffering from a bit of a confidence crisis, a clean sheet does not look likely, though stranger things have happened. If reports of Julio Cesar’s fitness struggle are true, we could even be in for another Robert Green appearance at the DW, thus furthering the argument.

Have you ever sat down to write something and realized five paragraphs in that it’s all coming out wrong?

Despite the defensive crisis and unlikeliness of a clean sheet, I am backing Wigan to win this fixture. Harry has already made big improvements at QPR, with the defence tightened up and Sean Wright-Phillips enjoying a second chance. They showed last week that they are quite good at hitting the post, which should sound familiar. But despite the negative results of the last two fixtures, Latics’ form overall has not been okay. If the general play and discipline of the City match can be retained, three points should be up for grabs.

Prediction: Wigan 2 QPR 1, Jordi Gomez style.

Meet Roger Espinoza — the inside scoop on Latics’ Honduran target

Posted by Ned in News, Other, Specials and tagged with , , , , , , , , ,

2012-roger

As today’s news reports have all but confirmed the signing of Honduran Roger Espinoza, we thought we’d seize the opportunity to introduce him through a Kansas-tinted lens. Though familiar on this side of the pond for his star turn in the summer olympics, the midfielder is a far cry from Wigan’s typical Latin American recruits.

Born in Puerto Cortes, Honduras, Espinoza moved the United States at the age of 12, where he has resided since — becoming a citizen in the process. He played collegiate (university-level) football for Yavapai College before transferring to the much bigger Ohio State Buckeyes, where he was identified as a talent and selected in the “draft” by the Kansas City Wizards.

He has since made more than 100 appearances over a four-season span for the club — now known as Sporting Kansas City — and amassed 25 for his native Honduras since his first call-up in 2009, not including the four for the olympic squad this past summer.

Not only will Espinoza become the fourth Honduran to don Wigan Athletic colours — strengthening the ever growing bond between our club and the central american country — he also arrives with fluent English, a huge advantage over his countrymen. As one Wigan supporter humorously, if somewhat inaccurately pointed out, he will be the first “American-sounding” player at the club since Jason de Vos.

When I reached out to the independent supporters club, the KC Cauldron, their response was warm and swift. Latics supporters know a thing or two about losing quality players for little or no money, and the feeling in Kansas is not unlike what we have experienced so many times in the past — sadness and resignation, mixed with pride and genuine wishes for the player to succeed on the big stage.

Without further ado, the words of James Starritt, who writes and speaks about Sporting Kansas City on the web and local radio, on sportingtimes.net and kicktheball.us — and has been thoroughly impressed by Roger in his four years at the club.

A frenzy of crunching tackling and combative running

“Roger is a fantastic player who has shown enormous capacity to grow over the last few years. As is typical for MLS he was played out of position for a while — on the flanks early — before being converted to full-back. He didn’t do well, and was a fairly average presence until Honduras popped him into central midfield, and he immediately carved out some fantastic performances. An injury crisis in the middle in 2011 forced a similar move shortly afterwards from Sporting Kansas City, and in his first game he simply dominated the entire midfield, scoring a goal, and breaking up opposition possession in what I can only describe as a frenzy of crunching tackling and combative running. He has never looked back.

If you watched Paul Ince, David Batty or Roy Keane back the days, he is cut from that mold. He is passionate and dominant when he is on his game, and he leaves everything he has on the field. He thrives on the competition, and seems to get stronger as games go onwards. He is very, very consistent. If he can play … he is on.

He is very dangerous around either area, breaking up possession in front of his defense and winning it back around the top of the opponents box. He is ideal sitting right between a defensive midfielder and an attacking/creative one — at least at this level. He can drop back into defensive midfield comfortably, however. He is not terribly dynamic going forward but he does create chances for other players to play around him simply by winning the ball and pressuring people into mistakes, he won’t make goals, you’ll still need players to capitalize on the possession he wins for that. If he can raise his game to BPL levels, Wigan should see more of the ball just having him out there. He is a decent passer, he won’t score many goals, but I think he will only improve with better players around him.

The transfer will go through, goodbyes have been said – I see no reason that he will not pass the medical. He may be a little beaten up after a long season but nothing stands out as problematic long-term that should prevent this going through. Pay will not be an issue either as he is on less than £80,000 currently … annually. The only question is whether he can handle the step up in level … what you get with Roger is a guy who will die trying. He is 26 now but players start later in MLS (they go to college/university and then play…) he is still learning and growing and doesn’t have 8 years of time on his legs. He’ll earn his share of yellows and reds… it is just the nature of his play, he isn’t malicious or dirty but if he dives in, he is going all in. You’ll get no histrionics, no diving – he goes down and bounces right up and gets right back into the game, not much complaining, no drama off the field, and he is a nice guy to talk to – he won’t have problems fitting in with the squad unless he struggles to feel at home within Wigan itself.

If he can handle the BPL I think he has the capacity to be a bit of a fan favorite, maybe not a huge star but a good solid pro who you’ll miss when he isn’t out there. We certainly will.”